CHASTAIN HAS STRONG RUN IN THE DOVER XFINITY SERIES RACE

GAFFNEY, S.C. (October 2, 2017) – Ross Chastain capped off an impressive NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Dover International Speedway with a 12th place finish in the No. 4 “Use Your Melon. Drive Sober.” Chevrolet Camaro.

Chastain, having announced his contract extension with JD Motorsports with Gary Keller on Friday, made it to round three of qualifying and started the Drive Sober 200 in 12th place. Throughout the race, Chastain never fell out of the top 15 and ran in the top 10 for many laps.

“Our day was solid,” Chastain said. “We ran well and consistently all day despite lacking some overall grip. That’s the only thing that cost us a couple spots at the end. This is definitely one of the most consistent weekends that we’ve had, and I think being in the Cup car helped a lot. Overall, I’m very proud of this No. 4 team and thankful to the Delaware Office of Highway Safety for their support.”

Chastain also competed in Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Apache Warrior 400 driving the No. 15 “Use Your Melon. Drive Sober.” Chevrolet SS for Premium Motorsports. Chastain had a strong start to the race, but something broke in the steering, and he was forced to spend several laps in the garage. The No. 15 finished 38th.

Next on the schedule is the Drive for the Cure 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday, October 7th.

SMITHLEY 29TH AT DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

GAFFNEY, S.C. (October 2, 2017) – Garrett Smithley, driving the No. 0 Heroes Haven Chevrolet Camaro for JD Motorsports with Gary Keller, finished in 29thplace in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Drive Sober 200.

Smithley qualified 30th for Saturday’s race at Dover International Speedway.

“It was a pretty decent day all around,” Smithley said. “I’m so thankful to Heroes Haven for the support. It’s always such an honor to have them at the track and to represent such a great organization. I’m looking forward to going to Charlotte next week, and hopefully we’ll turn some heads there.”

Next on the schedule is the Drive for the Cure 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday, October 7th.

RHODES PARKED BY ENGINE TROUBLES EARLY IN THE DRIVE SOBER 200

GAFFNEY, S.C. (October 2, 2017) – JD Motorsports with Gary Keller driver, Harrison Rhodes, was forced to retire from Saturday’s Drive Sober 200 after 17 laps due to a blown engine.

The No. 01 Meding’s Seafood / Iron Source Chevrolet Camaro qualified 31st for the Dover International Speedway NASCAR Xfinity Series race and was running well before the engine began to smoke. Rhodes finished the race scored in the 37th position.

 “I really hate it for my team and for my sponsors,” Rhodes said. “I wish we could have run more laps for Meding’s Seafood and Iron Source. They’ve been great supporters of the team for years. We’ll regroup and come back stronger for Charlotte.”

Next on the schedule is the Drive for the Cure 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday, October 7th.

ROSS CHASTAIN RETURNING TO JD MOTORSPORTS FULL-TIME IN THE XFINITY SERIES IN 2018, WORKING ON A PART-TIME CUP SCHEDULE WITH PREMIUM MOTORSPORTS

DOVER, D.E. (September 30, 2017) – Ross Chastain announced yesterday in the Dover International Speedway media center that he will be returning to the No. 4 car with JD Motorsports with Gary Keller full-time in the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.

“I’m very excited to announce that I will be back in the No. 4 car with JDM next year,” said Chastain. “Three years ago, I got a call from Johnny, and we started building this empire together. We’ve got a long way to go, we’ve got a lot more to accomplish together, and that’s why I’m so happy to be back in the No. 4 car.”

Chastain has competed full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with JD Motorsports since 2015. Chastain has made one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start with Premium Motorsports earlier in 2017 and will compete in his second Cup race with them this weekend, and they are currently working on more Cup Series races togetehr in 2018. JDM team owner, Johnny Davis, and Premium Motorsports team owner, Jay Robinson, joined Chastain in media center for the announcement.

“We did the first race with Ross in June, and it turned out really well,” said Robinson. “Ross may be a young man, but he’s like a seasoned professional. Johnny and I have done a lot together for a long, long time, so when he called to talk about Ross, I was more than happy to accommodate.”

“I’m very excited that Ross came on board with JD Motorsports for another year,” said Davis. “He’s been a big part of growing this team to another level, and we look forward to many good years ahead of us to grow and get better.”

It was also announced that the Delaware Office of Highway Safety has renewed their sponsorship for 2018, and the “Protect Your Melon. Buckle Up.” and “Use Your Melon. Drive Sober.” campaigns will be on Chastain’s cars for next year’s Dover races. Mitch Topal, Delaware Office of Highway Safety Marketing and Communications Specialist, and Rachel Syngo, of the Florida Watermelon Association, also took part in yesterday’s press conference.

“Anyone who can bridge the gap between watermelons and racecars is a pretty special person,” said Topal. “We are really proud to be a sponsor of this race to get the ‘Use Your Melon. Drive Sober.’ message out, get people to click their seat belts, and not drink and drive. We’re really thrilled to be sponsoring the car and have Ross on our team.”

“We are a proud partner and always have been,” said Syngo. “This has brought watermelons to a whole new level. We’ve been involved since Ross started racing at age 12. To see this exposure for all of the farmers and growers that we represent go to a national scale is pretty amazing.”

ROSS CHASTAIN MAKING HIS SECOND CUP SERIES START AT DOVER

GAFFNEY, S.C. (September 26, 2017) – Ross Chastain is returning to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series this weekend at Dover International Speedway, and he’ll be teaming up with the Delaware Office of Highway Safety to encourage race fans to “Use Your Melon” and Drive Sober. OHS will also be on board Chastain’s No. 4 JD Motorsports with Gary Keller Chevrolet for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Driver Sober 200.

Chastain is scheduled to make his second career start in the Cup Series in the Apache Warrior 400 in Dover driving the No. 15 Premium Motorsports Chevrolet SS. Chastain made his Cup debut earlier this year at Dover and impressed many by scoring a top 20 finish.

"My Cup debut in June far surpassed my expectations," Chastain said. "To be able to run competitively and come home with a solid finish in my first time driving a Cup car was awesome. I want to thank (team owner) Johnny Davis for putting it all together. He has helped me so much in this sport and now is helping me further my career the Cup series, so I can't thank him enough.”

Both of Chastain's cars will carry the theme of "Use Your Melon. Drive Sober." for the Dover races to encourage drivers to always driver sober. This campaign is a follow-up the OHS and Chastain’s successful “Protect you Melon. Buckle Up.” messaging earlier in the year. The watermelon-themed logos and safety campaigns are inspired by Chastain’s family history of watermelon farmers and his ties to the watermelon growers’ associations.

"As a race team we spend a lot of time on the road," said team owner, Johnny Davis, "One of the scariest things that you can encounter on the road is an impaired driver. I am very thankful that OHS has chosen us to help share their message, and I believe that it will help save some lives."

“OHS is committed to saving lives,” said OHS Director Jana Simpler. “Our sponsorship of Ross Chastain and the Drive Sober 200 gets the Drive Sober message out to thousands of NASCAR fans in Delaware. We invite attendees to visit our FanZone where they can operate racing simulators, enter a golf and lug nut competition, and sign an on-line pledge to drive sober.”

OHS will continue to employ a comprehensive marketing approach to engage with racing enthusiasts and loyal NASCAR fans through on-track, hands-on, traditional, digital and social media messaging during the NASCAR season.

"This partnership is extra exciting to me because OHS and JDM have found a way to promote two causes that are closest to my heart -- safe driving and agriculture," said Ross Chastain. "The 'Protect Your Melon' campaign was a lot of fun in the spring, so I can’t wait to get the fans at Dover involved with the ‘Use Your Melon’ campaign. I can't wait to see more watermelons at the track, and less people driving while impaired everywhere."

Watermelons labeled with "Use Your Melon" will be in grocery stores and farmers markets throughout Delaware.

MEDING’S SEAFOOD AND IRON SOURCE TEAMING UP AGAIN TO SPONSOR RHODES

GAFFNEY, S.C. (September 25, 2017) – Two Delaware businesses, Meding’s Seafood and Iron Source, will once again team up as the primary sponsors on board the JD Motorsports with Gary Keller No. 01 Chevrolet Camaro of Harrison Rhodes in the Drive Sober 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Dover International Speedway.

Meding’s Seafood, a capital for seafood lovers in and around Delaware, will have a No. 01 Meding’s Seafood/Iron Source show car outside their restaurant Thursday through Saturday.

“Meding’s and Iron Source have been friends of the race team for many years,” said team owner, Johnny Davis. “It’s great for us to have such dependable partners – and one with such delicious food!”

“I’m so thankful to Meding’s and Iron Source for always supporting this team,” said Rhodes. “I hope the fans at Meding’s enjoy having the show car around, and I hope we have a great race for the fans at Dover International Speedway on Saturday.”

Co-sponsor Iron Source is the official rental equipment provider of Dover International Speedway. Iron Source has two locations, in Georgetown and Smyrna, and is the Eastern Shore’s exclusive dealer for Gehl compact equipment, Wacker Neuson, Husqvarna, Manitou, Western Snow plows, Topcon Lasers and Bandit chipper and stump grinders. The No. 01 Meding’s Seafood / Iron Source Chevrolet will also carry Complete Tree Care, Scott Dostal Mortgage Team, and Eaton Aeroquip as associate partners for the Dover International Speedway fall race.

Dover International Speedway practice is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. (ET) Friday. Qualifying will start at 11:35 p.m. Saturday and the Drive Sober 200 will get the green flag at 2:45 p.m. on NBCSN.

HEROES HAVEN ON BOARD WITH SMITHLEY FOR DOVER

GAFFNEY, S.C. (September 25, 2017) – Heroes Haven will partner again for the ninth consecutive race with JD Motorsports with Gary Keller at Dover International Speedway this weekend.

Heroes Haven will be the primary sponsor on the No. 0 Chevrolet Camaro of driver Garrett Smithley, courtesy of Ken and Tracy Adams, in Saturday's Drive Sober 200 Xfinity Series race at the Dover track.

Heroes Haven works with American military members to honor and support those who have sacrificed so much for their country. At Dover, a military member will be the team's special guest and will be designated as an honorary crew member, sitting on the team's pit box and sharing the race day in a special way.

“It's the least we can do for these people who have done so much for us," said team owner, Johnny Davis. "We enjoy working with the Heroes Haven folks at Dover. They do very good work, and it's an honor for us to be involved with them.”

“Dover will be a lot of fun,” said Smithley. “The more we go there, the better we run there. Dover is special for me since it’s the first track I went to as a kid, and it’s special because we have such a great partner in Hero Haven. I’m proud that I get to represent such an awesome organization.”

Dover International Speedway practice is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. (ET) Friday. Qualifying will start at 11:35 p.m. Saturday and the Drive Sober 200 will get the green flag at 2:45 p.m. on NBCSN.

CHASTAIN FINISHES 21ST KENTUCKY

GAFFNEY, S.C. (September 25, 2017) – Ross Chastain, driver of the No. 4  JD Motorsports with Gary Keller Chevrolet Camaro,  finished 21st in the VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300. Saturday night’s race at Kentucky Speedway was Chastain’s 100th NASCAR Xfinity Series start.

 “We rolled off 21st and went forward a little bit,” Chastain said. “We fought a tight car all night, and we were loose into turn three. We got a lot better but just didn’t pick up as much speed as we thought we should have. We’ll go back to work and get ready for Dover, which should be a big one for this No. 4 team.”

Chastain remains 15th in NASCAR Xfinity Series driver points.

The series moves on to Dover International Speedway for the Drive Sober 200 on Saturday, September 30th.

ANOTHER TOP 25 FINISH FOR RHODES AT KENTUCKY

GAFFNEY, S.C. (September 25, 2017) – Harrison Rhodes brought his No. 01 Ken Houston Electric Chevrolet Camaro home in 24th place in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Kentucky Speedway, topping last week’s 25th place finish.

Rhodes qualified 27th for Saturday’s VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300, and his JD Motorsports with Gary Keller car ran in the top 25 most of the night.

“We had a pretty solid day and finished better than we started,” Rhodes said. “I started out pretty tight at the beginning of the race, but by the second stage the No. 01 crew had the car rotating pretty good. We had a consistent day and a 24th place finish, so we’ll take it and go to Dover.”

The series moves on to Dover International Speedway for the Drive Sober 200 on Saturday, September 30th.

SOLID RUN FOR SMITHLEY AT KENTUCKY

GAFFNEY, S.C. (September 25, 2017) – Garret Smithley, driving the No. 0  JD Motorsports with Gary Keller Chevrolet Camaro,  finished 25th in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Kentucky Speedway.

Smithley started Saturday’s VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 in 26th place and was competing in the top 25 most of the night.

“It was a good race, and we had a lot of fun out there,” Smithley said. “Our performance this race compared to the last race was dramatically better. Running on older tires is all that held us back at the end. I’m proud of what the whole ‘Number Nuthin’ crew is doing this year.”

The series moves on to Dover International Speedway for the Drive Sober 200 on Saturday, September 30th.