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NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series news and information

  • NASCAR Announces 2019 Rules Aimed at Strengthening NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series

    NASCAR Announces 2019 Rules Aimed at Strengthening NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series

    Xfinity Series Field Size Shifts to 38 Cars; Owner Championship Prioritizes Series Regular Drivers’ Results; Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash Slate Set

    DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 23, 2018) – NASCAR announced several rules for the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series aimed at strengthening both the competition on the race track and the identity of each series.

    In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, a maximum starting field will be 38 cars starting in 2019. As part of the restructure, NASCAR will reallocate the purse money previously awarded to the 39th- and 40th-place finishers to the rest of the field.

    “Our goal is to ensure that each race features the strongest field and best racing for our fans,” said John Bobo, NASCAR vice president of racing operations. “The NASCAR Xfinity Series already features some of the tightest competition throughout the field. This adjustment will further strengthen an already outstanding series.”

    Following one of the most thrilling Xfinity Dash 4 Cash campaigns in the program’s history, NASCAR also announced today that the four 2018 tracks will again make up next year’s Dash 4 Cash slate. In 2019, the March 30 race at Texas Motor Speedway will serve as the qualifier race, with the top four Xfinity Series points earners landing a spot in the Dash 4 Cash opener at Bristol Motor Speedway (April 6). The remaining three Dash 4 Cash races will be held at Richmond Raceway (April 12), Talladega Superspeedway (April 27) and Dover International Speedway (May 4).

    This season, NASCAR strengthened the identity of each series by implementing more defined participation guidelines for both the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, which will be known as the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series in 2019.

    In 2019, the next step in that evolution will occur, as team owners in the Xfinity Series will only earn Playoff points and a race win will only count towards Owner Championship Playoff eligibility if the driver earns points in that series or the Gander Outdoors Truck Series. Subsequently, a Gander Outdoors Truck Series owner will only earn Playoff points and a race win will only count towards the Playoffs if the driver earns points in that series.

    About NASCAR

    The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™, NASCAR Xfinity Series™, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series™), three regional series, one local grassroots series, three international series and the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). The International Motor Sports Association™ (IMSA®) governs the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship™, the premier U.S. sports car series. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information visit http://www.NASCAR.com and http://www.IMSA.com, and follow NASCAR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (‘NASCAR’).

  • NASCAR National Series News & Notes – Road America and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

    NASCAR National Series News & Notes – Road America and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

    Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
    Next Race: Bojangles’ Southern 500
    The Place: Darlington Raceway
    The Date: Sunday, September 2
    The Time: 6 p.m. ET
    TV: NBCSN, 5 p.m. ET
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 501.3 miles (367 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 100),
    Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 200), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 367)

    NASCAR Xfinity Series
    Next Race: Johnsonville 180
    The Place: Road America
    The Date: Saturday, August 25
    The Time: 3 p.m. ET
    TV: NBCSN, 2:30 p.m. ET
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 180 miles (45 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 10),
    Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 25), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 45)

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
    Next Race: Chevrolet Silverado 250
    The Place: Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
    The Date: Sunday, August 26
    The Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
    TV: FS1, 2 p.m. ET
    Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Distance: 250 miles (64 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 20),
    Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 40), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 64)
    Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
    Painting the Playoff Picture

    With two regular season races remaining to set the 16-driver Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Playoff field, four more drivers assured themselves a postseason berth following last Saturday night’s Bristol Motor Speedway night race.

    Race winner Kurt Busch guaranteed his spot in the 16. Joining him by virtue of points are Team Penske drivers Ryan Blaney and Brad Keselowski along with Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle Larson. That leaves the four drivers ranked 13th-16tt – Denny Hamlin, Aric Almirola, Jimmie Johnson and Alex Bowman – still to secure their championship berths.

    As it did for Kurt Busch, a victory in the Sept. 2 Bojangles Southern 500 (6 p.m., NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) would, of course, ease any Playoff tension. Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, is the defending winner at the Monster Energy Series’ next venue, Darlington Raceway. He has two victories at the historic track (2010), three runner-up finishes and is on a streak of three consecutive top-five finishes.

    Johnson is the only other member of that foursome still looking to lock a Playoff position who has won at Darlington previously. He’s won three times, actually – including a sweep of the 2004 season – when the series raced at the track twice annually – and then again in 2012. The driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet is looking for his first top-10 there since 2014, however.

    Darling Denny

    Denny Hamlin is the defending winner of both the Monster Energy Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series races at Darlington Raceway, and over the course of his career proven himself up to the task facing the notorious track known for being “Too Tough to Tame.”

    Hamlin has two Monster Energy Series wins (2017 and 2010) and is riding a streak of three top-five finishes. In fact, he has only one finish worse than sixth-place in the last eight races there – 19th in 2014. In his career, he has finished outside the top-10 only twice in 12 starts.

    And he’s equally as successful in the Xfinity Series at Darlington – scoring five wins since 2006 – including back to back wins in 2006-07. He’s won two of the last three races and finished runner-up in the other one in 2016 to Elliott Sadler.

    Checking in on the “Big 3”

    When it comes to Darlington, the Monster Energy Series’ “Big 3” – Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. – have been strong, but not as dominant as at other venues.

    In the last five years, Kevin Harvick (2014) and Truex (2016) have each won a race. However, during that timeframe, Harvick is the only driver among that championship-leading small group to have finished in the top-10 in all five races. In fact, he has had top-five finishes in four of the last five years, finishing ninth last year.

    Truex has finished among the top-10 in the last three years and was 27th in 2014 and 12th in 2013. Busch was runner-up last year and sixth in both 2013 and 2014. His only win at Darlington was in 2008.

    If History Repeats…

    No driver outside the current top-16 in the Playoff rankings has ever won at Darlington, however there are three past Indianapolis winners who remain legitimate threats to score a win in the regular season finale at Indy.

    Paul Menard, who is currently 21st in the Playoff standings, won at Indy in 2011 while Ryan Newman, who is 18th in the Playoff standings, won in 2013. Defending Brickyard winner Kasey Kahne is ranked 28th. A victory there (if they don’t win at Darlington) is essentially their last shot at the 2018 Playoffs.

    NASCAR Xfinity Series

    NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott Returns To The Xfinity Series

    In unprecedented fashion, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, father of current Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Elliott, will be making his return to the NASCAR Xfinity Series after more than a decade. Elliott will be piloting the No. 23 GMS Racing Chevrolet Camaro with crew chief Chad Norris this weekend in the Johnsonville 180 at Road America on Saturday, August 25 at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

    “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville” (Georgia) last competed in a NASCAR national series race in 2012 at Daytona International Speedway, when he qualified sixth in the July Monster Energy Series race and finished 37th after being caught in an incident on Lap 123.

    The last time Bill Elliott competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series was on October 22, 2005 at Memphis Motorsports Park in Memphis, Tennessee. While Clint Bowyer won the race, Elliott qualified sixth and finished 16th driving for Evernham Motorsports and fellow NASCAR Hall of Famer Ray Evernham.

    In total Elliott has made 43 career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, posting one win (Watkins Glen, 1993), eight top fives, 16 top 10s and two poles. This weekend will be Elliott’s series career track debut at Road America. Elliott has only competed on one road course in the NASCAR Xfinity Series – Watkins Glen International – where he tallied his lone series win and an average finish of 12.0.

    Road Racers To Watch In Elkhart Lake

    Road racing takes special skills and some drivers have taken to making those specific skills their specialty. At Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, the NASCAR Xfinity Series will not only have its usual title contenders battling it out on the 14-turn road course, but also several road racing ringers like Andy Lally, Katherine Legge, Conor Daly, James Davison and Brendan Gaughan joining in on the fun this Saturday, August 25 for the Johnsonville 180 at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

    Northport, N.Y. native, Andy Lally, jumps back into the No. 90 DGM Racing Chevrolet with crew chief Josh Williams this weekend following an impressive run at Mid-Ohio a few weeks back. Then he started eighth and led eight laps before getting shuffled back in a late race restart to finish 15th. Heading into this weekend, Lally has made two previous starts at Road America (2014, 2015) posting one top 10 (seventh) and an average finish of 11.0.

    Katherine Legge, the British sports car star, returns to the NASCAR Xfinity Series for her second start of the season in the No. 15 JD Motorsports Chevrolet with crew chief Ron Drake. Legge made her series debut a few weeks back at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, starting 22nd and finishing 30th after having brake issues late in the race. Keep an eye on Legge this weekend, though it will be her series track debut at the 4-mile road course, she has made six IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship starts at Road America, posting an average finish of 8.2; including a seventh-place finish earlier this season.

    Open-wheel driver Conor Daly will try his luck at some stock car racing this weekend at Road America in the No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford with crew chief Kevin Kidd. Daly will attempt to make his NASCAR national series debut in the Xfinity Series this weekend at Road America. The last two seasons Daly has competed in the Verizon IndyCar Series, finishing 18th in the championship points both years. The Noblesville, Indiana native is no stranger to Road America, he has two IndyCar starts at the famous four-mile track, posting a best finish of 15th. He also has one IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship start in 2015, where he won the pole and finished runner-up.

    “It’s been a lot of fun and I’ve always enjoyed going there (Road America),” said Daly. “There are a lot of incredible race fans there. This is obviously going to be a whole new experience for me with a very steep learning curve, but I’m excited for the challenge. I’ve got two good teammates to try and learn from and hope to just get up to speed as quick as we can and just have a good race day.”

    Joe Gibbs Racing also has called up a former open-wheel racer James Davison, who cut his teeth in the Indy Lights in 2008-2009 and then competed part-time in the Verizon IndyCar Series from 2013-2018. Davison has also competed in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, competing in the GTD class part-time from 2010-2017. Though this will be Davison’s series season debut, he does have some NASCAR Xfinity Series experience. He has three career starts in the series, recording one top five (at Mid-Ohio in 2017). The other two starts were at Road America (2016, 2017). In last season’s Road America race he started second and led 11 laps before being caught in an incident that relegated him to a 37th-place finish.

    Last but not least, Richard Childress Racing has tapped Brendan Gaughan to hop in the No. 3 RCR Chevrolet and work with crew chief Nick Harrison this weekend at Road America. Las Vegas, Nevada’s Brendan Gaughan retired from full-time competition this season but has moonlighted in the series already once this year (at Mid-Ohio finishing 12th) and this weekend he returns to the track that brought him his first series victory (in 2014) – Road America. Gaughan has made six series starts at Road America posting one win, four top fives and an average finish of 6.3.

    Road America’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Different Winners Streak Is On The Line

    In the last eight NASCAR Xfinity Series Road America races, the four-mile road course has produced eight different winners and this weekend we could possibly see a ninth in the Johnsonville 180 on Saturday, August 25. Road America currently is tied with Dover for the fourth-longest active different winners streak among tracks on the Xfinity Series schedule.

    The top five different winner streaks by track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series: Las Vegas (10 different winners), Iowa (nine), Michigan (nine), Dover (eight), Road America (eight).

    The record for the most consecutive different winners a single track was 23 set at New Hampshire Motor Speedway between the 1990-2009 seasons. Las Vegas currently holds the longest active different winners streak at 10 dating back to 2009.

    The eight different winners in the Road America streak are Jeremy Clements (2017), Michael McDowell (2016), Paul Menard (2015), Brendan Gaughan (2014), AJ Allmendinger (2013), Nelson Piquet Jr. (2013), Reed Sorenson (2011) and Carl Edwards (2010).

    Road America Is Known To Crown First-Time Winners

    Five of the last six NASCAR Xfinity Series races at Road America have produced first-time series winners; including last season’s event when Jeremy Clements grabbed the checkered flag in a thrilling finish, securing his spot in the Playoffs. This weekend the series returns, and chances are good we could see another new winner in Saturday’s Johnsonville 180 (3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) as there are 29 drivers on the entry list that are still looking for their first career NASCAR Xfinity Series win.

    The five drivers to get their first NASCAR Xfinity Series win at Road America are Clements (2017), Michael McDowell (2016), Brendan Gaughan (2014), AJ Allmendinger (2013) and Nelson Piquet Jr. (2013).

    Since 1993, road courses have contributed 13 new Xfinity Series winners – Bill Elliott (Watkins Glen, 1993), Ron Fellows (Watkins Glen, 1998), Denny Hamlin (Mexico, 2006), Juan Pablo Montoya (Mexico, 2007), Marcos Ambrose (Watkins Glen, 2008), Boris Said (Montreal, 2010), Nelson Piquet Jr. (Road America, 2012), AJ Allmendinger (Road America, 2013), Brendan Gaughan (Road America, 2014), Chris Buescher (Mid-Ohio, 2014), Justin Marks (Mid-Ohio, 2016), Michael McDowell (Road America, 2016) and Jeremy Clements (Road America, 2017).

    Playoff Bubble: Outsiders Need To Win To Get In

    With four races left in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, opportunities to solidify a driver’s spot in the Playoffs are starting to become scarce. Two drivers that made the Playoffs last season that are currently on the outside of the points cutoff line looking in are Michael Annett (13th in points following Bristol) and last year’s Road America winner Jeremy Clements (16th in the current standings).

    Though still mathematically possible to get in on points, it is probably going to take a win for both Annett and Clements to make the Playoffs this season as the points gap between 13th-place Annett and 12th-place Ross Chastain in the final transfer spot has grown to 42 markers. But getting the win this weekend isn’t too far-fetched since Clements pulled off the upset win last season at Road America coming out on top of a close battle with Joe Gibbs Racing’s Matt Tifft in the closing laps of the race. And Michael Annett finished runner-up in the event, almost catching Clements in the final lap – the second-place finish is still Annett’s best career finish in the series.

    Clements has made seven series starts at Road America, posting one win and two top 10s. Annett has made five series starts at Road America, putting together one top five a two top 10s.

    Next Four Tracks Will Truly Test Competitors

    The diversity in the next four racetracks on the schedule to close out the NASCAR Xfinity Series regular season is one that will truly test the championship contenders. In the next four stops the series will venture out on the road course of Road America, the historic egg-shaped oval of Darlington Raceway, the rectangular-shaped and virtually flat oval of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and finally, to wrap up the regular season, the high banks of the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

    This weekend, fans better get ready for some great road racing as the series heads to Road America on Saturday, August 25 for the Johnsonville 180 at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Road America is a multi-elevational, four-mile, 14-turn road course that sprawls out over the Wisconsin hillside. Last season’s winner was series title contender Jeremy Clements, who became the eighth different winner in as many races at Road America when he grabbed his first career Xfinity win and locked himself into the postseason.

    Then the series will head to South Carolina for the historic Darlington Raceway. Notably known as the track “Too Tough to Tame,” the series will battle it out on the egg-shaped 1.366-mile track in the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 on Saturday, September 1 at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin has won two of the last three series races at Darlington, including last season’s event.

    Following Darlington will be the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway as the series returns to the 2.5-mile track located in heart of Indiana. It will mark the seventh time the series has competed at Indianapolis Motor Speedway when the field takes the green flag on Saturday, August 8 for the Lilly Diabetes 250 at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN, IMS and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Last season’s Xfinity Series champion William Byron put his name on everyone’s radar when he raced his way to Victory Lane in his first series start at historic facility.

    Finally, wrapping up the regular season will be none other than the 1.5-miler Las Vegas Motor Speedway located in the sandy desert of Nevada just north of the Vegas strip. Las Vegas Motor Speedway will not only be the site of the regular season finale, the DC Solar 300 on Saturday, August 15 at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, but also the location the series crowns its regular season champion and solidifies the seedings for the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs. This event will also be the first time the series has competed at Las Vegas more than once in a season. Kyle Larson took the checkered flag in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at LVMS earlier this season.

    NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.

    International Racing Affair: Road racing in NASCAR has always been a draw for international drivers to try their luck in one of the national series, and this weekend at Road America will be no different with James ‘JD’ Davison from Melbourne, Australia, and Katherine Legge from Guilford, England. Davison will be driving the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with crew chief Eric Phillips. Legge will be driving the No. 15 JD Motorsports Chevrolet with crew chief Ron Drake.

    NASCAR and Wisconsin: A total of 43 NASCAR national series races (see chart below), between two tracks, have been held in the state of Wisconsin.

    Track Name

    City

    Monster Energy

    Xfinity

    Camping World

    Total Races

    Road America

    Elkhart Lake

    1

    8

    0

    9

    Milwaukee Mile

    West Allis

    0

    19

    15

    34

    Totals

    1

    27

    15

    43

    The very first NASCAR national series race held in the state of Wisconsin was a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event at Road America on August 12, 1956 in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The race was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tim Flock for car owner Bill Stroppe in a Mercury.

    The first NASCAR Xfinity Series race held in the state of Wisconsin was at The Milwaukee Mile, located just outside Milwaukee in West Allis, Wisconsin on May 13, 1984; the event was won by Sam Ard for car owner Howard Thomas in an Oldsmobile. The first NXS event at Road America was on June 19, 2010 and won by Carl Edwards for Roush Fenway Racing in a Ford.

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

    Meet the 2018 Playoff Contenders
    As the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on Sunday, August 26 for the Chevrolet Silverado 250 (2:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), it will be the first race of the Playoffs for the elite eight who clinched their spot.

    Johnny Sauter finished the regular season with five wins (Daytona, Dover, Charlotte, Texas, Bristol), the most of any season in his career. He also clinched the regular season championship last weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. In the past, Sauter won the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship and made it to the Championship 4 Round in 2017. Sauter’s best track on the remainder of the schedule is Texas, where he has five wins and an average finish of 6.0 in 20 starts.

    Brett Moffitt sits in second place in the points standings with 2,027 points. The 26-year-old has four wins so far this season (Atlanta, Iowa, Chicago, Michigan) and has become known for his last-lap passes for victory. This year marks his first-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs. Moffitt is looking the strongest at Las Vegas. His start at Vegas this March was his first at the track and he finished third. Moffitt and his team struggled throughout the season to find sponsorship and sometimes didn’t know if they would be racing week-to-week, so the success they have had thus far is even more impressive.

    Noah Gragson is sitting in third in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoff standings with 2,022 points. He has just one win this season (Kansas) and only three finishes outside of the top-10. The 20-year old finished the regular season with seven stage wins, the most of any driver in the series. This is also Gragson’s first-time competing in the Playoffs.

    Ben Rhodes secured his Playoff spot with a win at Kentucky. With one win this season, he also has five top fives, nine top 10s and two poles. Rhodes qualified for the 2017 Playoffs but was eliminated in the Round of 6. Rhodes hopes that the Playoffs have a different result this year.

    Stewart Friesen takes the fifth spot in the eight Playoff-contending places with 2,012 points. Although Friesen hasn’t been able to clinch a win yet, he is having a career season with seven top-five finishes, 11 top 10s and one pole. He has five stage wins in the regular season, the second-best of any driver in the series.

    Grant Enfinger is in the Playoffs for the first time of his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career with 2,011 points. Enfinger is coming in with six top-10 finishes in a row. He finished with a season-best second-place at Eldora. He secured his Playoff spot at Bristol Motor Speedway by simply starting the race due to his points standings from throughout the regular season.

    Justin Haley is also a newcomer to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs. He secured his Playoff spot with a win at Gateway Motorsports Park, the first win of his career. He also has five top-fives and 12 top-10 finishes this season. He just missed the Playoffs in 2017, so his Playoff run will be one for him to prove himself.

    Veteran Matt Crafton took the last spot in the Playoffs after an uncharacteristically tough season to date. Crafton has not had a winless season since 2012, but is still hopeful that his wins will come in the Playoffs. Crafton currently has five top fives and nine top 10s. He has not had a season finish with fewer than 10 finishes in the top-10 since 2002. Crafton qualified for the Championship 4 in 2017, where he finished fourth, and in 2016, where he finished second.

    Johnny Sauter Earns Regular-Season Championship
    On Thursday evening under the lights at Bristol Motor Speedway, Johnny Sauter sealed the deal for the 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular-season championship. Sauter clinched the season by just simply starting the race, as he was leading by 56 points. Sauter accumulated such a big lead in the standings by winning four of the first eight races. He qualified in fourth-place and then raced to the front for 200 miles.

    Sauter won his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title in 2016 and was the runner-up in 2011 and 2017.

    Jesse Iwuji to Make NASCAR National Series Debut
    This weekend’s race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on Sunday, August 26 (2:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) will mark the first NASCAR national series start for U.S. Navy Lt. Jesse Iwuji. However, the name is very familiar to racing fans as he currently runs in select races for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West and East and the ARCA Series. Iwuji, who will run the No. 34 Reaume Brothers Racing truck on Sunday, is still an active member of the U.S. Navy Reserve.

    Iwuji’s racing career began in 2015 racing Late Models before he moved into the K&N Pro Series and ARCA Series. He has gained sponsorship support from several industries with a military focus and gratitude. One of his partners for this weekend is Zulu Audio, whose owner is also a Naval Academy alum.

    Racing has been a goal of Iwuji’s, along with his regular day job in the Navy Reserves and running a business. He is looking forward to his national series start this weekend because his main goal is to make it as a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver.

    Iwuji said, “Basically every single day, I’m doing different things to try to put myself in the position to get to this goal, whether it’s getting a lot of laps in the racing simulator, reaching out to different sponsors and contacts for hours and hours and hours each night, building sponsorship presentations, developing different marketing packages to promote the sponsors I do have. All that kind of stuff is the effort that you put in on a daily basis.”

    Gragson Focusing on Being a Champion
    Noah Gragson is one of eight drivers in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs and he is also one of the youngest. As the pressure gets tougher for the drivers heading into the Truck Playoff opener, Gragson has decided to keep his focus on one thing: becoming a champion.

    Gragson described his experience with a sports psychologist and how the support and knowledge he has gained from it is helping him work towards his main goal.

    At the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs Media Day on Tuesday, August 21, 2018, Gragson made it a point to discuss the changes he is making in his day-to-day lifestyle to become the best version of himself.

    In an interview on Media Day, Gragson said, “I started having a set bedtime, going to bed early, waking up early. Just trying to be more productive with my Monday through Friday schedule, trying to be more organized, trying to have a structured schedule, going to the shop, working out, trying to eat healthier, doing everything it takes to be a champion, going that extra mile.”

    Having champion crew chief Rudy Fugle alongside him during his Playoff journey will be beneficial to the 20-year old as he prepares for the upcoming races.

    First Timers at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
    Of the 31 drivers currently entered in the Chevrolet Silverado 250 on Sunday, August 26 (2:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), 13 of them will hit the road course for the first time of their career.

    They are: Justin Kunz, Austin Hill, Myatt Snider, Wendell Chavous, Max Tullman, Jason White, Jesse Iwuji, Justin Fontaine, Ray Ciccarelli, Harrison Burton, Stewart Friesen, Bo LeMastus and Roger Reuse.

    Friesen is the only Playoff driver who has never been to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in his career.

    Canada natives Alex Tagliani and D.J. Kennington are entered to run this weekend for their first race of the 2018 season.

    Reuse and White, also Canada natives, will be making their NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut this weekend, as well.

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Etc.

    Germany’s Justin Kunz Will Make Truck Debut: Justin Kunz, the 21-year-old German NASCAR Whelen Euro Series driver, will make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut in the No. 0 Chevrolet Silverado for Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. When Cobb made her European debut in April, Kunz was her teammate in Valencia and that is part of the reason she chose him to race for her (and against her) on Sunday. Kunz made his NASCAR Whelen Euro Series debut in 2016 in the ELITE 2 Division and placed three top-five finishes since.

    Harrison Burton Back in the Saddle: We were supposed to see Harrison Burton pilot the No. 51 Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports at Bristol Motor Speedway last weekend, but he had to withdraw due to an illness. Christopher Bell took Burton’s place in his absence. However, Burton will be back behind the wheel this weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, driving the No. 51 Hunt Brothers Pizza/Field Toyota Tundra. This will be Burton’s first time at the road course as he makes his fourth start of the 2018 season. He has two top fives, four top 10s and one pole under his belt so far.

    Spencer Gallagher to Pilot No. 25 Chevrolet: GMS Racing announced Wednesday that Spencer Gallagher will pilot the No. 25 Chevrolet, formerly driven by Dalton Sargeant, beginning this weekend in Canada. Gallagher has visited the track twice in his Truck Series career and finished in the top-10 in 2015 and started in the top-10 in 2016.

    OEM Battle in Canada: Of the five NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races that have taken place at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Chevrolet and Ford each have two wins at the track and Toyota has one. Last year, a Ford truck went to Victory Lane for the first time since 2014, when Ryan Blaney won from the 14th position. Chase Elliott’s first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win was at the 10-turn road course in 2013 and Austin Cindric’s first and only Truck Series career win was in Canada last year.

    Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Quick Facts
    As the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to Canada for the Chevrolet Silverado 250 on Sunday, August 26 (2:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), here are some quick facts and numbers that you should know about the 10-turn road course.

    Canadian Tire Motorsport Park has collected five different race winners in all five series races at the track. Last year, Austin Cindric won after starting from the pole.

    Track Length: 3.957 km (2.459 mile)
    Most Wins: 1 (5 drivers)
    Most Poles: 2 (Alex Tagliani)
    Most Top Fives: 2 (4 drivers)
    Most Top 10s: 4 (Matt Crafton, Johnny Sauter)
    Most Lead Changes: 14 (8/30/15)
    Fewest Lead Changes: 5 (9/3/17)
    Most Leaders: 7 (8/31/14)
    Fewest Leaders: 5 (2 times, most recently 9/3/17)
    Most Cautions: 6 (9/4/16)
    Fewest Cautions: 2 (8/31/14)
    Most Caution Laps: 18 (9/4/16)
    Fewest Caution Laps: 6 (8/31/14)
    Most Laps Led by a Race Winner: 34 (8/31/14)
    Fewest Laps Led by a Race Winner: 19 (8/30/15)
    Closest Margin of Victory: 0.034 (9/4/16)
    Greatest Margin of Victory: 3.481 (9/3/17)

  • Austin Wayne Self – Chevrolet Silverado 250 Race Advance

    Austin Wayne Self – Chevrolet Silverado 250 Race Advance

    Chevrolet Silverado 250 | Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Speedway Race Advance

    Team: No. 22 GO TEXAN | AM Technical Solutions Chevrolet Silverado

    Driver: Austin Wayne Self

    Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @AustinWSelf

    Self on Racing at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park: “Man, I’m feeling pretty good about the direction of our Niece Motorsports team,” said Self. “Throughout this summer stretch, we’ve only been getting stronger.

    “The more laps I get at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, the better. It’s all about being comfortable and getting into a rhythm. I think Canadian Tire is a very technical track where it has some slow portions, but also has some areas of the track, where it’s very high speed.

    “It produces great racing for the fans and the drivers, so it’s a win-win. I think it’s very reasonable to expect that we can duplicate or better our performance from last season on Sunday.

    Self at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park: Self has two prior NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) starts at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. In those two finishes, Self has not finished outside of the top-15. His best finish of ninth came last year.

    Recapping Bristol: Self and the No. 22 team put together another strong run in last Thursday night’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The team earned another top-15 result, placing 13th.

    “We struggled through practice and made a last second change that helped a lot,” said Self. “I was happy we were able to work our way from the back in our No. 22 GO TEXAN | AM Technical Solutions Chevrolet Silverado.

    “We’ve been pretty strong the last two weekends and I’m excited to take our momentum to Canada.”

    On The Truck: The Texas Department of Agriculture’s GO TEXAN program and AM Technical Solutions will support Self.

    GO TEXAN represents Texas agri-business on state, national and international levels by building recognition with the GO TEXAN mark.

    Along with its signature mark in the shape of Texas, GO TEXAN celebrates, promotes and supports the business savvy and plainspoken grit Texas agriculture is known throughout the world.

    About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2018, Niece Motorsports enters its second full season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, fielding two full-time teams with Austin Wayne Self and Justin Fontaine. 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. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as twitter @NieceMotorsport.

  • Justin Fontaine – Chevrolet Silverado 250 Race Advance

    Justin Fontaine – Chevrolet Silverado 250 Race Advance

    Chevrolet Silverado 250 | Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Speedway Race Advance

    Team: No. 45 ProMATIC Automation | Superior Essex Chevrolet Silverado

    Driver: Justin Fontaine

    Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @driverfontaine

    Fontaine on Racing at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park: “My Niece Motorsports team has done everything that they can to prepare me for Canada,” said Fontaine. “They’ve provided support with video, photos and even sent me to Canada earlier this summer to experience its twists and turns for myself.

    “It’s a nice venue with some speed and finesse mixed in. The goal for me is making gains from the first practice to the final practice and getting ourselves in a good spot for qualifying and seeing if we can utilize some strategy to put us near the front during the race.

    “I think if you can keep all four-wheels on the track, it’s going to be a good day.

    “Austin’s been here twice, and I’ll be able to pick his brain a little bit with any questions that I have. I think it’s going to be important for me to get behind someone like Austin who has been to Canada before and see if I can follow them in their footsteps.”

    Fontaine at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park: Sunday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park is Fontaine’s first start at the track, and also marks his road racing debut.

    Recapping Bristol: Fontaine and the No. 45 team were able to overcome an early practice accident to repair the damage and put in a solid effort for Fontaine’s Bristol debut. The rookie driver battled all racing, ultimately bringing his No. 45 Chevrolet him with a 24th-place result.

    “Bristol was definitely a learning experience for me,” said Fontaine. “I worked hard throughout the day with my Niece Motorsports team to get a good balance on our No. 45 ProMATIC Automation | Superior Essex Chevrolet Silverado.

    “We were making some gains during the race but decided to use some strategy to get back on the lead lap and it didn’t work out. We ran the last stage on older tires and we never got the caution we needed to pit, and our lap times suffered because we lacked the grip we desperately needed.

    “Still, we finished the race and I learned a lot. I appreciate my team sticking with me over the last couple of weeks.”

    On the Truck: Fontaine’s No. 45 Chevrolet will carry the ProMATIC Automation, Inc. colors in this week’s race. ProMATIC Automation, Inc. specializes in the design and build of custom factory automation equipment.

    ProMATIC Automation, Inc. has extensive experience in the integration of high-level automation technologies like robotics, laser, vision, and dispensing systems along with many years of combined experience in the design and machining of custom manufactured components.

    About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2018, Niece Motorsports enters its second full season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, fielding two full-time teams with Austin Wayne Self and Justin Fontaine. 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. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as twitter @NieceMotorsport.

  • GMS Racing Statement

    GMS Racing Statement

    Statesville N.C. (August 22, 2018) – “Due to a unfortunate circumstance with Sargeant Motorsports, Dalton Sargeant will no longer compete with GMS Racing full-time in the Truck Series for the remainder of the 2018 season. Until the issue is resolved, Spencer (Gallagher) will serve as the fill-in driver of the No. 25 Chevrolet entry beginning this weekend in Canada. We hope a solution can be agreed upon and to see Dalton back racing GMS equipment in the near future.” – Mike Beam, President of GMS Racing

    ABOUT GMS RACING

    GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with drivers Johnny Sauter, Cody Coughlin, Justin Haley and in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Since the team’s start in 2014, GMS Racing has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. The campus also includes operations for GMS Fabrication. More information can be found at https://gmsracing.net/.

    SOCIAL MEDIA
    To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow GMS Racing on Facebook,Twitter, and Instagram.

  • Four Takeaways From The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race At Bristol

    Four Takeaways From The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race At Bristol

    Bristol Motor Speedway was the home for the 16th race of the season and marked the final event of the regular season before the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs begin this weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

    Here are four takeaways from the UNOH 200.

    1. GMS Racing Continue To Be Dominate 2018 – The GMS Racing team, including one ally, continued to dominate last Thursday at Bristol. GMS placed three of their trucks in the top-10 if you include the GMS Racing ally, Stewart Friesen. Johnny Sauter clinched the regular season championship by starting the race. He didn’t stop there as he led 58 laps and finished second in both stages. GMS Racing ally, Stewart Friesen, finished second and Sauter’s teammate, and Gateway winner, Justin Haley, finished sixth. Regardless, they continue to be the team to dominate the 2018 season and the team to beat for the championship.
    2. John Hunter Nemechek Gets A For Effort – After starting third, Nemechek looked to be the guy to beat. He won both stages and led twice for 104 laps. Nemechek had a shot to win his first ever race since Martinsville. However, his truck began to experience problems with less than 10 to go and fell back to third, after dominating much of the race.
    3. Too Much Emphasis On The Big Three – In the Cup Series this year, there have been three drivers that have visited victory lane the most, including Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr, and Kevin Harvick. However, here lately, the Truck Series has their own big three with those being Johnny Sauter, Brett Moffitt, and Noah Gragson. My opinion is that we should stop with the big three analysis and placing too much emphasis and hype on just three drivers. The Big Three should stay in the Cup Series. There have been multiple different race winners this year in the Truck Series. Those including Moffitt, Sauter, Ben Rhodes, Gragson, Haley, among others, who have visited victory lane. Yes, it seems like there are three drivers who regularly run up front, but that’s not the case for every race. Keep the big three special to one series and let the other series have their own brand identity, and stick out more.
    4.  Playoff Begin At Canada – After all the hype and with the regular season coming to an end, it’s now time for the 2018 NASCAR Truck Series playoffs that begin this weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Eight drivers will go after the gold and the championship at the end of the year in Homestead-Miami. It will be interesting to see how these eight drivers will fare throughout the rest of the season. Will Sauter be able to keep his dominance and punch his ticket into the Championship 4 for another year? Or perhaps there could be a surprise driver that winds up in the final four such as Haley. Either way, it’ll be an exciting seven race run to the championship finale that takes place in Southern Florida.
  • NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Power Rankings-Bristol

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Power Rankings-Bristol

    As the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series completed their 16th race of the season, the 2018 Truck Series Playoff grid is set and eight drivers will compete for the championship beginning at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on Sunday, Aug. 26.

    While a familiar foe ended up in victory lane at Bristol Motor Speedway Thursday night, others who needed a strong night got their wish and some had their best career finish.

    Here’s a look at this week’s power rankings.

      1. Johnny Sauter – By just starting the race, Sauter clinched the 2018 Truck Series regular season championship. He didn’t stop there, however, as he went on to win his fifth race of the season. Sauter finished second in both stages. He took the lead twice throughout the race. With 15 to go, he and GMS ally, Stewart Friesen battled each other and raced each other hard for the second position. This allowed race leader John Hunter Nemechek to pull away late, but issues in the No. 8 truck saw him fade to third place and saw Sauter take the lead. He was able to fend off Friesen by .236 seconds and was crowned 2018 Truck Series regular season champion. With his fifth win of the season, he will be able to carry over 42 points into the 2018 Playoffs. Sauter continues to be the guy to beat in the 2018 season. Previous Week Ranking: 2nd
      2. Stewart Friesen – Friesen was a Playoff bubble driver until the middle of Stage 2. With enough points and a couple of stage wins this year, he was able to clinch a spot in the Playoffs which allowed the No. 52 team to breathe easy and gave the okay to chase for his first possible win. Friesen finished seventh and fourth in both stages, respectively. He’ll be racing in his first ever race at his home track this weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, the site of the first Playoff race. Nonetheless, Friesen will have to have finishes like Bristol this past weekend in order to be a Championship 4 contender at Homestead-Miami. Friesen is placed fifth in the Playoffs standings. Previous Week Ranking: Not Ranked
      3. Todd Gilliland – Gilliland continues to shine in the 2018 Truck Series season in the No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota Tundra. In a lot of the tracks where he is making his first start in a truck, he looks like a seasoned veteran. After starting in the eighth position, Gilliland fell back quickly due to a loose truck and wound up 13th. In Stage 2, he was involved in an incident when he spun around in Turn 4 collecting the 97 of Jesse Little. While Gilliland didn’t collect any stage points, he was able to rebound to finish in the top five for his third top five of the year. He missed out on the Playoffs, but that doesn’t mean he can’t play spoiler in the Playoffs by winning races. Previous Week Ranking: 3rd
      4. Ben Rhodes – Rhodes continued his consistent success by finishing in the top-10 this past week at Bristol. He started second on the front row and finished fifth and seventh in both stages, collecting stage points. With his win at Kentucky, Rhodes was already locked into the Playoffs. He just needed to win and have a solid night in order to prepare for the Playoffs. And after a rocky start to the season, the tide is starting to turn for the No. 41 ThorSport Racing team with a seventh-place finish. This was Rhodes ninth top-10 of the 2018 season. He’ll be a part of the eight driver Playoff grid at Canada, where he is the fourth seed. Previous Week Ranking: 4th
      5. Justin Haley – Haley is another driver who continues to carry consistency in each race. He hasn’t had a bad finish since Iowa where he finished 16th. Since then, Haley has finished in the top-10 with a win at Gateway. The No. 24 GMS Racing team finished 10th and ninth in both stages respectively earning stage points. As the 16th race of the season completed at Bristol on lap 200, Haley and the No. 24 Fraternal Order of Eagles finished sixth after starting 11th. It was his 12th top-10 of the 2018 season. GMS Racing now has two trucks in the Playoffs, three if you include the GMS ally, Friesen. They are the team to beat in the 2018 Truck Series Playoffs. Previous Week Ranking: Not Ranked

    Fell Out

      1. Noah Gragson – Gragson finished ninth in the first stage, but did not collect any points in Stage 2. But, he did come back to finish ninth for his 12th top-10 of the year and is now in the Playoffs. He’ll be seeded in the third position.
      2. Brett Moffitt – After a thrilling win at Michigan the week before, Moffitt and the No. 16 team was brought back to reality on Thursday night. He had a tough qualifying outing by qualifying in the 14th position. Not all was lost, however, as he was able to finish third in Stage 2. But the night continued to get worse for the Hattori Racing team as they continued to slip back and finish in the 18th position. With four wins this year, Moffitt is now locked into the Playoffs and is seeded in the second position.
  • Milestone Season Continues For Regular Season Champion Johnny Sauter

    Milestone Season Continues For Regular Season Champion Johnny Sauter

    GMS Racing Secures Two Spots in the 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs Field

    Johnny Sauter secured his fifth win of the 2018 season Thursday night at Bristol Motor Speedway to claim the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Regular Season Championship and the top spot in the NCWTS Playoff field heading into next Sunday’s race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. The victory is Sauter’s 22nd win in the series, placing him in a tie with two-time NCWTS champion Todd Bodine for fifth on the NCWTS all-time wins list.

    The Necedah, Wis., native joined GMS Racing in 2016 and started off the season with a win at Daytona International Speedway. In addition to winning the 2016 NCWTS Championship, Sauter has earned 12 wins, 37 top-five and 51 top-10 finishes in 62 starts with the team.

    The title of NCWTS Regular Season Champion is just the latest accomplishment in a long list of milestone moments for Sauter this season. His season-opening win at Daytona, his third win at the track, made him the winningest driver at Daytona in NCWTS history. It was also GMS Racing’s third consecutive Daytona win (2016 J. Sauter, 2017 K. Grala, 2018 J. Sauter), tying Bobbly Hamilton Racing for series-most wins at Daytona.

    Sauter became only the second driver in NCWTS history to claim multiple wins at Dover International Speedway in May; it was also the first time Chevrolet claimed back-to-back wins at the track. Sauter picked up his 20th career NCWTS win and 10th win with GMS at Charlotte Motor Speedway and followed that up with another win two weeks later at Texas Motor Speedway. The win at Texas was his fifth win in Fort Worth and made him just the third driver in NCWTS history to earn four or more wins in the first eight races of the season.

    The regular season finale at Bristol locked-in the eight-driver Playoff field, which includes Sauter’s GMS Racing teammate Justin Haley. Haley secured his chance to compete for his first NCWTS title with his first NCWTS career win at Gateway Motorsports Park in June. This is the third-consecutive season GMS has had two drivers competing in the Playoffs, and the first time GMS Fabrication will compete with three entries by way of Halmar Friesen Racing driver Stewart Friesen racing his way into the Playoff field in Bristol.

    The 2018 NCWTS Playoffs kicks off at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on Sunday, August 26 with the Chevrolet Silverado 250. The race will air live at 2:30pm ET on FS1 and MRN.

     

    About GMS Racing

    GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with drivers Johnny Sauter, Justin Haley, Dalton Sargeant and Cody Coughlin, and in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Since the team’s start in 2014, GMS Racing has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. The campus also includes operations for GMS Fabrication. More information can be found at https://gmsracing.net/.

    Social Media 
    To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow GMS Racing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

  • HFR Release – Stewart Friesen has officially made the playoffs

    HFR Release – Stewart Friesen has officially made the playoffs

    [STATESVILLE, NC, 7/24/2018] Going into Bristol, Stewart Friesen was just outside being on the bubble for making the NCWTS playoffs. If the race were to be won by a driver with no other wins, Friesen and Matt Crafton would have had to compete for the final 8th spot. 19 points were needed by Friesen to finish ahead of Crafton to clinch it. With Sauter taking first, both Friesen and Crafton would secure their playoff positions.

    Having finished 2nd in his no.112 Super Late Model at Bristol earlier in the season for the Short Track U.S. Nationals, Friesen went into Thursday’s race confident that he would get the finish the team needed for a playoffs run. Friesen’s short track prowess was on full display as he took 2nd place again at the world’s fastest half mile, finishing just behind Johnny Sauter.

    It wasn’t exactly smooth sailing for Friesen, who started 13th despite being fastest in final practice. Although having one of his worst starting positions of the season, he was quickly able to work his way up, finishing the first stage in 7th place and the second in 4th, picking up 7 stage points.

    In the final 20 laps of the race, Friesen was able to reach front runners Nemechek and Sauter who were caught up in lapped traffic. With just 5 laps remaining, Sauter and Friesen were able to pass the no.8 of Nemechek. Running out of laps, Friesen pushed for the lead but was unable to steal it away from Sauter, ultimately finishing just 2 tenths of a second behind 2016’s points champion.

    HFR fans have been waiting on the edges of their seats for a Friesen win and came as close as ever last night. Despite their disappointment, Friesen has officially made the playoffs and is in contention for the championship in only his second full-time NCWTS season. Asked about winning, Friesen said “Wins will come, but battling for wins is all you can ask for, and that’s what we’re doing as a race team.”

    Next week, Stewart Friesen heads to home country turf at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park for the Chevrolet Silverado 250.

  • The Playoff Field is Set for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series; Tensions High for Talladega Superspeedway’s Talladega 250, Oct. 13

    The Playoff Field is Set for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series; Tensions High for Talladega Superspeedway’s Talladega 250, Oct. 13

    TALLADEGA, Ala. –  The eight-driver field is set for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Playoffs, and it features a mix of veterans and young guns, all looking forward to the Talladega 250 on Saturday, Oct. 13, the cutoff race in the Round of 8.

    At the conclusion of the Talladega 250 the field of eligible title contenders will be reduced from eight to six. By virtue of his five wins, Johnny Sauter is the top seed leading into the seven-race playoff, which gets underway at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Aug. 26. The Talladega 250, set to begin at noon CDT, will be the third event in the playoffs. Parker Kligerman is the defending champion.

    The playoff field will consist of three drivers who have gone to Gatorade Victory Lane at Talladega in various series, two former NCWTS champions and one who has never competed at the 2.66-mile venue. The trucks have contended at Talladega since 2006.

    Below are the eight drivers in the season-ending playoffs and their performances at Talladega Superspeedway:

    • Johnny Sauter, No. 21 GMS Racing Chevrolet: (2042 points/ third playoff appearance) Sauter, the 2016 NCWTS Champion, went to Gatorade Victory Lane at Talladega in 2013. In nine career NCWTS TSS starts, the veteran has finished in the top five on three occasions and has an average finish of 10.2. He has competed in all of NASCAR’s top-three series at NASCAR’s most competitive track. He has posted five wins this season, one of them coming in the season-opening event at Daytona.
    • Brett Moffitt, No. 16 Hattori Racing Enterprises Toyota: (2027 points/ first playoff appearance) Moffitt will be making his Talladega Superspeedway debut in the Talladega 250. He has already claimed four NCWTS wins in his first full-time season. In the season-opener at Daytona (track similar to Talladega), he was involved in an accident and wound up 26th.
    • Noah Gragson, No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota: (2022 points/ first playoff appearance) The 20-year-old is in his second season as a full-time driver in the NCWTS. He placed 14th in his inaugural TSS start in the NCWTS last year. He competed at NASCAR’s biggest track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series earlier this year, taking home a fourth-place finish.
    • Ben Rhodes, No. 41 ThorSport Racing Ford: (2014 points/ second playoff appearance) Rhodes will be making his third NCWTS start at TSS in the Talladega 250. His best finish at the mammoth track is 23rd, but he has finished in the top 10 twice in three NCWTS starts at Daytona. The 21-year-old has claimed one win (Kentucky) this season and five top-five finishes.
    • Stewart Friesen, No. 52 Halmar Friesen Racing Chevrolet: (2012 points/ first playoff appearance) Friesen made his first appearance at NASCAR’s most competitive track in last fall’s Talladega 250 and finished 17th. In his first season running full time in the NCWTS, he is looking to notch his first career win. This season he has seven top fives and 11 top 10s. He was 27th at Daytona after being involved in an accident.
    • Grant Enfinger, No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford: (2011 points/ first playoff appearance) Enfinger, the Alabama native from Fairhope, has one career NCWTS Talladega triumph, coming in fall of 2016. He has also competed in six races at Talladega in the ARCA Racing Series, earning a top-10 finish three times. While he is still searching for his first win of the 2018 season, Enfinger will be making his fifth TSS start in the NCWTS in the Talladega 250, and has an average finish of 9.8.
    • Justin Haley, No. 24 GMS Racing Chevrolet: (2009 points/ first playoff appearance) The 19-year-old is no stranger to Talladega Superspeedway’s Gatorade Victory Lane as he was triumphant in the 2017 General Tire 200 ARCA Racing Series event. This season, he finished runner-up at Daytona, and then followed up with a victory at Gateway Motorsports Park. He will be making his second TSS start in the NCWTS in the Talladega 250.
    • Matt Crafton, No. 88 ThorSport Racing Ford: (2003 points/ third playoff appearance) He is the only playoff driver to compete in all 12 NCWTS events held at Talladega, but has just one top-five finish (fourth), along with four top 10s. The two-time NCWTS champion’s (2013, 2014) average finish at TSS is 16.1. Uncharacteristically, he has yet to go to victory lane this season, but holds five top-five finishes and nine top 10s.

    In addition to the Talladega 250, the 1000Bulbs.com 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) event on Sunday, Oct. 14, will also have playoff implications. It is the second race (of three) in the Round of 12 in the MENCS Playoffs. Brad Keselowski is the defending 1000Bulbs.com 500 victor.

    The doubleheader NASCAR Playoff weekend kicks off with FREE Friday (Oct. 12) and will allow fans to witness qualifying – that will determine the starting lineup for Saturday’s Talladega 250 – from the grandstand for FREE (entry begins at 4 p.m. CDT). Saturday’s slate also includes practice and Foodland/Food Giant Qualifying for the 1000Bulbs.com 500. Sunday’s (Oct. 14) 1000Bulbs.com 500 gets the green flag at 1 p.m. CDT. Anyone holding a Sunday ticket will also have access to the traditional Saturday Night Infield Concert, located in the infamous infield at the track.

    About Talladega Superspeedway 
    Talladega Superspeedway is NASCAR’s most competitive (record 88 lead changes in 188 laps), highest banked (33 degrees), and longest track (2.66-miles), as well as the most fun and fan-friendly. Talladega offers something for everyone, including hundreds of acres of free camping, amazing kids tickets and college student prices, along with special offers for military members and first responders, and teachers and educators. The historic venue, built in 1969, is deemed NASCAR’s “Party Capital” thanks to the track’s infamous infield, which features the traditional Saturday Night Concert and the world-renowned Talladega Blvd., home of Friday night’s “Big One on the Blvd.” party. It’s the site of the most comfortable seats in motorsports, large ISM Vision HD video boards lining the frontstretch and endless pre-race activities for fans on race day, including special Kids VIP opportunities. For ticket information, visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or call 855-518-RACE (7223).

    The track, along with its parent company, International Speedway Corporation, recently announced Transformation – The Talladega Superspeedway Infield Project. The approximate $50 million redevelopment endeavor is part of ISC’s long-term capital allocation plan and reinvestment into its major motorsports complexes. The project, highlighted by a one-of-a-kind Garage Fan Zone Experience, will feature “up-close” access, interactive attractions and enhanced amenities for fans, sponsors, teams and stakeholders in the iconic Talladega infield. Full completion of the modernized project is scheduled for October of 2019. Fans can learn more about the project by visiting www.talladegasuperspeedway.com/transformation. The iconic track, which opened in 1969, will also celebrate its 50th Anniversary next year.