12
Peoria Times
SPORTS
March 10, 2022
For more sports visit peoriatimes.com PeoriaTimes.com
/PeoriaTimes
NASCAR, Truex Jr. return to Phoenix Raceway BY ZAKKARY BROG
Peoria Times Staff Writer
After successful runs in 2021 at Phoenix Raceway, Martin Truex Jr. will return to the venue on Sunday, March 13, for the Ruoff Mortgage 500. “I really enjoy going to Phoenix,” Truex Jr. said. “It’s a fun racetrack, and, honestly, I feel like it gets better every year with age. The racetrack was a blast to race on last year. Hopefully, we can continue the success.” In the spring 2021 race, the 2017 Cup Series champion finished first and won the Instacart 500. He had a strong showing later that fall, finishing second. However, second place felt especially distant on that day, as the championship of the season was on the line. Truex Jr. attributes his success to his chemistry with crew chief James
Martin Truex Jr. will return to Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, March 13, to compete in the Ruoff Mortgage 500. (Submitted photo)
Small, who worked as the lead engineer with his previous team, Furniture Row Racing, during Truex Jr.’s 2017 title run as the lead engineer.
“Coming so close last year, it took a lot to get there,” Truex Jr. said. “I feel like he did a great job all year, and the team did as well. We’re in a
great place, and we have a lot of confidence in each other and what we’re doing. We work well together, and I have all the confidence in the world that he’s going to figure this thing out pretty quickly and we’re going to get out there and win some races. I love having him on the team. His work ethic, his determination and his will to win is second to none. That’s what it takes at this level. I’m very lucky to have him and looking forward to hopefully having a great season together again.” The 2022 races are different, as the athletes are driving the new Next Gen car, which replaced the preview car that was used from 2013 to 2021. For all drivers on the grid, it’s a new obstacle to overcome. “It’s been a lot of fun to race with SEE RACEWAY PAGE 13
PBR unveils team series schedule BY ZAKKARY BROG
Peoria Times Staff Writer
Professional Bull Riders has released the schedule for its inaugural team series. Gila River Arena will host Team Series: the Arizona Ridge Riders from Friday, Oct. 14, to Sunday, Oct. 16, at Gila River Arena. Of the 11 events, eight will be hosted by teams in the league and three will be held at neutral sites. The final of those three neutral site events will be the championship event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “The inaugural PBR Team Series season will play out across a very strong collection of cities, culminating in our Las Vegas Championship,” said Sean Gleason, PBR’s chief executive
officer and commissioner. “Each stop on the schedule will be a real happening, with plenty of fun events for fans and opportunities to come together to rally around their team. It will be exciting to watch each local fan base grow.” The season will be as follows: Monday, July 25, to Tuesday, July 26 • Neutral site; Cheyenne Frontier Days, Cheyenne, Wyoming Friday, Aug. 5, to Sunday, Aug. 7 • T-Mobile Center, Kansas City • Home team is the Kansas City Outlaws Friday, Aug. 12, to Saturday, Aug. 13 • Neutral site, Honda Center, Anaheim
Friday, Aug. 19, to Sunday, Aug. 21 • Bridgestone Arena • Home team is the Nashville Stampede Friday, Aug. 26, to Sunday, Aug. 28 • Moody Center, Austin, Texas • Home team is the Austin Gamblers
Saturday, Sept. 3, to Monday, Sept. 5 • Thunder Ridge Amphitheater, Ridgedale, Missouri • Home team is the Missouri Thunder Friday, Sept. 9, to Sunday, Sept. 11 • LJVM Memorial Coliseum, Winston-Salem, North Carolina • Home team is the Carolina Cowboys Friday, Sept. 16, to Sunday, Sept. 18
• Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • Home team is the Oklahoma Freedom Friday, Oct. 7, to Sunday, Oct. 9 • Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, Texas • Home team is the Texas Rattlers Friday, Oct. 14, to Sunday, Oct. 16 • Gila River Arena SEE SCHEDULE PAGE 13
