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Category: Truck Series

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series news and information

  • TJ Bell – UNOH 200 Advance

    TJ Bell – UNOH 200 Advance

    UNOH 200 – Bristol Motor Speedway Race Advance
    Team: Niece Motorsports – No. 45 Chevrolet; @NieceMotorsport
    Driver: T.J. Bell
    Crew Chief: Cody Efaw

    Driver Quote: “I can’t wait to get to Bristol,” said Bell.  “I’ve definitely had this one circled on my calendar.  Bristol is one of my favorite tracks that we race at.  I think we will have a truck capable of contending this weekend, so I’m really looking forward to getting back to a short track.”

    Bell at Michigan: Wednesday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at Bristol Motor Speedway marks Bell’s fourth start in the series at the half-mile track.  His most recent NCWTS start at Bristol came in 2014.  In his three NCWTS starts, Bell has two top-10 finishes, tallying a sixth-place finish (2008) and an eighth-place finish (2009).

    Bell also has two NASCAR XFINITY Series starts at Bristol, with his most recent coming last year.

    About the Owner: Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece.  Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 30 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices.  Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability.  The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry.

  • NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Preview-Bristol

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Preview-Bristol

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to Bristol Motor Speedway for a rare mid-week event. It will be the 14th race of the 2017 season with three races remaining before the playoffs begin. For some drivers, Bristol could be the place to score their first win of the season, but there could also be a repeat 2017 winner. Let’s take a look at who could tame the “Fastest Half Mile” on the Truck Series circuit.

    In the past five races, there have been five different winners, with the winner coming from the lowest starting position, 13th, which came from Ben Kennedy in last year’s race.

    Currently, there are 34 Trucks on the preliminary entry list.

    1. Kyle Busch – Busch will be competing in his sixth race of the season. Bristol has been a strong suit for the younger Busch brother. In the last five races, Busch has one win that came in 2013, two top fives and two top 10 finishes. Busch will look to add another win at Bristol. Also to note, Bristol was the home of his sweep that came in 2010.

    2. Christopher Bell – Bell looks to continue his summer hot streak as he heads to Bristol for the second time in his career. In his only start, he finished seventh in last year’s race. Even though he has four wins this and the points lead, that won’t stop him going for his fifth win of the year and his first at Bristol.

    3. John Hunter Nemechek – Nemechek is looking to rebound after a disappointing outing at Michigan. In three races at Bristol, he has finished eighth, third and sixth, respectively. If Nemechek wants to rebound and get his season back on track, Bristol could be the place.

    4. Matt Crafton – Crafton finished sixth this past weekend at Michigan but is hungry for another win this season. In the last five races, Crafton has an average finish of 12.4 but has one top five and four top 10 finishes. Bristol might be the site of his second win of the season.

    5. Brandon Jones – Jones could be a spoiler and wild card Wednesday night at Bristol. In his only start that came in 2016, he finished ninth. In 2017 on the Truck Series side, Jones has given the No. 99 team, two top fives and three top 10 finishes. This might be a momentum booster for Jones as he’s been struggling on the XFINITY Series side.

    The winners of the last five races have come from inside the top 10, with the exception of the 2016 race where Ben Kennedy won from the 13th starting position. Qualifying will be an important factor if the drivers want a shot at the win.

    There will be two practices on Wednesday with the first one at 9 a.m. ET and the final at 11 a.m. ET, both on FS1.

    Qualifying is set for 4:35 p.m. ET on FS2 and race coverage will begin at 8:30 p.m. ET on FS1 and MRN Radio.

  • NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Power Rankings – Michigan

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Power Rankings – Michigan

    1. Darrell Wallace Jr. – The last time Wallace Jr. made a Truck Series start was over three years ago at the season finale in Homestead. But that didn’t show from Wallace Jr. as he picked up right where he left off. He had a solid qualifying position of ninth and finished there in Stage 1. He fell out of the top 10 in Stage 2 and didn’t take the lead until Lap 90 where he held the lead for the final 10 laps to score his sixth career truck win.

    “Such a huge moment, not only for myself but for everybody involved,” Wallace said. “This is such a huge win for me. It is good to be back in the truck series. This is a product of having the truck series come to Michigan and put on a great race. I knew those laps were going to be hectic.”

    2. Christopher Bell – Bell continues his strong championship season as he earned his ninth top five of the year and increased his points lead to 37. Bell finished 10th in Stage 1 and third in Stage 2. He didn’t lead any laps, but the only thing that mattered was increasing his points lead.

    “I don’t know, I hope the fans enjoyed that one because it was a ton of fun,” Bell said after the race. “Our SiriusXM/JBL Tundra was handling really good, we just didn’t seem to have the raw speed to get up there and get by them. That was a lot of fun. I wish I would have been able to work that inside pass like I did the time before. I didn’t quite get there. That’s awesome for Bubba (Darrell Wallace Jr.), to see him come back and win like that – that was a really fun race.”

    3. Austin Cindric – Cindric had another solid points day by finishing in the top five, even though he didn’t finish in the top 10 at all during both stages. He also led for 24 laps. Cindric needs to continue these solid runs or get a win before the playoffs start as he sits right on the bubble at 10th in the standings.

    “It was a really good call by Doug to get us out front,” Cindric said. “Clean air is king at Michigan, and we knew we had a good Draw-Tite Ford F-150 all by ourselves. I had to make a move on the No. 99 (Wallace) there at some point, and we knew we were really good in Turns 1 and 2. I got the side draft on the backstretch and had the momentum. I made the pass stick but didn’t have any help. That was so close. Maybe I should have saved that move for the last lap. We’ll take another top five and keep moving.”

    4. Matt Crafton – Crafton finished a respectable sixth at Michigan Saturday afternoon. After leading the first 10 laps of the race, he finished third in Stage 1 and fourth in Stage 2. He was up front battling for the win late but came up six spots short. It was still another solid day for the two-time series champion.

    “We had a good truck,” Crafton said. “When Bubba (Darrell Wallace Jr.) passed for the lead, we went to the bottom, and I didn’t get myself cleared, and if you didn’t get cleared of whoever you were racing against, then you were just screwed. It was just tough to pass. I definitely had a faster truck than those guys, but if I could get under them, then I could never get clear because there was nobody behind me to help me and keep pushing me. We got out of here with a sixth-place finish.”

    Crafton leaves Michigan sitting third in the points, 62 behind Christopher Bell.

    5. Noah Gragson – Gragson had a quiet but strong day at Michigan. He finished seventh in Stage 1 and eighth in Stage 2. By the time the checkered flew, the scoring pylon showed Gragson finished 10th. However, he wanted a little bit more than a top 10 finish.

    “We fought hard for a top-10 finish, but I wish I could have done better,” Gragson said. “It’s difficult learning the draft and the aero at a track like this. It’s like a chess game out there since everyone is running wide open. I felt like we had a good strategy all day but just needed to execute better on my end. We’ll move on and give it another shot at Bristol on Wednesday.”

    Other notes – This was the sixth career win for Darrell Wallace Jr. in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Wallace Jr. led one time for the final 10 laps of the race. Christopher Bell now extends his points lead over Johnny Sauter by 37.

    Next Up – The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to Bristol Motor Speedway for another mid-week event. It’ll be the 14th race of the 2017 season and with just three races remaining until the playoffs drivers will only have three more chances to lock themselves into the playoffs with a win.

     

  • Four Takeaways From Saturday’s Truck Race At Michigan

    Four Takeaways From Saturday’s Truck Race At Michigan

    1. Darrell Wallace Jr. gets a breakthrough win at Michigan – 2017 has been an up and down year for Wallace Jr. After the XFINITY race at Pocono, the No. 6 XFINITY team was shut down due to lack of funding. However, he’s been filling in rides since then. He’s raced four races for Aric Almirola when he was injured from Pocono to Kentucky with a best finish of 11th at Kentucky. Wallace Jr. then received an opportunity to drive for MDM Motorsports at Michigan. He was able to make the most of it scoring his sixth career win in the Truck Series.
    2. Christopher Bell extends points lead – Bell continues his strong season by finishing second in Saturday’s race, giving him his ninth top five of the year and extending his points lead to 37. He’ll head to Bristol Motor Speedway Wednesday night looking for his fifth win of the season.
    3. Johnny Sauter has a rough day at Michigan – Sauter had a rough outing in this past weekend’s race. However, on the bright side, he was able to score some playoff points by finishing fifth in Stage 1. Problems continued as Sauter had to pit for a flat tire, thus ending his shot for a second win in 2017. He wound up finishing 18th and losing more points to Christopher Bell. Sauter will have to turn his season around at Bristol this Wednesday if he wants to retake the points lead from Bell.
    4. Three races remain until the playoffs – Three races, three wild cards until the 2017 playoffs begin at Loudon in September. This week the drivers will head to Bristol, then to Canada after a couple of weeks off with the final race at Chicago before the playoffs start. Christopher Bell, John Hunter Nemechek, Johnny Sauter, Matt Crafton and Kaz Grala are all locked in by securing wins throughout the season. However, the door is wide open after fifth as Chase Briscoe, Ryan Truex and Ben Rhodes sit on the bubble. Also, Grant Enfinger, Noah Gragson, Austin Cindric and Justin Haley are currently out at the moment. The season has provided some exciting and thrilling action so we could see three new winners in the next three races.
  • Bubba Wallace wins a thrilling LTi Printing 200

    Bubba Wallace wins a thrilling LTi Printing 200

    BROOKLYN, Mich. (August 12, 2017) – Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. made a move to go three-wide with 11 laps remaining and then held off all challengers to win the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series LTi Printing 200 at Michigan International Speedway.

    It was not an easy victory for Wallace as Austin Cindric, Christopher Bell and Kyle Busch all made moves for the lead but was it Wallace who held on for the victory. On the race winning move, Wallace went under race leader Cindric with only 11 laps left. On the top side, Bell went high to make it three wide. At the end of the maneuvering between the three, it is was Wallace with the lead.

    After the race Wallace could not contain his emotion for what this meant for him and his team.

    “Such a huge moment, not only for myself, but for everybody involved,” Wallace said. “This is such a huge win for me. It is good to be back in the truck series. This is a product of having the truck series come to Michigan and put on a great race. I knew those laps were going to be hectic.”

    Wallace raced looking out his mirrors more than his windshield those closing laps. Then with two laps left, Bell made one final attempt to get past Wallace on the bottom. Bell made the pass, but could not clear Wallace who fought back on the high side to re-take the lead. From there it was all Wallace as Bell could not get past him.

    It was an impressive win for Wallace considering this was his first race in the truck series in 2017. He even overcame a pit road penalty on lap 53 for crewmembers over the wall too soon.

    Matt Crafton won the pole for the race with a fast lap 184.256 mph. Johnny Sauter started on the front row alongside Crafton.

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series held two practice sessions on Saturday in preparation for the Pure Michigan 400. Two-time Michigan winner Kyle Larson led the day’s opening practice session with a speed of 202.532 mph. Michigan native and pole sitter for the Pure Michigan 400, Brad Keselowski was second-fastest speed of 202.332 mph.

    In the final practice session it was Keselowski at the top of the board with a speed of 200.865 mph. It was Martin Truex Jr. in second and Joey Logano in third. Erik Jones had the seventh-fast time in the first session of the day and the 12th-quickest time in the final practice of the day.

    The Pure Michigan 400 starts at 3 p.m. on Sunday. Keselowski will lead the field to the green flag after winning the pole award. Tickets remain for the race.

    Nestled in the lush Irish Hills of Southeastern Michigan, Michigan International Speedway is NASCAR’s fastest racetrack. It has been the love of NASCAR racing and the thrill of a great time for race fans and drivers alike for nearly 50 years.

  • Toyota NCWTS Michigan Post-Race Recap

    Toyota NCWTS Michigan Post-Race Recap

    Toyota Post-Race Recap
    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS)
    Michigan International Speedway
    Race 13 of 23 – 200 miles, 100 laps
    August 12, 2017

    TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
    1st, Darrell Wallace Jr.*
    2nd, CHRISTOPHER BELL
    3rd, KYLE BUSCH
    4th, RYAN TRUEX
    5th, Austin Cindric*
    6th, MATT CRAFTON
    7th, NOAH GRAGSON
    8th, GRANT ENFINGER
    11th, BEN RHODES
    21st, CODY COUGHLIN
    *non-Toyota driver

    TOYOTA DRIVER POINT STANDINGS**
    1st, CHRISTOPHER BELL 572 points
    2nd, Johnny Sauter* 535 points
    3rd, MATT CRAFTON 510 points
    5th, RYAN TRUEX 431 points
    6th, BEN RHODES 426 points
    7th, GRANT ENFINGER 412 points
    9th, NOAH GRAGSON 382 points
    13th, CODY COUGHLIN 281 points
    *non-Toyota driver
    **unofficial point standings

    · Tundra driver Christopher Bell (second) was the top-finishing Toyota driver on Saturday afternoon’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at Michigan International Speedway.
    · Six Tundra drivers scored top-10 finishes in today’s race, following Bell to the line was his team owner Kyle Busch (third), Ryan Truex (fourth), Matt Crafton (sixth), Noah Gragson (seventh) and Grant Enfinger (eighth).
    · Busch led a race-high 47 laps (of 100) en route to his third-place finish, but a cut tire forced him to the rear of the field before coming back for a top-five finish.
    · Crafton also led 10 laps in today’s race.

    TOYOTA QUOTES

    CHRISTOPHER BELL, No. 4 SiriusXM/JBL Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports
    Finishing Position: 2nd
    How was the finish to the race?
    “I don’t know, I hope the fans enjoyed that one because it was a ton of fun. Our SiriusXM JBL Tundra was handling really good, we just didn’t seem to have the raw speed to get up there and get by them. That was a lot of fun. I wish I would have been able to work that inside pass like I did the time before. I didn’t quite get there. That’s awesome for Bubba (Darrell Wallace Jr.), to see him come back and win like that – that was a really fun race.”

    How difficult was it to pass in the race?
    “It was really tough because the draft was huge. It didn’t seem like me or Kyle (Busch) could really do anything without someone pushing behind us. I don’t know, when I took the lead there off of two I felt like I was in pretty good shape. Instead of Bubba (Darrell Wallace Jr.) helping me he took the lead himself. It’s really cool to see him come away and win like that, it was a really fun race just bummed and frustrated that we didn’t get it done.”

    What makes it so hard to pass on the low side of the track?
    “There’s more banking up the grooves so if you go to the bottom and no one goes with you then you just get trapped down there because the line is so fast when you have all the trucks lined up like that.”

    KYLE BUSCH, No. 51 Textron Off Road Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports
    Finishing Position: 3rd
    What happened early in the race when you had your tire cut down?
    “I have no idea what happened – there was an idiot up there that doesn’t know how to drive and that’s probably what caused it. It was unfortunate for our truck, we had a really, really fast Textron Off Road Tundra and was hopefully being able to keep our track position there and race those guys, but it was hard to make any moves and try to pass and go for the win by yourself, you always had to have help, you always had to have somebody behind you or momentum behind you to push the guy out front. Any time you got to the guy that was out front, he could just side draft you so hard that it really messed up your momentum. It kind of scrambled things there at the end, but I was trying to help the 4 (Christopher Bell) as much as I could to get him up there and he made a bold move into one and couldn’t quite get him cleared and almost got sucked around and then off of two we got cleaned up again and get up there one more time and just got the door shut on him in three. Overall, just a good day, but frustrating in the same breath.”

    What happened to force you back in the field?
    “Fast trucks just keep getting wrecked and we keep getting stuck back in traffic and had a hard time coming up through. Just needed more laps I guess, these races aren’t very long.”

    How crucial was it to have help to get to the front of the pack?
    “You had to have help, you had to have momentum from behind to be able to do anything and get up front. That’s the most frustrating racing you can be a part of, but when you have a teammate like myself, I got the 4 (Christopher Bell) at least to second and almost got the win for him, but other than that you can’t do anything by yourself so it’s pretty frustrating in that respect.”

    RYAN TRUEX, No. 16 Hino Toyota Tundra, Hattori Racing Enterprises
    Finishing Position: 4th
    How strong was your truck today and did you feel you could compete for the win?
    “Just needed a little bit. I feel like the 99 (Darrell Wallace Jr.), if I could have gotten out front then they wouldn’t have been able to pass me. It was so hard to pass, you had to have somebody pushing you or you had to have somebody pull out and you had to get to their quarter panel, if you didn’t then you couldn’t make it happen. I wish they would have got three wide coming to the line and I could have got a draft and maybe got all three of them. Just struggled a bit on restarts today and couldn’t get up to speed like those guys. We’ll go back and figure that out, but we’re getting close. Eventually it’s going to work out. If we keep knocking on the door like this, we’re eventually going to get one.”

    What does it say about this team with the success you’ve seen in recent weeks?
    “It’s fun, I’m having fun. It’s good when you’re frustrated with fourth. I think we had a top-three truck at least. Circumstances just didn’t work out that we could get up there and battle for the lead. It’s Michigan, it’s pack racing and it is what it is.”

    Are you pleased with your finish?
    “I’m frustrated with fourth honestly. It’s just so hard to pass. I got out of line when everybody got side-by-side here and I actually ended up losing three spots instead of gaining like expected to. It was just so hard, if you didn’t complete the pass then they would line up and freight train you. It was a good day, we had a good truck, but just lacking a little bit more speed to really get up there and battle. We just couldn’t suck up as well as Kyle (Busch) and the 4 (Bell).”

    MATT CRAFTON, No. 88 Menards Toyota Tundra, Thorsport Racing
    Finishing Position: 6th
    How was the truck today?
    “We had a good truck. When Bubba (Darrell Wallace Jr.) passed for the lead, we went to the bottom and I didn’t get myself cleared and if you didn’t get cleared of whoever you were racing against then you were just screwed and it was just tough to pass. I definitely had a faster truck than those guys, but if I could get under then then I never could get clear because there was nobody behind me to help me and keep pushing me. We got out of here with a sixth-place finish.”

  • XFINITY Series Could Also Benefit From Limiting Number of Cup Drivers Per Race

    XFINITY Series Could Also Benefit From Limiting Number of Cup Drivers Per Race

    NASCAR recently announced that they will be further limiting the number of races in the XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series that Cup drivers can attempt. This will go a long way toward helping the regulars in those divisions stand out and ultimately decide the championship properly amongst themselves. This is good news for the regulars, as many who have been deprived of succeeding on track will now have a chance to shine, with drivers like Brennan Poole, Blake Koch, and Brandon Jones all finally able to show the rest of the NASCAR world what they can do.

    However, in the events where Cup drivers such as Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, and Joey Logano compete, it’s always noticeable that they’re the ones who immediately run to the front and dominate, leaving the regulars behind. At one point during Saturday’s XFINITY event at Watkins Glen, the top-six were all Cup drivers (Busch, Larson, Logano, Brad Keselowski, Erik Jones, and Paul Menard). In the end, Busch took yet another checkered. Meanwhile, the highest finishing regular was Justin Allgaier in fourth. The next regular was Brendan Gaughan, who finished ninth.

    This isn’t a respectable statistic for a division that boasts how “Names Are Made Here.” How does one “make a name” by running fourth, ninth, and 12th on a weekly basis? Ticket sales and attendance are down and have been declining since the other two national touring divisions in NASCAR became feeder series instead of having their own identity. This is why that, along with limiting Cup attempts in the XFINITY/CWTS, the number of Cup drivers who do compete should also be limited as well.

    By limiting the amount of Cup drivers in a XFINITY/CWTS race, other drivers on the rise can have a chance to shine as well. Ryan Preece, the winner at the standalone Iowa XFINITY event in July, wouldn’t have had to wait as long as he did to show how capable he was behind the wheel if Joe Gibbs Racing was forced to take a look at him earlier. Drivers, in general, wouldn’t have had to wait so long and languish in the dark before eventually giving up. NASCAR would be seeing new faces and sponsors and wouldn’t have to worry about diminishing field numbers and trying to drag fans to the track.

    This is an old argument, but remember the Busch Series (now XFINITY) of the 90s’? Take 20 years ago, in 1997, for example. In 30 races, five Cup drivers won 13 races. In 1996, in 26 races, four Cup drivers won 11 races. Moving forward to 1998, in 31 events, five Cup drivers won nine races. Although the numbers in ’96 and ’97 seem like a lot, truth be told they weren’t winning over half of the races. In the 2017 XFINITY Series meanwhile, three regulars have won five races in 20 races. That number will change once the playoffs kick off next month, but it’s still a glaring thing to see.

    It’s not that the Cup drivers should get out and stay out of the XFINITY Series and CWTS. Instead, it’s that they’re playing in the minor leagues and stealing the show. MLB players don’t drop to the MiLB to play for fun. NFL players don’t go to indoor football games and try to steal the show or look to play in the NCAA again just for kicks. So why is it okay for Cup drivers to take over XFINITY and Truck Series events?

    It isn’t. Competing in them is one thing, but taking over the whole show is another thing entirely and should be dealt with. Say, limit the amount of Cup drivers per race to four. Details such as equipment can be discussed later, although it is prudent to bring up the brief period in the late 00s’ when drivers such as Jamie McMurray and Greg Biffle were racing for Brewco Motorsports in the Busch Series, Brewco being an organization that was primarily a Busch Series staple.

    Earlier this season the argument was made that Cup drivers in the XFINITY Series and Truck Series “brought sponsorship and funds” to those divisions. One has to wonder where those efforts really show, or if they even really benefit the series. Therefore, stating the obvious, why should that be an excuse for them? The funds and sponsorship excuse isn’t a valid claim, especially when other drivers are left in the dust. So why should the division(s) still cater to the Cup stars?

    When in doubt, look at both standalone Iowa events in the XFINITY Series this year. Names that don’t normally run up front were stealing the show. No Cup drivers to pollute the ranks. That said, we need more races like that in the XFINITY Series if we want to make the XFINITY Series/CWTS great again.

  • Armed with new truck, Tyler Young looking forward to Michigan return

    Armed with new truck, Tyler Young looking forward to Michigan return

    BROOKLYN, Mich. – Set to make his first full-race NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) appearance since Texas Motor Speedway nearly two months ago, Tyler Young (@tyleryoung02) heads to Michigan International Speedway (MIS) eyeing his first top-10 finish of the season in Saturday afternoon’s LTi Printing 200.

    The Midland, Tex. native has several reasons to look forward to his fifth start of the season. Young’s Motorsports crew chief Chad Kendrick is bringing a brand-new No. 02 Young’s Building Systems / Randco. Chevrolet Silverado for this weekend’s race, plus the 2.0-mile oval is the site of Young’s most recent top-10 finish in Truck Series competition last August.

    Rewinding back 12 months ago, Young qualified 21st but throughout the race, his Young’s Motorsports team made a series of adjustments to improve the handling of the truck and keep the avid racer in contention.

    During a final race stint, Young made a daring dash towards to the front and finished 10th, his second top-10 finish of the 2016 season.

    Feeling positive about this weekend’s race, Young is hopeful for something even better than a top-10 result.

    “I can’t remember the last time I’ve been this excited to get behind the wheel of our Young’s Building Systems / Randco. Chevrolet,” offered Young. We’re excited to bring a new truck to the track. We haven’t done that in a long time. I think Michigan is a great opportunity for us to get a good finish and keep our team momentum rolling.”

    As for Michigan, the 26-year-old Young says it’s one of his favorite stops on the schedule.

    “I enjoy the speed and finesse that Michigan requires,” said Young. “In a sense, Michigan is a lot like a smaller Daytona or Talladega. The way that these trucks are built, drafting is so critical. If you have a truck that can stay in the pack and draft – you are going to find yourself with a chance for a good finish.

    “We played that strategy last year and we plan to attack the same way on Saturday.”

    In the series’ most recent race, Young’s Motorsports driver Austin Hill finished 11th at the 2.5-mile triangle, a good boost for the Mooresville, N.C. team heading into the summer stretch of racing, which includes big tracks, small tracks and a road course north of the border.

    “Austin did a good job at Pocono with an 11th place finish,” added Young. “Together, our team has really worked super hard to make sure we have competitive trucks no matter who is driving. I’d like to have a good finish in the Irish Hills of Michigan and have the team carry that to Bristol next Wednesday.”

    The Texan credits the improvement of his team to Chad Kendrick who joined the team in June as crew chief. Kendrick joined Young’s Motorsports and has aggressively worked to build a strong and solid platform both at the shop and at the track.

    “Chad has been great for our team,” sounded Young. “He has brought a lot to the table in leadership qualities and his belief in our guys. Everyone that was with the team at the start of the season is still here now and the team morale is better than ever. I think everyone is looking forward to some big time luck in the Irish Hills.”

    In 74 career NCWTS starts, Young holds four top-10 finishes to his credit with a career-best sixth at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February 2016. A sixth-place qualifying effort at Eldora Speedway in July 2015 is his best time trials effort to date. Young’s Motorsports has competed on the tour since 2012.

    For more on Tyler Young, please visit YoungsMotorsports.com or click on his Facebook page. Young is also active on Twitter. You can follow and tweet with him @TylerYoung02.

    The LTi Printing 200 (100 laps / 200 miles) is the 13th of 23 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races on the 2017 schedule. Practice begins on Fri., Aug. 11 from 1:00 p.m. – 1:55 p.m., with a final practice session is set for 3:00 p.m. – 3:55 p.m. Qualifying is set for race day, Sat., Aug. 12 beginning at 9:35 a.m. The 32-truck field will take the green flag shortly after 1:00 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Satellite Radio, Channel 90). All times are local (Eastern).

    No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Michigan International Speedway Fast Facts:

    Driver: Tyler Young (@TylerYoung02)

    Owner: Randy Young (Young’s Motorsports)

    Crew Chief: Chad Kendrick

    Truck Chief: Andrew Abbott

    Manufacturer: Chevrolet Silverado

    Engine Builder: Collins Engine Works

  • LTI Printing 200 Advance – T.J. Bell

    LTI Printing 200 Advance – T.J. Bell

    LTI Printing 200 – Michigan International Speedway Race Advance
    Team: Niece Motorsports – No. 45 Chevrolet; @NieceMotorsport
    Driver: T.J. Bell
    Crew Chief: Cody Efaw

    Driver Quote: “I’m looking forward to this weekend’s race in Michigan,” said Bell.  “I’m really pleased with the progress we’ve continued to make together as a team this season, and I feel confident that we can continue that trend into this weekend as well.  I have several starts at Michigan, so I feel pretty comfortable getting around this place, which will hopefully bode well for a strong run.”

    Bell at Michigan: Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at Michigan International Speedway marks Bell’s sixth start in the series at the 2.5-mile track.  His most recent NCWTS start at Michigan came in 2014.

    In addition to his NCWTS starts at Michigan International Speedway, Bell has one Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start (2012), two NASCAR XFINITY Series starts (2012, 2016) and three ARCA Racing Series starts (2004, 2005 and 2006).

    About the Owner: Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece.  Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 30 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices.  Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability.  The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry.

  • NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Preview-Michigan

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Preview-Michigan

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns after a week off this week to Michigan International Speedway.  With just four races remaining, it’s time for drivers who are looking outside the playoffs picture to pick it up a little.

    For this weeks race, there are currently 30 drivers entered on the preliminary entry list.  In the past five races, there have been five different winners, with Kyle Busch only being the returning victor.

    Let’s take a look out who will be contending for the win on Saturday.

    1. Matt Crafton- Crafton is a sure fine contender for the win at every track they visit in the Truck Series. In five races at Michigan, he has one top five and four top ten finishes, along with one pole. Crafton’s previous finish was seventh in 2016.
    2. Kyle Busch- Busch is once again entered to compete this year in the Truck Series. And yes, like Crafton, you can except him to be up front all day long and leading laps. However, in his recent outing at Pocono, Busch had a 25th place finish after a crash with Justin Haley in the tunnel turn. At Michigan, though, he has one win that came in 2015, three top fives and three top ten finishes. Except Busch to be a contender.
    3. Johnny Sauter- Sauter has been somewhat on a slump recently, but he could possibly turn that around at Michigan this weekend. He has one win that came three years ago, two top fives and three top ten finishes. This could be a rebound for Sauter starting this weekend at Michigan.
    4. Christopher Bell- While the results in the last outing at Michigan in 2016, may not show the performance as he finished 24th due to a crash, Bell as been on a roll recently. In the past three races this year, he has two wins, the last one coming at Pocono and the other at Kentucky. He also assumed the point lead from Johnny Sauter. It would be to no surprise, if Bell could chalk up another win in his impressive 2017 season.
    5. John Hunter Nemechek- Like Bell, Nemechek did not have the results to show his performance last year in Michigan as he too was taken out in a crash on lap 64 and wound up 26th. But in 2015, Nemechek finished 12th. He’ll be looking to up his average finishing position this weekend at Michigan.Qualifying up front will be crucial as the last five winners have started inside the top ten.

    There will be two practices slated for Friday afternoon with the first one at 1pm/ET and the final practice at 3pm/ET both taking place on FS1.

    Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday morning at 9:30am/ET on FS1, with the race starting 1pm/ET.