Contreras Motorsports Explained

Team Name:Contreras Motorsports
Owner Names:Carlos Contreras
Enrique Contreras III
Base:Mooresville, North Carolina
Series:Camping World Truck Series
Numbers:71
Drivers:71. Brandon Hightower
Sponsors:71. NAPA Auto Parts, RaceTrac, Motul, Thompson Electric Inc., Valvoline, and Flwaterfront.com.
Manufacturer:ChevroletToyota
Opened:2012
Closed:2016
Debut:2016 Great Clips 200 (Atlanta)
Final:2016 Ford EcoBoost 200
Races:Total: 19
Camping World Truck Series: 19
Drivers Champ:Total: 0
Camping World Truck Series: 0
Wins:Total: 0
Camping World Truck Series: 0
Poles:Total: 1
Camping World Truck Series: 1

Contreras Motorsports was a Mexican professional stock car racing team that competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The team was owned by Carlos Contreras and his nephew Enrique. The team fielded the No. 71 Chevrolet Silverado full-time for various drivers. During operation, they were the sole Mexican team in the three national divisions of NASCAR.

Camping World Truck Series

Truck No. 71 history

The No. 71 truck began racing in 2016.[1] Their first race was the Great Clips 200 because they did not qualify for the NextEra Energy Resources 250. Carlos Contreras drove the first race, with funding from RaceTrac convenience stores. Several up-and coming drivers raced for the team in its inaugural season, including JR Motorsports development driver Josh Berry and Israeli Alon Day. the team also brought in experienced drivers, such as Ken Schrader and Mike Bliss.[2] It was announced on December 25 that Brandon Hightower would drive for the team full-time in 2017.

Partnerships

JR Motorsports

On October 29, 2016, Contreras Motorsports ran a truck for Chase Elliott at Martinsville;[3] the truck was built by JR Motorsports.[4] He qualified on the pole and finished second.

Ranier Racing with MDM

Ranier Racing with MDM ran some races in 2016 with the No. 71 with Austin Dillon and Brandon Jones driving. Jones drove at Dover, Charlotte, Iowa, Kentucky and Bristol. Dillon drove at Texas. Between the two drivers, they recorded three top-ten finishes.

Ken Schrader Racing

In 2016 Contreras Motorsports partnered with Ken Schrader Racing to run the Aspen Dental Eldora Dirt Derby in the No. 71 Toyota Tundra. Ken Schrader drove the truck sponsored by Hunt Brothers Pizza.[5] Schrader drove the truck to a 12th-place finish.

Truck No. 71 results

YearTeamNo.Make1234567891011121314151617181920212223Pts
2016Carlos Contreras71ChevyDAY
DNQ
ATL
27
TEX
31
POC
27
LVS
30
20th288
Mike BlissMAR
30
KAN
17
Brandon JonesDOV
20
CLT
11
IOW
17
KEN
7
BRI
9
Enrique Contreras IIIGTW
20
MCH
28
Ken SchraderToyotaELD
12
Camden MurphyChevyMSP
31
Josh BerryCHI
13
Alon DayNHA
24
HOM
26
Brandon HightowerTAL
30
Chase ElliottMAR
2*
Austin DillonTEX
8
Kevin DonahuePHO
20

Ending of operations

Before the 2017 season, the assets and ownership of the team was transferred to business partner and crew veteran D. J. Copp to form Copp Motorsports.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: CONTRERAS MOTORSPORTS, EL PRIMER EQUIPO MEXICANO EN LA NASCAR. Spanish. NASCAR.com. Turner Sports Network. February 11, 2016. November 20, 2016.
  2. Web site: Carlos Contreras's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races - Racing-Reference.info. racing-reference.info. 2016-12-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20161220113240/http://racing-reference.info/rquery?id=contrca01&trk=t0&series=C&o=1. 2016-12-20. dead.
  3. Web site: Take a look at Chase Elliott's truck for Martinsville Speedway. FoxSports.com. Wilhelm. Chase. October 27, 2016. October 30, 2016.
  4. Web site: Chase Elliott enters Truck race for first time in three years. Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Utter. Jim. October 27, 2016. October 30, 2016.
  5. Web site: .:Official Internet Home of Schrader Racing:.. www.schraderracing.com. 2016-12-27.