Young's Motorsports Phoenix Raceway October Team Preview

Young’s Motorsports | NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series

Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway | Truck Series Championship Race

Fast Facts

No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Team:

Driver: Nathan Byrd   

Primary Partner(s): GMS

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado RST

Crew Chief: Jason Miller

2025 Driver Points Position: 28th | 2025 Owner Points Position: 29th

Engine: Ilmor Racing Technologies

Notes of Interest:

● Welcome Back: The 2025 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series season stretch drive will waive the checkered flag this weekend, with Young’s Motorsports proud to welcome back rookie Nathan Byrd to pilot the team’s flagship No. 02 Chevrolet Silverado RST in Friday night’s Truck Series Championship Race at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway.

The 25-race campaign began under the lights at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway — where dreams come true at the World Center of Racing — and fittingly concludes under the lights in the desert on Halloween night, where Friday’s finale at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway will make its own mark by crowning the 2025 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series champions.

● About Nathan: Byrd, 24, began racing go-karts in 2018, just after graduating High School, and he entered his first car race in February 2020.

Since then, the Goodyear, Ariz. native has raced over 30 types of cars in 348 total races at 67 different race tracks, effectively becoming one of the most diverse and interesting race car drivers in the world.

Completing more than 300 races in the first four years of his career, Byrd is no stranger to piloting race cars.

In 2024, the Indianapolis, Ind. resident turned his attention to NASCAR. He successfully made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Portland International Raceway and delivered a respectable 21st-place finish for DGM Racing.

In September 2024, Byrd made his NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series debut at Kansas Speedway, earning a respectable 19th-place finish after starting 32nd.

This season, Byrd has had a very eclectic racing schedule, including 14 Truck Series starts, highlighted by career-best 14th-place finishes twice consecutively at Rockingham (N.C.). Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway, respectively.

● All Board: For the 25th of 25 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series races this season, GMS will serve as the primary marketing partner for Friday night’s 150-lap showdown.

GMS is a professional employer organization (PEO) and a Benefits Administrator. We serve companies of all sizes nationwide.

We make employee management simpler, safer, and stronger. We save you time and money. You retain full control over your employees and regain the opportunity to focus on growing your business.

GMS was founded by Mike Kahoe in 1996 and has helped thousands of companies take control of their HR functions.

● Nathan Byrd Truck Series Phoenix Raceway Stats: Friday night’s NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series Championship Race will mark Byrd’s second career Truck Series start at the iconic 1.0-mile Phoenix Raceway — a venue he proudly calls his home track.

In his track debut last November at Phoenix Raceway, Byrd qualified his No. 02 Sonesta International Hotels Chevrolet Silverado 33rd. Still, throughout the race, he continued to build confidence and acquire precious track time, delivering a respectable 26th-place finish at the checkered flag.

Friday night at Phoenix Raceway brings the curtain down on a memorable 2025 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series season — a 25-race journey that’s carried teams from coast to coast, through triumphs and challenges alike, now culminating under the desert lights where a champion will be crowned and milestones will be celebrated.

At 1.0 mile in length, Phoenix Raceway blends the feel of a short track with superspeedway speed. Its unique dogleg, varying banking and shifting racing grooves create countless opportunities for bold moves — and costly mistakes.

Track position, pit strategy and execution will be crucial in the battle for the championship.

While the spotlight will shine brightest on the Championship 4 drivers and teams, non-Playoff organizations like Young’s Motorsports are eager to make their own mark — aiming to close out the season with strong performances that demonstrate growth, resilience and momentum heading into 2026.

Following Friday night’s Truck Series finale, the NASCAR Xfinity Series will crown its champion on Saturday, November 1, with the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race, while the NASCAR Cup Series closes the year on Sunday, November 2, with the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race — officially bringing the 2025 NASCAR season to a close at Phoenix Raceway.

● Nathan Byrd Truck Series Career Stats: Entering Phoenix, Nathan Byrd has 17 career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts, carrying a steady average finish of 25.2.

The popular driver made his series debut with his family-owned team at Kansas Speedway in September 2024, earning an impressive 19th-place finish. He returned at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway and capped his rookie campaign by competing in the season finale at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway.

So far in 2025, Byrd has competed in 14 Truck Series events, gaining valuable seat time across a diverse mix of tracks — including Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway, Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway, Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway, Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, Rockingham (N.C.) Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, Michigan International Speedway, Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, and most recently Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway earlier this month.

Throughout his rookie season, Byrd has done a commendable job honing his craft and adapting to the competitive nature of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series.

He continued to showcase that progress in the most recent event at Talladega, delivering a noteworthy and respectable 18th-place finish after starting 31st — a performance that underscored his patience, race management and ability to capitalize on opportunities in the draft during just his second superspeedway start.

● Calling the Shots: Guiding Byrd as crew chief of the No. 02 GMS Chevrolet Silverado RST is veteran Jason Miller.

On Friday night, Miller will make his 158th NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series start atop the pit box.

In his previous 157 races, he has collected one win, eight top-five finishes and 28 top-10 efforts.

This weekend’s 25th race of the season will mark Miller’s sixth Truck Series appearance as a crew chief at Phoenix Raceway. It also represents his 15th start in that leadership role this year.

In his previous five Truck Series leadership Phoenix Raceway efforts, he led veteran David Starr to back-to-back top-10 finishes in 2009 and 2010, respectively.

● Young's Motorsports' NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series at Phoenix Raceway: This weekend will mark Young’s Motorsports’ 22nd NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series start at Phoenix Raceway.

The organization posted a team-best finish at the track of eighth in the 2023 edition of the CRAFTSMAN® 150 on November 3, 2023, with Truck Series contender Kaden Honeycutt at the wheel.

Since 2014, the Mooresville, N.C.-based Young’s Motorsports team has had an average starting position of 25.7 and an average finish of 24.1 in 21 overall starts at Phoenix Raceway. 

The Young’s Motorsports team also brings additional Phoenix Raceway experience, having made three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts — highlighted by an impressive 11th-place finish from rookie driver Leland Honeyman Jr. in March 2024.

● Young's Motorsports' NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series History: Since entering the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series in 2012, the Mooresville, N.C., - based organization has logged 540 starts from 75 drivers, resulting in solid performances that include two victories (Talladega Superspeedway 2019 and 2021), seven top-five finishes and 33 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 23.4 and an average finishing position of 22.3.

● Follow on Social Media: For more on Nathan Byrd, please visit byrdracing.com, like him on Facebook (Nathan Byrd), and follow him on Instagram (@nathanjbyrd) and X |Twitter (@nathanjbyrd).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (@youngsmotorsports) and X |Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Nathan Byrd Pre-Race Quotes:

On Phoenix Raceway: “I’m really excited to be back with Young’s Motorsports this weekend at Phoenix Raceway.

“It’s been a big year of learning and growing for me, and to close out the season at a track where I made my first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series start with the team feels special.

Phoenix is a challenging place, but I’m confident in what we’ve built together and ready to finish the year strong for everyone at Young’s Motorsports and our partners.”

On Phoenix Raceway Preparation: “Phoenix is a track that really challenges you as a driver.

“I’ve focused a lot on learning how to manage the different corners, the dogleg and how the track transitions as the race goes on.

“The Young’s Motorsports guys have worked hard preparing a great truck, and I’m looking forward to putting everything I’ve learned this year to use and finishing the season on a strong note.”

On Goals for Phoenix Raceway: “The goal for Friday night is to take everything I’ve learned this season and put together a complete race.

“We’ve had a lot of ups and downs, but every lap has helped me grow as a driver. I gained valuable experience at Phoenix last year, and I think that understanding how the track changes under the lights will help me make smarter decisions throughout the race.

“If we can stay out of trouble, execute on pit road, and be in position late, I think we can leave the desert and put an exclamation point on the season with a result everyone at Young’s Motorsports can be proud of.”

On the 2025 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series Season: “Looking back on the 2025 Truck Series season, it’s been a tremendous year of growth,” said Byrd. “Every race has taught me something new — about the tracks, the trucks, and the competition at this level.

“I’m really proud of how far we’ve come as a team, and I’m thankful for the opportunity Young’s Motorsports has given me to learn and keep improving.

“This season has laid a strong foundation for what’s ahead, and I’m excited to keep building on it.”

Race Information:

The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series Championship Race (150 laps | 150 miles) serves as the 25th of 25 races on the 2025 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series schedule. A full 50-minute practice will occur on Thursday, October 30, 2025, from 4:35 p.m. to 5:25 p.m. Qualifying will follow on race day, Friday, October 31, beginning at 12:35 p.m. The field will take the green flag shortly after 4:30 p.m. (7:30 p.m. ET), with live coverage on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), the Motor Racing Network (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (MT).

Young’s Motorsports | NASCAR Xfinity Series

Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway | Xfinity Series Championship Race

Fast Facts

No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Team:

Driver: Anthony Alfredo  

Primary Partner(s): Hypersteel™ Buildings

Manufacturer: Chevrolet Camaro

Crew Chief: Andrew Abbott

2025 Driver Points Position: 24th | 2025 Owner Points Position: 25th

Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing

● Year Two, Full Throttle: In January, Young’s Motorsports announced that NASCAR Xfinity Series veteran Anthony Alfredo would compete full-time for the team in its second year of Xfinity Series competition.

Alfredo is driving the No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro for the entire 33-race schedule, which concludes with Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway.  

● About Anthony: A popular driver, Alfredo, a native of Ridgefield, Connecticut, joins Young’s Motorsports with an array of Motorsports experience, including starts in the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series, respectively.

The 2025 season will mark Alfredo’s fourth full-time Xfinity Series campaign, and he joins the Mooresville, N.C.-based team after spending the 2024 season with Our Motorsports.

The 25-year-old finished 15th in the 2024 Xfinity Series driver standings, highlighted by a Dash 4 Cash victory at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway. He added two more top-five finishes and seven top-10s to his career totals, further strengthening his résumé across 150 Xfinity Series starts.

● All-Aboard!: For the 33rd of 33 Xfinity Series races this season, Young’s Motorsports welcomes back Cornerstone Building Brands, who partner with the Mooresville, N.C.-based team, promoting their product Hypersteel™ Cold-Form Buildings as the primary partners on the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro for the 200-lap race on Saturday afternoon.   

Hypersteel™ cold-formed buildings are engineered for speed, offering the hyper-fast design and production turnaround that sets them apart from traditional pre-engineered metal buildings.

They deliver all the benefits of steel while minimizing time, complexity, and installation effort.

With a streamlined design and build process, Hypersteel™ structures are easier to install than rigid frame buildings of similar design, often without the need for large crews, heavy equipment or specialized labor.

● Anthony Alfredo Xfinity Series Phoenix Raceway Stats: Saturday afternoon’s second trip to Avondale, Ariz., will mark Alfredo’s eighth career start at the iconic 1.0-mile speedway.

Alfredo earned a track-best 10th after starting 20th in the 2024 edition of the Call 811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200 for Our Motorsports.

The Xfinity Series veteran driver will look to improve his average finish at Phoenix Raceway of 26.9.

Additionally, Alfredo has two NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway with a best effort of 34th after starting 30th in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race, driving for Front Row Motorsports.

The Ridgefield, Connecticut native also has a lone NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series start in 2019, driving for TRICON Garage. He finished 24th after starting 13th in the Lucas Oil 150.

Thirty-two races into the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season — and as the curtain falls on the year — Anthony Alfredo and the Young’s Motorsports No. 42 team remain determined to finish strong and make some noise in the desert at Phoenix Raceway.

While they won’t compete for a championship, they still have the chance to chase a victory and close out the season on a high note in the Xfinity Series finale.

The fast, 1.0-mile tri-oval in Avondale, Arizona, blends short-track intensity with superspeedway-style momentum — a place where patience, precision and strategy are tested from green to checkered.

For Alfredo and the No. 42 Chevrolet team, the mission remains simple: deliver a strong performance, stay out of trouble, and seize every opportunity that comes their way — perhaps even with a late-race charge toward the front.

A breakthrough performance at Phoenix would serve as the ultimate reward for the group’s perseverance and progress this season while helping the team end the campaign with momentum heading into 2026.

Saturday’s season finale at Phoenix Raceway anchors NASCAR Championship Weekend in The Copper State, where all three of NASCAR’s national series will settle their titles beneath the setting Arizona sun.

The weekend kicks off Friday night, October 31, with the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series finale, followed by Saturday afternoon’s Xfinity Series Championship Race.

Then on Sunday, the spotlight shifts to the NASCAR Cup Series with the Championship Race, where the sport’s biggest prize and highest emotions will close out the 2025 season.

It’s a weekend built for celebration, competition and reflection — and for Alfredo and Young’s Motorsports, Phoenix represents one final chance to make noise before the year comes to a close.

● Anthony Alfredo Xfinity Series Career Stats: Entering Phoenix, Alfredo has 150 NASCAR Xfinity Series races to his credit, earning a career-best third-place finish twice, most recently at Talladega Superspeedway after starting 11th in the 2024 edition of the Ag-Pro 300 for Our Motorsports.

Since 2020, he has earned one pole, five top-five, and 23 top-10 finishes and has an average finish of 20.3.

● Martinsville Speedway | IAA and Ritchie Bros. 250 Race Recap: The NASCAR Xfinity Series returned to one of the sport’s most legendary short tracks this past weekend at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway for the penultimate race of the season.

The Young’s Motorsports team returned to the 0.526-mile paperclip oval looking for redemption after a mechanical failure halted a strong top-10 performance for Alfredo and his team in the spring.

Building off their notes from practice, Alfredo qualified his No. 42 The Roth ID Tag™ Chevrolet Camaro in the 29th position.

From the drop of the green flag, Alfredo methodically and smartly maneuvered his Chevrolet through the field and, with some strategy, found himself back inside the top-10 at one of the sport’s oldest venues.

A hard-fought effort for Alfredo, which included avoiding several late race skirmishes, brought the Young’s Motorsports team a respectable 16th place finish in overtime.

With the arrival of the homestretch, Young’s Motorsports will lean on their experience and never-give-up attitude to propel them forward through the remainder of the season.

This closing stretch features the intermediate Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway to close out the year.

● Calling the Shots: Guiding Alfredo as crew chief of the No. 42 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro is longtime crew chief Andrew Abbott. 

On Saturday night, he will be crew chief in his 162nd NASCAR Xfinity Series race. In his previous 161 races, he has four top-five and 14 top-10 finishes.  

The season's 33rd race will be his 10th tango at Phoenix Raceway as crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. 

In his nine previous leadership efforts at Phoenix, Abbott has earned a track-best 10th-place finish with driver Jeremy Clements in the 2020 fall edition of the Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 200.

● Young's Motorsports' NASCAR Xfinity Series at Phoenix Raceway: This weekend will mark Young's Motorsports' fourth NASCAR Xfinity Series start at Phoenix Raceway.

In the team’s three previous Xfinity Phoenix Raceway starts, the team earned an Xfinity track-best of 11th after starting 24th with rookie Leland Honeyman Jr. at the wheel in March 2024.

Earlier this year, the team qualified 25th for the GOVX 200. From the drop of the green, the team moved quickly towards a top-10 finish, only to see their hard and impressive work halted by mechanical gremlins, resulting in a 32nd-place finish.

While the family-owned team has limited NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Phoenix, it has posted an average starting position of 25.7 and an average finish of 24.1 in 21 overall Truck Series starts at Phoenix Raceway since 2014. 

The organization posted a team-best finish at the track of eighth in the 2023 edition of the CRAFTSMAN® 150 on November 3, 2023, with Truck Series contender Kaden Honeycutt at the wheel.

● Young's Motorsports' NASCAR Xfinity Series History: Since entering the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2024, the family-owned organization has logged 65 starts and maintains an average starting position of 25.7 and an average finish of 23.8.

● Follow on Social Media: For more on Anthony Alfredo, please visit AnthonyAlfredo.com, like him on Facebook (Anthony Alfredo Racing), follow him on Instagram (@anthonyalfredo) and X | Twitter (@anthonyalfredo).

For more on Young’s Motorsports, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com, like them on Facebook (Young’s Motorsports), and follow them on Instagram (@youngsmotorsports) and X |Twitter (@youngsmtrsports).

Anthony Alfredo Pre-Race Quotes:

On Returning to Phoenix Raceway: “We had a really solid car at Phoenix earlier this year before an electrical issue took us out of the race.

“Hopefully, we can get redemption for our partners and every employee on the Young’s Motorsports team.”

On Biggest Challenges at Phoenix Raceway: “Phoenix Raceway is a pretty technical track and it’s difficult to get the balance of the car where you need it.

“I’m hoping that with a full practice session on Friday, we are able to get our No. 42 Hypersteel™ Buildings Chevrolet dialed in.

“I think the heat throughout the weekend will allow for more strategy as the tires will wear more and the track will take more rubber.”

On Keys to Success at Phoenix Raceway: “Staying in the hunt all race long and executing throughout the race will be key towards having a good finish, especially if we have a late race caution.”

On Racing Phoenix Raceway in the Fall: “I don’t feel like there is a big difference between the spring and fall race at Phoenix, except for the time of day, which may affect rubber build-up.

“We’ll see.”

On Strategy and Track Position at Phoenix Raceway: “Track position is huge at Phoenix Raceway, but the tires fall off enough that there is an opportunity to be aggressive with when you put a new set on.”

On Goals for Phoenix Raceway: “I would be thrilled to end the season with a top-10 finish. It would be great to head into the off-season with a good result and end the year on a high note.”

On Goals for the Remainder of 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series Season: “We need to continue performing at a high level and finishing well.

“Our team has fought a lot of adversity this year, but we need to remain focused on running our own race each week and controlling what we can control through the end of the season.

“Our main goal for this weekend is to execute at a high level and control what is in our control. That’s really all we can do and hopefully that allows us to finish the year on a high note.”

On the Most Recent NASCAR Xfinity Series Race at Martinsville Speedway: “We had a solid car at Martinsville Speedway and were able to bring home a good finish after racing inside the top-10 for most of the event.

“It felt good to be competitive and compete at the front of the field with the bigger teams.”

Race Information:

The Xfinity Series Championship Race (200 laps | 200 miles) is the 33rd of thirty-three (33) NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2025 schedule. A full 50-minute practice will occur on Friday, October 31, 2025, from 1:35 p.m. to 2:25 p.m. Qualifying will follow on race day, Saturday, November 1, beginning at 12:30 p.m. The field will take the green flag shortly after 4:30 p.m. (7:30 p.m. ET), with live coverage on The CW Network, the Motor Racing Network (Radio), and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (MT).

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