Category: Truck Series

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series news and information

  • NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Preview-Dover

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Preview-Dover

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series finally returns to action this week at Dover International Speedway after a five-week off period.

    So far for 2018, there have been four different Truck Series races with four different winners. Drivers will be itching at the bit to get back behind the wheel after a long rest period.  At Dover, there have been five different winners in the past five races.

    There are 34 trucks listed on the preliminary entry list this week.

    Here’s a look at who might end up taking the checkered flag tomorrow night at Dover.

      1. Matt Crafton – Currently in 2018, Crafton and the No. 88 Ford has zero wins to start the season. However, Dover just might be the place where he’ll snap a winless streak just like Joey Logano did last weekend at Talladega. In five races, Crafton has one win, three top fives and three top 10 finishes, along with 181 laps led with an average start of 6.0 and an average finish of 8.4. The last time he went to victory lane was two years ago. Dover could be the track in which Crafton punches his ticket into the Playoffs. He’ll need some work to do so as he was 13th and 10th, respectively in the two practice sessions on Thursday.
      2. Johnny Sauter – Dover is another one of Sauter’s best race tracks. He is the defending race winner from last year’s race after leading just 33 laps and he still has momentum from the Daytona season opener win. Sauter will have to pull double duty this weekend after Spencer Gallagher was indefinitely suspended from NASCAR. Sauter is the highest active driver among all drivers when it comes to Dover. He has one win, three top fives and three top 10 finishes with 33 laps led. Sauter has an average start of 11.6 and an average finish of 4.8. In the two practice sessions today, he was second and third fastest respectively. Keep an eye out for the No. 21 GMS Racing Chevy team.
      3. Todd Gilliland – Gilliland will return this weekend to drive the No. 4 Pedigree Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports. In his only start at this track which came last year, he was running a smart race until an incident took place on Lap 115 as Gilliland had suspension issues. Despite the woes, he was able to lead 25 laps after starting 15th. He’ll look to rebound and challenge for the win on Friday night. Gilliland was fourth in both practice sessions Thursday afternoon.
      4. Brett Moffitt – Moffitt is having a stellar 2018 season so far. He collected the second win of his career at Atlanta back in February and collected three top fives, and three top 10 finishes this year. While Moffitt will be making his track debut in a truck at Dover, he does have some experience racing cup cars and in the K&N East Pro Series. In fact, Moffitt has even taken the checkered flag here way back in 2009. His first cup start here was for Jay Robinson Racing and he ended up finishing 22nd. While he doesn’t have any race experience with a truck, Moffitt will be using his past experiences to figure this place out. He was eighth and first fastest in both practice sessions.
      5. Noah Gragson – Gragson has one start here at Dover in the Truck Series which came last year. After starting eighth, he finished fifth in Stage 1 but fell outside the top 10 in Stage 2. Gragson stayed around the top 10 for the rest of the race, as he would wind up finishing ninth, one lap down. He was sixth and second fastest in two practice sessions.

    Qualifying will be especially important at Dover. In the last five races, the winner has come from a starting spot no lower than 11th which happened last year when Johnny Sauter took the checkered flag.

    Qualifying is slated for Friday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. ET live on Fox Sports 1.

    The JEGS 200 can be seen live on FS1 with race coverage beginning at 5:00 p.m ET and on MRN Radio. The approximate green flag is 5:18 p.m. ET.

  • JJL Motorsports; Jesse Little poised for another top-10 finish at Dover

    JJL Motorsports; Jesse Little poised for another top-10 finish at Dover

    DOVER, Del. – Heading to one of his favorite tracks on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) schedule, Jesse Little (@JesseLittle97) treks to Dover International Speedway hoping for his second consecutive top-10 finish this season in Friday afternoon’s JEGS 200.

    Little and his family-owned JJL Motorsports team competed in the second race of the season at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway in March and turned heads.

    In the Active Pest Control 200 benefiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the team thrived and even contended for the race win before a botched restart left Little with a career-best eighth place finish.

    Still upbeat about the team’s performance two and a half months later, Little believes his team can continue the momentum in their first short track race of the season.

    “I love Dover,” said Little, who holds a track-best second place finish in K&N Pro Series East competition.

    “The track is so unique with its layout and demeanor that it really brings out the best in a driver’s ability.

    “You have to have a good handling race vehicle though. Even though it’s just a one-mile track, handling is so critical, and I’ve been fortunate to always have good driving pieces there.”

    JJL Motorsports crew chief Matt Noyce and crew have been vastly preparing a brand-new No. 97 JJL Motorsports Ford F-150 for Friday’s race. Little says the downtime has allowed Noyce and his crew to go over this truck with a fine-tooth comb.

    The finished product has him antsy to hit the track.

    “Our race truck is really nice,” Little said. “Our Ford Performance truck looks fast and Ford has been able to do some good things in Truck Series this season and at Dover in the past. Even though we’re a small team, we’re proud to be carrying the blue oval and look forward to leaving our mark over 200 laps this weekend.”

    While JJL Motorsports is still actively searching for sponsorship for its truck, the team has a plethora of support, including a relationship with Performance Friction Corporation. JJL is proud to represent PFC and use their brakes on their race truck.

    The Sherrills Ford, N.C.-native knows when it comes to performance at Dover, brakes are a crucial element.

    “PFC has been a great supporter of ours,” Little added. “You try to stay off the brakes as much as you can when it comes to Dover – but there are points of the weekend – including practice, qualifying and the race when they are a necessity – so I’m glad we have PFC bolted in.”

    While confident in their team’s ability – Little returns to the Miles’ Monster Mile looking for some redemption too. After qualifying fifth last spring, the 21-year-old found him in contention for his first career NCWTS triumph using pit strategy.

    Unfortunately, the strategy backfired when a late caution waved keeping the team trapped outside the top-10 and ultimately settling for a 14th place finish.

    “We’ve always run well at Dover,” Little sounded. “Last year, we had a great truck – but just got shuffled from a good finish when a late caution ruined our game plan. So, while we’re confident in our team’s approach after Atlanta, we still feel like we have some unfinished business after last year and hope to finish what we started Friday afternoon.”

    Looking ahead, JJL Motorsports plans to compete in the N.C. Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway on May 18, while also having open inventory for funded drivers aboard their Ford F-150s during the summer and fall stretch.

    In 14 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, Little has earned two top-10 finishes at Iowa Speedway (2017) and Atlanta Motor Speedway (2018) respectively.

    The JEGS 200 (200 laps | 200 miles) is the fifth of 23 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races on the 2018 schedule. Practice begins on Thurs., May 3 from 2:05 p.m. – 2:55 p.m. A final practice session is set for 4:05 p.m. – 4:55 p.m. Qualifying is set for race day, Fri., May 4, beginning at 1:05 p.m. The 32-truck field will take the green flag shortly after 5:00 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Satellite Radio, Channel 90). All times are local (Eastern).

    For additional information on JJL Motorsports, please visit JJLRacing.com.

    Stay tuned for a new JJL Motorsports website, but in the meantime, find JJL Motorsports on Twitter @JJL_Motorsports

  • Justin Fontaine – JEGS 200 Race Advance

    Justin Fontaine – JEGS 200 Race Advance

    JEGS 200 | Dover International Speedway Race Advance
    Team: No. 45 ProMATIC Automation | Superior Essex Chevrolet Silverado
    Driver: Justin Fontaine
    Crew Chief: Darrell Morrow

    Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @driverfontaine

    Fontaine on Racing at Dover: “I’ve never been to Dover – but it’s one of those tracks, I can’t wait to experience,” said Fontaine. “I’m glad that this six-week break is over, and we can get back to business and hopefully earn another top-10 run.”

    “Dover is a place where you have to be aggressive – but not too aggressive, otherwise you’ll find yourself in trouble pretty quick. I’ve been told when the trucks come off Turn 2 and go under the pedestrian bridge, it’s a huge sensation.

    “It’s all going to be new, but I’m hoping I can adapt pretty quickly during the first practice – then we can spend the final practice working on qualifying and race runs.”

    Fontaine at Dover: Friday’s race marks Fontaine’s first visit in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Dover International Speedway.

    Recapping Martinsville: An accident in the snow-delayed race at Martinsville Speedway derailed Fontaine’s chances at another top-10 result, leaving the No. 45 team with a 19th-place finish.

    “That was one of those races you just have to shrug off and move forward from. I’m looking forward to conquering the paperclip in the fall, but until then, we have some great tracks for us coming up.”

    On the Truck: Fontaine’s No. 45 Chevrolet will carry the ProMATIC Automation, Inc. colors in Friday’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.

  • Austin Wayne Self – JEGS 200 Race Advance

    Austin Wayne Self – JEGS 200 Race Advance

    JEGS 200 | Dover International Speedway Race Advance
    Team: No. 22 Don’t mess with Texas | Flying Circle Chevrolet Silverado
    Driver: Austin Wayne Self
    Crew Chief: Cody Efaw

    Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @AustinWSelf

    Self on Racing at Dover: “I remember how much wheel input it takes to race at Dover,” said Self. “It’s a very demanding race track, where you literally have to get up on the wheel and race. No doubt my workouts over the past month have me in better shape, and I’m hoping that will show behind the wheel.

    “My first trip to Dover didn’t turn out as planned. We qualified okay, made some gains during the race and then experienced a mechanical failure. I honestly feel we’ll be better this second time around.”

    Self at Dover: Self will make his second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) start at Dover International Speedway on Friday.

    Recapping Martinsville: Self worked his way into the top-10 before a mechanical issue ended his day early, resulting in a 27th-place finish.

    “We had a good run going at Martinsville, making our way into the top-10. We made some changes to try and get our short runs better and I think we had a truck to get a great finish.”

    New Partnership: Flying Circle will support Self and the No. 22 team beginning this weekend at Dover.

    As a trusted supplier of military specialty and travel bags to the U.S. Armed Forces for 30 years, Flying Circle’s mission is to provide service members and their families with dependable, functional, and versatile luggage. The company is known within the military community for their commitment to offering quality products at a fair value and excellent customer service.

    “Dover is the opening race for our new partnership with Flying Circle and we hope to give them a great debut at the Monster Mile,” said Self.

    “I am a proud Texan and the addition of Flying Circle to our organization is a great opportunity for them to expand their horizons and connect with a fan base that is passionate about those who serve in the military. This partnership is a win-win.”

    On The Truck: TxDOT’s Don’t mess with Texas litter prevention campaign has been educating Texans about litter prevention since 1986. For more information, visit dontmesswithtexas.org.

     

    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.

    Media Inquiries: media@niecemotorsports.com www.niecemotorsports.com

    About Flying Circle: Born on a ranch in Boerne, Texas, Flying Circle has been designing and manufacturing field, tactical, and travel bags for the U.S. Military for more than 30 years. The company has achieved a reputation for quality and durability in the products they produce, including military specialty bags, Tactical iPad® Covers, gun cases, business backpacks, laptop briefcases, duffels, toiletry bags, and travel kits.

    Flying Circle stands by the quality of its workmanship and materials. The full range of Flying Circle bags and cases are covered by a lifetime product guarantee.

  • GMS Racing NCWTS Dover Preview

    GMS Racing NCWTS Dover Preview

    CODY COUGHLIN
    No. 2 JEGS.com Chevrolet Silverado

    Dover Stats
    1 start, Finish: 16th

    Season Stats
    4 starts, 1 top-10 finish

    Additional Info
    – Coughlin will pilot chassis no. 118; a chassis that he ran earlier this season at Atlanta Motor Speedway. GMS Racing teammate Johnny Sauter raced chassis no. 118 five times last year, including at Dover International Speedway en route to his first win of the 2017 season.
    -JEGS will sponsor this weekend’s NCWTS race at Dover International Speedway. Coughlin will carry the JEGS on-board camera during the JEGS 200.
    – After his last race at Martinsville Speedway over a month ago, Coughlin is sitting 13th in the NCWTS driver point standings.

    Quote
    “While Dover (International Speedway) is a short-track, we’re going so much faster there than we do at most other short-tracks, plus it’s very aero dependent. It’s definitely a tricky place to race at. We had some speed there last year and ran in the top-five for awhile. Plus, now being teammates with Johnny (Sauter) and him winning at Dover last year, I picked his brain for some extra tips. Hopefully with everything I’ve learned, we can grab a top-five finish if not pull out the win.”

    “We want to run well every weekend, but this weekend more than others with JEGS sponsoring the Truck Series race. It’ll be a big weekend for them, and I’m excited to put on a show for all of the friends, family and JEGS employees that will be at the track for the JEGS 200.”

     

    JOHNNY SAUTER
    No. 21 Allegiant Chevrolet Silverado

    Dover Stats
    9 starts, 1 win, 4 top-fives, 5 top-10s

    Season Stats
    4 starts, 1 win, 3 top-fives, 3 top-10s

    Additional Info
    – The No. 21 team will utilize GMS chassis no. 304 at Dover. Sauter debuted this truck last year at Phoenix, picking up his fourth win of 2017. He also raced this same chassis to a third-place finish at Atlanta earlier this season.
    – The NCWTS returns from a five-week break with Sauter leading the point standings by 29 points over Grant Enfinger.

    Quote
    “I love going to Dover. I always tell people that the two most exhilarating laps we’ll make all year will be qualifying at Dover. That place just takes your breath away, especially if your stuff is right. You’re on the verge of wide-open at a mile racetrack, clipping around there at a 23-second lap. That’s cooking. You can feel it; you know you’re cooking. I like going there. I like the atmosphere, the people, the fans, everybody in that part of the country. It’s just a place where you can stab and steer – as much as you can give it, it can take it.”

     

    JUSTIN HALEY
    No. 24 Fraternal Order of Eagles Chevrolet Silverado

    Dover Stats
    1 start, Finish: 8th

    Season Stats
    4 starts, 1 top-five, 2 top-10

    Additional Info
    – Haley has three previous NASCAR K&N Pro Series East starts at Dover, all top-10 finishes, including a fourth-place finish in 2016 that secured his first NASCAR touring series championship.
    – Haley will pilot chassis no. 302 this weekend at Dover. This chassis has been utilized four times by the No. 24 team across the 2017 and 2018 seasons, with its most recent race occurring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway earlier this year.
    – After his 10th-place finish at Martinsville Speedway, Haley jumped to 11th in the NCWTS driver point standings.

    Quote
    “Dover was really up and down last year, but it was always a pretty good track to me in the K&N series. It’s one of those fast places and there’s multiple grooves of racing. I expect this year we’ll be really fast there. We’re building new trucks, and showing better speed and showing better numbers in the wind tunnel.”

    “The first time I was ever there I was 15 or 16 in a K&N East car and it was the craziest thing I’d ever done in my life. Nothing compares to it. Dover is pretty sketchy the first time, but the more experience you get the more your heart rate settles and the more you can really think about the race. It’s a pretty cool track – it’s a mile, not like these mile-and-a-halfs. It’s just really unique and fun to go to every year.”

     

    DALTON SARGEANT
    No. 25 Performance Plus Motor Oil Chevrolet Silverado

    Dover Stats
    This race will mark Sargeant’s first NCWTS start at Dover International Speedway.

    Season Stats
    4 starts, 2 top-10s

    Additional Info
    – Sargeant, in his first NCWTS start at Dover, will race GMS chassis no. 115. Justin Haley piloted this chassis in four starts in 2017 earning two top-10 finishes.
    – In one NASCAR K&N Pro Series East start at Dover (2015), Sargeant finished 11th after starting from the fourth position.
    – Sargeant has finished no worse than 14th (Atlanta) in his first four races with GMS Racing. He is tied for eighth in the NCWTS point standings.

    Quote
    “I’ve been there one time in the K&N Series and I actually didn’t really like that place, but that’s because we never got to qualify or even make a single lap of practice, we just had to go out and race. The first lap I ever ran at Dover, in anything, was green flag in that K&N race. It’s definitely a tricky and challenging place but I’m excited to go back there. Doug (Randolph, crew chief) has always brought really great trucks to Dover so I think we should have a really strong Performance Plus Motor Oil Chevy there.”

    ABOUT GMS RACING
    GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with drivers Cody Coughlin, Johnny Sauter, Justin Haley and Dalton Sargeant, and the NASCAR XFINITY Series with Spencer Gallagher. 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.

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

  • Matthews Shows Speed for MDM Motorsports in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Debut

    Matthews Shows Speed for MDM Motorsports in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Debut

    MARTINSVILLE, Va., March 29, 2018 (Newswire.com) – Tyler Matthews made his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Debut for MDM Motorsports in the No. 99 Popeyes/BB&T Scott & Stringfellow Chevrolet Saturday, racing in the Alpha Energy Solutions 250. The rookie driver started 14 and finished 21, persevering through a couple of different incidents during the race and learning a lot from experience.

    Matthews, 21, remained upbeat after the race, focusing on the long-term picture. “This was obviously not the finish we wanted, but you’ll have that.  Martinsville is fun because it’s a short track, but it gets crowded out there, and sometimes you’re just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I learned a lot today. Everyone at MDM Motorsports worked hard and brought a fast truck here. We qualified well for our first time, but it took me until almost the end of stage one to feel like I knew what I needed to do to be fast in the race. I just wish we’d been able to stay out of trouble and I could have shown what I learned throughout the remainder of the race with a clean truck. I am looking forward to Iowa and the opportunity to keep learning and growing at this level.”

    Crew Chief Huffman echoed Matthews’ thoughts about the half-mile track. “Martinsville is a tough little place to get around and staying out of other people’s messes is always key. Anyone who has ever raced here knows how difficult that can be at times. We weren’t able to do that this weekend, but Tyler showed he has speed and that’s a real positive going to Iowa.”

    Matthews has progressed from cutting his teeth in ATV’s and U-Cars to earning NASCAR Whelen All-American Series North Carolina State Rookie of the Year honors in 2015. He won the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series North Carolina state championship in 2016 and the late model track championship at Swansboro, North Carolina’s Carteret County Speedway in 2017.

    Additional information about MDM Motorsports is available at www.MDMmotorsports.com, find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @MDMmotorsports.

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

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

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series visited the “Half-Mile Paperclip” in Martinsville, VA for the fourth race of the 2018 season and it sure didn’t disappoint. Here are four takeaways from the Alpha Energy Solutions 250.

    1. A for effort on NASCAR – With a gloomy weather forecast on Saturday, it looked like there would be no on-track action. However, they were able to get at least 23 laps in before the rain hit the track, which eventually turned into snow in the overnight hours. Despite waiting two days, the sun was shining on Monday and the trucks gave us a great race and the finish was worth the wait. Also, kudos to Martinsville for allowing fans who had a ticket for any series to watch both races. Fans safety is the number one priority.
    2. Harrison Burton Returns For A Top 10 Finish – Burton competed in his first ever truck race in 2018 for the No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports DEX Imaging Tundra. While he did not finish in the top 10 in Stage 1, Burton was able to collect stage points in Stage 2 by finishing 10th which earned him one playoff point. Ultimately, the Huntersville, North Carolina native finished eighth giving him his second top 10 in his early truck series career.
    3. Johnny Sauter Has Tough Outing At Martinsville – Sauter’s day wasn’t all dismal; he finished in the top 10 in both stages, with finishes of fourth and third, respectively. However, his day turned sour on lap 225 when the truck was caught with low-voltage and eventually spun out, collecting Matt Crafton. This saw Sauter obtain a 19th place finish. He and the No. 21 GMS Racing team will look to rebound at Dover in May.
    4. 2018 Off To Great Start For Truck Series – The 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has been off to a great start this season. One of the pluses this season is the consistency in the schedule. It wasn’t that long ago when trucks raced at Daytona and would have to wait for an entire month to race at Martinsville. The schedule has gotten better over the years especially this year with Daytona on the 16th, Atlanta the 24th, Las Vegas on the 2nd and Martinsville on the 26th. It’s great to see more consistency in the schedule. There have also been four different winners in four different races in exciting finishes and races. The Truck Series will now have a five-week break before returning to Dover in May. The 2018 season will be fun to follow as the season goes on.
  • NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Power Rankings-Martinsville

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Power Rankings-Martinsville

    After two postponements due to rain and snow, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series resumed action on Monday morning after completing just 23 laps before being red-flagged Saturday afternoon. There are some new names on top of the power list rankings and some who fell out, while others get honorable mentions. Here’s a look at this week’s truck series power rankings.

      1. John Hunter Nemechek: After having a dismal start to 2018 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Nemechek sure turned that around Monday by collecting his first ever grandfather clock. After starting eighth, he finished sixth and fifth in both stages, respectively. Nemechek didn’t take the lead until the final 31 laps of the race and held off a hard-charging Kyle Benjamin by .106 seconds. However, Nemechek didn’t collect truck points as he is collecting NASCAR Xfinity Series points this year.
        Previous Rankings: Not Ranked
      2. Brett Moffitt: Moffitt continues to impress in the Truck Series. In the previous race outing at Las Vegas, he finished third after starting sixth.  This week at Martinsville, Moffitt finished third once more after starting seventh. He finished ninth in Stage 1 and finished sixth in Stage 2. Hattori Racing and Brett Moffitt continue their momentum from their Atlanta win a few weeks ago. The No. 16 driver sits third in the point standings, 31 behind leader Johnny Sauter.
        Previous Ranking: 2nd
      3. Ben Rhodes: After earning his first pole of the season, Rhodes led 23 laps until the red flag came out Saturday afternoon. Once the race resumed Monday, he was the dominant truck to beat. Rhodes won Stages 1 and 2 after leading most of the laps in those stages and collecting 10 playoff points each. Unfortunately, losing positions on pit road was the issue that ultimately cost Rhodes the race win. The scoring pylon at the end of the race showed the No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Ford 12th.
        Previous Ranking: Honorable Mention
      4. Kyle Benjamin: Benjamin and the No. 54 David Gilliland Racing team almost scored an upset victory Monday at Martinsville. Benjamin started fourth and stayed in the top 10 for Stage 1 to finish fifth. In Stage 2, he, unfortunately, did not place in the top 10.  After Stage 2, however, Benjamin took the lead on lap 146 and led for 74 laps until Nemechek took the lead on lap 220. The No. 54 driver stayed up there with Nemechek especially in the remaining laps and gave everything he could for the race win. He came up .106 sec short, finishing second in his first ever career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race.
        Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
      5. Grant Enfinger: Enfinger earned another top-five finish of his career at Martinsville. A strong qualifying effort placed the No. 98 Tundra third. Enfinger finished third and ninth, respectively in Stages 1 and 2.  Ultimately, he wound up fourth for his second top-five of the year.
        Previous Ranking: 4th

    Honorable Mentions

    1. Noah Gragson: Fall winner Noah Gragson finished fifth after starting 11th.
    2. Timothy Peters: Peters was back in a truck for the first time this year driving the No. 92 Ricky Benton Racing Ford. He would come home inside the top 10 finishing seventh.
    3. Cory Roper: Roper competed for the first time ever in the Truck Series driving for his team Roper Racing. The No. 04 Ford finished 13th in his first ever NASCAR start. Not bad for a place like Martinsville.

    Fell out of the Power Rankings
    1.  Johnny Sauter: Sauter was looking for his second win of the season at Martinsville on Monday. However, he brought out the caution on lap 225 and collected competitor, Matt Crafton. Sauter collected a disappointing 19th place finish.
    2. Dalton Sargeant: While not a dismal day, Sargeant battled a difficult truck as he did not place in the top 10 in either stage. He wound up finishing 11th.
    3. Stewart Friesen: Friesen looked like he had the truck to beat early on. He qualified fifth and finished seventh in Stage 1. Unfortunately, Friesen was collected in two incidents. One on Lap 87, which was an accident that involved others in Turn 2 and again was involved in an incident on Lap 117. This ultimately placed him 20th.

  • Benjamin Narrowly Misses Victory in Truck Series Debut

    Benjamin Narrowly Misses Victory in Truck Series Debut

    MOORESVILLE, N.C. (March 27, 2018) – Kyle Benjamin and the No. 54 DGR-CROSLEY team had a strong showing Monday afternoon during the Alpha Energy Solutions 250 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The 20-year-old driver battled for the win in the closing laps of his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) debut but came up just short of capturing the win, scoring a second-place finish.

    Benjamin took to the half-mile track for the first time in his career on Friday afternoon for three practice sessions where he showed speed throughout the entire day. That trend continued into Saturday as the No. 54 Crosley Toyota Tundra advanced to the final round of NCWTS qualifying before securing a fourth-place starting position in the 250-lap race.

    With inclement weather looming in the area, Benjamin was aggressive in the opening laps of the Alpha Energy Solutions 250, moving up to third before NASCAR Officials were forced to postpone the event until Monday. When the race resumed two days later, Benjamin started in third-place and remained towards the front of the field for the first 70-laps, ending Stage 1 in the fifth position. During Stage 2, the No. 54 team fell out of the top-10 when crew chief Bono Manion called for Benjamin to pit under caution on lap 115 while a majority of the field stayed out. The pit strategy led to a 12th-place finish in Stage 2 but put Benjamin in a great position for the concluding laps after all the leaders pitted under caution, placing Benjamin in front of the field. He maintained the lead for 74 laps before losing a three-wide battle between himself, John Hunter Nemechek and Todd Gilliland on a restart late in the race. Benjamin nudged eventual race winner, Nemecheck, coming off Turn 4 in the closing lap of the Alpha Energy 250 but ultimately didn’t have enough momentum to complete the pass and was forced to settle with a second-place finish.

    “We had a very fast Crosley Toyota Tundra and it really showed on the long green flag runs,” said Benjamin. “I had it in my mind I was going to try something off Turn 4 to get around the 8 truck, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to get by him. I didn’t want to make a move that was too aggressive but wanted to give him a run for him money, which I think we did. I’m really thankful for the opportunity and fast truck that DGR-CROSLEY gave me this weekend just wish we had a few more laps there at the end.”

    The NCWTS will have several weeks off before heading to Dover (Del.) International Speedway on May 4, 2018.

  • Gaunt Brothers Racing, D.J. Kennington Place 28th at Martinsville

    Gaunt Brothers Racing, D.J. Kennington Place 28th at Martinsville

    MARTINSVILLE, Va. (March 27, 2018) — Gaunt Brothers Racing (GBR) and driver D.J. Kennington finished 28th in Monday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway.

    Inclement weather canceled qualifying, presenting Kennington with an uphill battle–he started 37th–on a half-mile track known for high attrition. The two-time NASCAR Pinty’s Series champion acquitted himself well in his trek through the field, marching into the top 30 in the final 100 laps. His No. 96 Gordon Brothers Toyota Camry needed no mechanical changes prior to the race’s final green-flag run.

    “28th is pretty good for our first time at Martinsville,” said Marty Gaunt, GBR owner. “We had a lot of green-flag runs, which is uncharacteristic of this track. We got a little body damage on the nose and the sides, so it looks like we’ve been short-track racing. We had lap times toward the end of our runs that were as good as those in the top 15. Considering we had no qualifying, D.J. did a phenomenal job, the crew did a great job in preparation and we put on a good show for our partner, Gordon Brothers.”

    “I’m really happy with the team and really happy with the car; once we cleared traffic, we had lots of speed,” said Kennington. “It was a good day for us.

    “I was a little too timid a couple times out there and probably should’ve moved a couple guys a little quicker than I did. I was trying to earn their respect, and sometimes that bites you, especially at a place like this. I can’t complain at all. Thanks to Gordon Brothers for being on board this weekend.”

    The race was contested Monday after a one-day postponement due to snow, the first time in 25 years a Cup Series race was delayed by a snowstorm.

    About Gaunt Brothers Racing: Gaunt Brothers Racing, owned by Marty Gaunt, operates out of Mooresville, N.C. The Toyota team competes in select Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events. They were Daytona 500 participants in both 2017 and 2018. GBR previously fielded teams in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and NASCAR Pinty’s Series, for drivers Alex Bowman and Jason Bowles and Canadian racers John Gaunt and D.J. Kennington, recording a victory in the Toyota All-Star Showdown and a track record qualifying time on the Toronto street course.

    For more information, please visit gauntbrothersracing.com.