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Author: Briar Starr

  • NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Preview-Gateway

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Preview-Gateway

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series continues this week as it heads to Gateway Motorsports Park. There are currently 28 trucks on the preliminary entry list.

    Since its return in 2014, there have been three different winners at Gateway. Those include Darrell Wallace Jr., Cole Custer and Christopher Bell.

    Christopher Bell – In last year’s race, Bell led 38 laps en route to victory. However, his victory was overshadowed by a fight between John Wes Townley and Spencer Gallagher. Bell looks to repeat this year and win his second consecutive race this year. He is second in the points standings, 40 points behind Johnny Sauter.

    Matt Crafton – Crafton has the most experience of any active driver at Gateway. In 13 races at Gateway, Crafton has seven top-10 finishes with a best finish of fifth in 2010. In recent years, however, Crafton has a finish of  21st or worse with three DNFs in the last three races.

    Kaz Grala – Grala has one start at Gateway and has one top-10 finish. Grala hasn’t won since Daytona and is looking to secure his second victory.

    Johnny Sauter – Never count out the current points leader, Sauter, at any racetrack. Sauter has five starts, five top-fives, five top-1o finishes, and has led 33 laps total.

    John Hunter Nemechek – Nemechek has made three starts at this racetrack. In the past two races, though, Nemechek has a finish of sixth or better. Expect Nemechek to be in contention on Saturday night.

    Ben Rhodes – In last year’s race, Rhodes finished second to Christopher Bell after starting on the pole. Rhodes is continuing his momentum on a good year with three top fives and four top 10s this season. He his still looking for the first win of his career.

    Side note – In the last three races, the winner has come from the top-10 starting spot. With that said, qualifying is important if you want a shot at the win.

    It will be an all-day event at Gateway Motorsports Park. There will be two practice sessions, qualifying at 5:45 p.m, ET and the green flag is scheduled for 8:48 p.m. ET Saturday night on FS1.

     

  • Christopher Bell Wins Wild Truck Race at Texas

    Christopher Bell Wins Wild Truck Race at Texas

    Christopher Bell held on to win the winstaronlinegaming.com 400 after a wild finish at Texas Motor Speedway. This was his second series win in 2017 and his fourth career win in the Truck Series.

    It was round seven for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in the 2017 season. The race had three stages. Forty laps made up Stages 1 and 2, while 87 laps made up Stage 3. Noah Gragson and Johnny Sauter set the front row in qualifying earlier in the day.

    After Stage 1 began, Noah Gragson had a strong truck early and led his first ever laps in the Truck Series. However, there were a few cautions that took place on Lap 3 for Austin Cindric and Lap 7 for Jordan Anderson. Barring a few cautions early, there were some long green flag runs.

    Last week’s winner, Johnny Sauter, took the lead on Lap 20. From there, Sauter held on to win the Stage 1. Even after pit stops, Sauter won the race off pit road.

    Stage 2 began on Lap 47, with Sauter and Chase Briscoe on the front row. With Sauter dominating most of the stage, Christopher Bell, after starting 21st, took the lead on Lap 70. Not much action happened in Stage 2, and Bell, eventually went on to win Stage 2.

    Stage 3 took place on Lap 86, with Bell and teammate, Myatt Snider, on point. Long green flag runs were the story in the final stage until a caution came out with 50 laps to go for Stewart Friesen who hit the wall on the frontstretch.

    After a restart with 43 laps to go, there were six laps of green flag racing until another caution took place for Snider, who spun off Turn 2.

    Race leader Bell had to survive a few more restarts after having two more cautions on Lap 137 and on Lap 157. During those laps, Chase Briscoe had come alive to be a strong contender for the win.

    With the restart taking place with eight laps to go, it looked like the race would stay green. However, Kaz Grala and Myatt Snider got together in a crash, thus bringing out a caution.

    The restart took place with two laps to go, as Bell and Briscoe were the race leaders. Briscoe had gotten a little bit of an edge on Bell, but Bell stayed side-by-side with him until the final caution took place after the leaders crossed the finish line. The caution was for Timothy Peters and Austin Wayne Self who got into each other, sending Peters into the grass and causing him to flip several times before eventually landing upside down. After the crazy crash, Peters was able to walk away under his own power. He was evaluated and released from the Texas Motor Speedway infield care center.

    However, there was another issue that was taking place and that was deciding the winner. Both Briscoe and Bell were in a dead heat at the finish line. After some confusion, and video reviewing by the NASCAR officials, NASCAR declared Christopher Bell as the race winner.

    There were 10 cautions for 42 laps and five leaders among eight lead changes.

    The next scheduled NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race is Saturday night June 17 at Gateway Motorsports Park.

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/T1707_UNOFFRES-Texas-Truck-Race-results-6-9-17.pdf” title=”T1707_UNOFFRES Texas Truck Race results 6-9-17″]

     

  • NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Preview Texas – Spring

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Preview Texas – Spring

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to the Lone-Star state on Friday night for the seventh race of the season. There are 28 entries on the preliminary entry list this week.

    Here are the ones to watch in tomorrow night’s winstaronlinegaming.com 400 race at Texas Motor Speedway.

    In the last five spring races at Texas, there have been three different winners with Matt Crafton being the only repeat winner entered.

    Matt Crafton – Crafton has posted two wins (2014, 2015) and five top-five finishes in the spring races at Texas. Considering his past performance at this track, look for another strong run Friday night.

    Christopher Bell – In his only start at Texas coming last year, Bell suffered a blown engine and was credited with a last-place finish. Bell is looking for redemption at Texas and that could come tomorrow night. Bell has gotten off to a good start, posting the fastest speed in the first Truck Series practice Thursday evening.

    John Hunter Nemechek – Nemechek was strong in last year’s spring race, posting a seventh place finish. However, when his father, Joe Nemechek drove the truck in 2015 and 2014, he posted one top-1o and one top-five finish. The NEMCO Motorsports stable is expected to have another decent finish at Texas.

    Johnny Sauter – Sauter, the current Trick Series points leader, is coming off last week’s victory with a head of momentum. In June of 2012, Sauter won the spring race giving him three top-five and five top-1o finishes in the last five spring races. Expect him to be a strong contender at Texas on Friday.

    Ben Rhodes – Rhodes is still searching for his first career win. He came close at Kansas earlier this season, which was a 1.5-mile track, the same as Texas. In the spring of 2016 at Texas, Rhodes posted an 11th place finish, thus giving him one top-15 finish.

    Qualifying is slated for Friday at 5:35 p.m. ET. It will not be televised but you can follow along here. The green flag is expected to drop for the winstaronlinegaming.com 400  at 8:19 p.m. and will be broadcast on FS1.

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Texas-Truck-Series-Entry-List-June-2017-T1707_ENTNUM.pdf” title=”Texas Truck Series Entry List June 2017 T1707_ENTNUM”]

  • Johnny Sauter Holds Off Kaz Grala For Win At Dover

    Johnny Sauter Holds Off Kaz Grala For Win At Dover

    Johnny Sauter held off Kaz Grala to win Friday’s Bar Harbor 200 presented by Sea Watch International at Dover International Speedway. It was the defending Truck Series champion’s first victory this season and his 14th career win.

    It was the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’s sixth race of the 2017 season. The race included three stages. Stage 1 and 2 were 45 laps each with a final stage of 110 laps. Chase Briscoe and Ryan Truex set the front row in qualifying.

    As Stage 1 began, Truex immediately set a blistering pace. However, a few cautions slowed the pace. A wreck took place on Lap 21, where Austin Hill, Stewart Friesen and Cody Coughlin got into each other to bring out the first caution. Another incident took place on Lap 35, when Christopher Bell cut down a left rear tire and hit the wall. This would end Bell’s day.

    Barring a few cautions, Ryan Truex held on to win the first stage.

    Stage 2 began on Lap 53 with Matt Crafton and Justin Haley on the front row after staying out under yellow.

    Just like Stage 1, multiple cautions were once again a factor. The first one was on Lap 73, when Haley spun off Turn 4 followed by a second caution on Lap 84 by Jordan Anderson who stalled just before the entry of pit road. Under the caution, Parker Kligerman and Chase Briscoe made pit stops to try a different pit strategy.

    With two to go for the restart in Stage 2, Crafton set sail, but a caution came out on the final lap for Kligerman and John Hunter Nemechek who got together on the frontstretch. With the caution taking place on the final lap of Stage 2, the stage ended under caution with Crafton as the leader. Crafton would end up winning Stage 2.

    Stage 3 began on lap 99 with Ben Rhodes out in front. Rhodes was dominating early, but another caution slowed the pace with 84 laps to go for Todd Gilliland who had a wheel issue and smacked the wall in Turn 2. Gilliland’s day would be cut short.

    With 79 laps to go for the restart, Rhodes and Jesse Little set the pace. Rhodes went to the point once the green flag went back out. As laps clipped by, pit stops began to happen with 47 laps to go with Little pitting. However, Little stalled the truck and this would end any shot for him to win the race. Stage 1 winner, Ryan Truex, made his pit stop with 42 laps to go.

    The race leader, Rhodes, pitted with 36 to go, while Crafton entered the pits a few laps later. Sauter stayed out, gambling that clean air would play a factor. With all the pit stops taking place, a caution came out with 30 laps to go for Chase Briscoe, whose left front tire came off.

    The final restart of the race came with 25 laps to go. Sauter and Daytona Truck winner, Kaz Grala, were out in front. The race was winding down and with that, Grala was trying his all to catch Sauter. However, the gamble paid off for Sauter and he went on to win the Bar Harbor 200 at Dover.

    “Some days when you wake up, you don’t think it’s going to be your day and things don’t seem to be clicking and I felt like we were just off a little bit all weekend,” Sauter said after the race. “But so proud of everyone at GMS Racing, a 1-2 finish today.  Joe Shear (Jr., crew chief), what a great call that was to try and make it on fuel. Pit stops were great today.”

    “Unbelievable, after three second-place finishes to get a win. Definitely struggled today in traffic, just really, really tight. Just so proud of these guys. Man, they really executed today.”

    There were eight cautions for 43 laps and five leaders among five lead changes. Sauter took the lead on lap 168 and never looked backed, leading once for 33 laps.

    The next NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race is scheduled for Friday, June 9.

     

  • Austin Cindric Captures First Top Five at Dover

    Austin Cindric Captures First Top Five at Dover

    Austin Cindric, driver of the No. 19 LTi Printing Ford for Brad Keselowski Racing was looking for his first career win of the season. However, a few challenges would be thrown the team’s way during Friday’s Bar Harbor 200 presented by Sea Watch International at Dover International Speedway.

    Cindric started the race in the fourth position. He would lose a few spots on the initial start and that would eventually cost him playoff points in the first stage. Cindric ended up finishing 11th in Stage 1. With a solid pit stop by the pit crew, Cindric restarted in the fourth position in Stage 2.

    After a somewhat disappointing Stage 1, Cindric made up for it by finishing fifth in the second segment, giving him six playoff points. Cindric would remain there for the rest of the race and wound up finishing in the top five. It was his first career top five finish and his second top 10 of his rookie season.

    Cindric was please with his top five run, saying, “Well I leave that up to Doug Randolph (crew chief), for good reason. I was really lucky to be out there contending for a win on the lead lap. I got a bit tough restart there. I had guys all over my door and I think we were tight firing off, tighter than we thought we were going to be. There’s a reason they call it the “Monster Mile.”

    “I’m definitely worn out and it was a whole lot of fun and I hope I can come back here and have another good run.”

     

  • Camping World Truck Series Preview – Dover

    Camping World Truck Series Preview – Dover

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to action this week after a week off. There are thirty-two trucks on the preliminary entry list. So who are the ones to watch for in this week’s truck race at Dover International Speedway?

    Christopher Bell – In his only start at Dover coming in 2016, Bell finished third after starting ninth. Also, he is in a Kyle Busch Motorsports truck so expect him to be in the running for the win on Friday.

    Matt Crafton – Does this surprise you? Crafton is strong at Dover. In the last six races at Dover, Crafton has posted three top fives and one top 10. Crafton also has one win which came in last year’s truck race.

    Johnny Sauter – Sauter has two top 10s and one top five that came in 2016. Sauter is looking to start the summer hot by winning at Dover this weekend.

    Kaz Grala – Grala, who won at Daytona earlier this year, has one top 10 in his only start at Dover last year.

    Who else to keep an eye on:

    Harrison Burton– He will be driving the No. 51 truck this weekend. This truck has had some success at Dover. Busch posted two wins with this number. If Burton is in contention to win on Friday, expect him to give it a good shot. This will be the 16-year-old’s third start in the series.

    Todd Gilliland– Gilliland is making his Camping World Truck Series debut this weekend, but he might surprise you by being a dark horse in the field. He currently competes in the K&N Pro Series where he has 11 wins in 21 starts (West) and one win in 10 starts in the K&N Pro Series East.

    Noah Gragson– Gragson is looking for his first career win in the Truck Series. He has one top five and two top 10s this season. He topped the charts in both practice sessions Thursday at Dover.

    Ryan Truex– In 2016 with his only start at Dover, Truex posted an eighth place finish, giving him one top 10. This year he has one top five and three top 10s in the Truck Series.

    Brandon Jones– Jones has been strong at Dover. In 2014 and 2015, he posted one top five and one top 10, respectively.

    Side note– In the last four races, the winner has come from the top five starting position.

    Qualifying is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET on Friday, whereas, the Bar Harbor 200 race is slated for 5:30 p.m. ET on FS1 and the Motor Racing Network.

    Practice Results 

     

  • It Was A Clean Sweep For Busch, But How Did Others Do In The N.C. Education Lottery 200?

    It Was A Clean Sweep For Busch, But How Did Others Do In The N.C. Education Lottery 200?

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series headed back home this past Friday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It was the fifth race of the 2017 season.

    Kyle Busch scored back to back wins and earned his 48th career truck series win, his seventh at Charlotte. Busch led three times for 90 laps. After the race, Busch spoke about the back to back wins.

    “It means a lot,” he said. “These guys, they pour their hearts and souls into our trucks and what we do with our Toyota Tundras. It’s awesome to get Cessna back to back wins here and back to victory lane again and of course just a true testament to Rowdy Manufacturing, everybody in the chassis shop doing a fantastic job and Kyle Busch Motorsports, all the guys going home. Everyone on this 51 team, they’ve done a great job.

    “I can’t say enough about Rudy (Fugle, crew chief) and everybody on the 4 (Christopher Bell) as well as Marcus (Richmond, crew chief) on the 18 (Noah Gragson). We’re all really working as a cohesive group and guys are doing a great job. For us to be out front most of the laps tonight, it was fun. It was challenging there that middle section of the race. That was kind of chaotic. I didn’t know what was going on half the time. We made it through there and got to the front and was able to win this thing. Just real proud of the whole team effort.”

    Johnny Sauter earned his fourth top-five of the season. Sauter led twice for 22 laps before finishing second behind Kyle Busch.

    “This was a good night for us,” Sauter said. “It’s typically a place I struggle at. Our Allegiant Travel Chevy was phenomenal in that second stage. We restarted around 13th and we were in the lead after 10-12 laps. I felt like this race track was going to go free late but it didn’t. I needed more front grip. Obviously where you restart is important and I wanted to be on the top. We’ve got a little bit of work to do to make our stuff a little bit better but I’m really proud of our effort tonight.”

    After finishing third, Christopher Bell now has four top fives this season.

    Bell was disappointed, saying, “I struggled on restarts. I don’t know why. One time I’d spin the tires, the next time I wouldn’t. I just had trouble getting going. I’m pretty bummed I finished third with a second-place truck but (crew chief) Rudy (Fugle) did a great job with everything. We had a really fast truck. We really should’ve finished second but I’m glad the boss was able to win.”

    Ryan Truex had a solid run and earned his third top 10 of the season with a fourth-place finish, followed by Timothy Peters in fifth place.

    Matt Crafton finished sixth, giving him one top five and three top 10’s for the 2017 season. Grant Enfinger (seventh) has two top 10’s and Ben Rhodes finished eighth after his disappointment at Kansas the week before.

    Noah Gragson earned his second top 10 of the season by coming home in the ninth position while Parker Kligerman rounded out the top 10.

    Other notables – Chase Briscoe- 11th, Austin Cindric- 13th, T.J. Bell- 14th, J.J. Yeley-15th, Justin Haley-17th, John Hunter Nemechek-22nd, Regan Smith-29th, Kaz Grala-30th and Brandon Jones-31st.

    There were nine cautions for 38 laps and 10 lead change among eight drivers.

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series takes this weekend off, before heading to Dover International Speedway for the running of the Bar Harbor 200 on June 2.

  • NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Fantasy Preview – Charlotte

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Fantasy Preview – Charlotte

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series return to Charlotte Motor Speedway this Friday night for the annual running of the N.C. Education Lottery 200. Thirty-three trucks are currently entered so far on the entry list. So who are some drivers to keep an eye on at Charlotte?

    Kyle Busch: Coming off a win last week at Kansas, Busch has two wins at Charlotte in the last five years. Expect him to be in contention for the win on Friday night.

    Matt Crafton: After a disappointing finish at Kansas, Crafton is looking for a rebound and Charlotte may be the place. Dating back to 2013, Crafton has one win (2016) and three top fives. If anyone can beat Busch, it’s Crafton.

    Christopher Bell: 1.5-mile tracks have been Bell’s strong suit as of late. Bell won at Atlanta earlier this year and placed fourth last week at Kansas. Last year at Charlotte, Bell came home in the eighth position.

    Timothy Peters: Peters has a great track record at Charlotte. In the last three years, Peters finished seventh or better. Look for him to be a contender this weekend.

    Ben Rhodes: Rhodes is looking for a win this week after his engine blew up at Kansas late in the going. In his only start coming in 2016, Rhodes finished 17th. However, despite Kansas, he finished fourth at Atlanta earlier this year, the other 1.5-mile track.

    Brandon Jones: Jones returns to the truck series this weekend at Charlotte driving the no.99 for Matthew Miller. In two starts, Jones has finished 13th or better.

    These are just some of the names to keep an eye on at Charlotte this weekend.

    On track activities kick-off Thursday, May 18, for two rounds of practice at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET. Qualifying is set for Friday afternoon at 4:45 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1 followed by the race at 8:30 p.m., also on Fox Sports 1.