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  • Darlington – A Labor Day tradition of racing, family and fun

    Darlington – A Labor Day tradition of racing, family and fun

    NASCAR heads to Darlington Raceway to celebrate Labor Day with a full weekend of racing competition and fun for the entire family.

    As track president Kerry Tharp discussed several of the planned events, one thing was quickly apparent; there will be something for everyone.

    “We’re going to have a fan zone. We’ve got a kid zone. We’ve got live entertainment Friday and Saturday night,” he said. “We’ve got a Playoffs party Saturday night and a doubleheader on Sunday.”

    But, when the racing begins, tensions will be high as all three series focus on the Playoffs.

    Turn 2 of the track was recently repaved in preparation for the Labor Day weekend. It was, however, a necessity rather than an enhancement.

    “It was a much better long-term solution than the piecemeal we had been doing for the last three to four years,” Tharp explained. “They finished up about three weeks ago and NASCAR sent some people down from the manufacturers to check out the work. They felt very good about it. It didn’t change any of the banking or any of the geometry of that turn. I think it’s going to have a minimal if any, effect on the racing. It’s something that we had to do.”

    The Cook Out Southern 500 is the first race in Round 1 of the Cup Series Playoffs.

    The 1.366-mile track presents a unique challenge in the upcoming races. A win will automatically advance a driver through the Playoffs to the next round but there is a delicate balance between aggressiveness and patience.

    “Darlington is a race where you need to be patient. It’s 500 miles so it’s 100 miles further than most races. Someone can be leading it on the 100-mile mark and then all of a sudden you look and say, ‘where did that guy go?’

    “So I think the (playoff) drivers would certainly want to secure a win here but they also don’t want to forego any chance of advancing with a poor performance here. So, I think they are going to have to be very, very patient, take care of their tires and just be the best they can be.”

    Tharp is looking forward to having the Camping World Truck Series back this weekend as they compete in the second race of their postseason playoffs.

    “I love having the Trucks here. They put on great racing. I think for fans that have never come to a NASCAR race, the Truck Series is one to start out with. It’s an opportunity to let the fans see some of the younger drivers that are working themselves up into the ranks and there are also some veterans in the mix.”

    The Xfinity Series regular season is winding down and with only three races remaining the competition at Darlington will be intense as the drivers contend for the remaining spots.

    Although the 2022 schedule has not been released, Tharp is “cautiously optimistic” that the track will have the opportunity to host two race weekends again next year.

    “We feel that the fans like coming here, the teams like coming here and it puts on a great show. It’s just a short drive down from where most of the team shops are in the Charlotte area.

    “There are a lot of things to do here in South Carolina. It’s a beautiful part of the state and we would certainly welcome two race dates and hope to have two race dates for many, many more years to come.”

    This will be the first time since September 2019 that the track is fully open with no seating restrictions in the grandstands and no limits in the camping areas.

    “Ticket sales are going well,” Tharp confirmed. “There are really no limitations on our ticket sales or camping. We’re going to have a lot of fans in the grandstands and a lot of campers in the infield and the exterior of the facility.”

    There are no specific COVID-19 protocols for fans in outdoor areas but they advise fans to wear masks in any enclosed spaces.

    “We just ask fans to be smart and to be accountable for their own health.”

    Tickets are available for purchase at https://www.darlingtonraceway.com/.

  • Weekend schedule for Watkins Glen

    Weekend schedule for Watkins Glen

    NASCAR heads to Watkins Glen International this weekend for a full schedule of racing. It will be the first time back at the 2.45-mile road course since 2019.

    The ARCA Menards Series starts off the action Friday evening. The Camping World Truck Series and the Xfinity Series compete back to back Saturday and the Cup Series closes out the activities Sunday afternoon.

    Chase Elliott has won the last two Cup Series events at Watkins Glen and is considered the favorite heading into the weekend. Kyle Busch and Elliott have the most wins at Watkins Glen among active drivers, with two victories each. Brad Keselowski will start on the pole with teammates Joey Logano starting in second and Ryan Blaney in third.

    There have been 26 Xfinity Series races at Watkins Glen with 15 different race winners. In 2019, Austin Cindric became the youngest winner in the history of the track. He was 20 years, 11 months and one day old. JR Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier will start on the pole.

    The Camping World Truck Series returns to Watkins Glen for the regular-season finale Saturday afternoon. It’s the series’ first time back at the track since 2000 and Austin Hill will lead the way from the pole. There have only been five previous Truck Series races at the track with four different winners. Ron Hornaday won the first two races, going to victory lane in 1996 driving a Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet, and again in 1997 driving for Billy Hess Racing. Joe Ruttman won in 1998, Ron Fellows in 1999 and Greg Biffle won the last Truck race held at Watkins Glen in 2000.

    There will be no practice or qualifying for the Cup, Xfinity and Truck Series.
    The starting lineups were determined by the following metrics formula established by NASCAR.

    • 25 percent: Driver’s finishing position from the previous race
    • 25 percent: Car owner’s finishing position from the previous race
    • 35 percent: Team owner points ranking
    • 15 percent: Fastest lap from the previous race

    All times are Eastern.

    Friday, August 6

    3:15 p.m. – 4 p.m.: ARCA Menards Series Practice/Qualifying
    6 p.m.: ARCA Series Clean Harbors 100 at The Glen (41 Laps, 100.45 Miles)
    TV/Radio: FS1, MRN

    Saturday, August 7

    12:05 p.m.: Truck Series Driver Intros (Drivers standing by trucks)
    12:30 p.m.: Truck Series United Rentals 176 (Stages 20/45/72 Laps, 176.4 Miles)
    Pole: Austin Hill
    TV/Radio: FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    3:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series Driver Intros (Drivers standing by cars)
    4 p.m.: Xfinity Series Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey 200 (Stages 20/40/82 Laps, 200.9 Miles)
    Pole: Justin Allgaier
    Defending Winner: Austin Cindric
    TV/Radio: CNBC, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    Sunday, August 8

    2:20 p.m.: Cup Series Driver Intros (Drivers standing by cars)
    3 p.m.: Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen (Stages 20/40/90 Laps, 220.5 Miles)
    Pole: Brad Keselowski
    Defending Winner: Chase Elliott
    TV/Radio: NBCSN, NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    Watkins Glen Data

    Season Race #: 23 of 36 (08-08-21)
    Track Size: 2.45-miles
    Track Type: Multi-Elevational Road Course
    Number of Turns: 7
    Race Length: 90 laps / 220.5 miles
    Stage 1 & 2 Lengths: 20 laps (each)
    Final Stage Length: 50 laps

    Watkins Glen: Qualifying Data

    Track qualifying record: Marcos Ambrose, Ford (129.491 mph, 68.113 secs.) on 08-09-14.
    2019 pole winner: Chase Elliott, Chevrolet (127.297 mph, 69.287 secs.) on 08-04-19.

    • Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick lead all active NCS drivers in starts at Watkins Glen with 19 starts each.
    • Chase Elliott leads the series among active drivers in average starting position at Watkins Glen with a 6.000 in four starts.
    • Five of the 22 NCS pole winners at Watkins Glen are active this weekend.  Kyle Busch (2), Chase Elliott (1), Denny Hamlin (1), AJ Allmendinger (1), and Kurt Busch (1).
    • Dale Earnhardt, Mark Martin, and Jeff Gordon lead the series in poles at Watkins Glen with three each.
    • Kyle Busch leads all active NCS drivers in poles at Watkins Glen with two.
    • Five drivers have won multiple poles in the NCS at Watkins Glen.  Kyle Busch is the only active driver with multiple WGI poles (two).
    • The youngest NCVS Watkins Glen pole winner is Chase Elliott (08/4/2019 at 23 years, 8 months, 7 days).
    • Seven different manufacturers have won at least one NCS pole at Watkins Glen.  They are led by Chevrolet with 15 poles, followed by Ford (8), Toyota (four), Dodge, Mercury, Oldsmobile and Pontiac (one each).

    Watkins Glen: Race Data

    Track race record: Martin Truex Jr., Toyota (104.132 mph, 02:07:03) on 08-06-17.
    2019 race winner: Chase Elliott, Chevrolet (98.523 mph, 02:14:17) on 08-04-19.
    2020 pole/race winner: The series did not compete in 2020 due to the pandemic.

    • Seven of the 23 NCS winners at Watkins Glen are active this weekend.  Chase Elliott (2), Kyle Busch (2), Martin Truex Jr. (1), Denny Hamlin (1), Joey Logano (1), AJ Allmendinger (1), and Kevin Harvick (1).
    • Tony Stewart leads the NCS in wins at Watkins Glen with five victories (2002, ’04, ’05, ’07 and ’09).
    • Chase Elliott and Kyle Busch lead all active NCS drivers in wins at Watkins Glen with two wins each.
    • Consecutive WGI Race Winners:  Jeff Gordon (1997, 1998, 1999), Mark Martin (1993, 1994, 1995), Chase Elliott (2018, 2019), Marcos Ambrose (2011, 2012), and Tony Stewart (2004, 2005).
    • The youngest NCS Watkins Glen winner is Chase Elliott (08/05/2018 at 22 years, 8 months, 8 days).
    • A total of 10 of the 37 NCS races at Watkins Glen have been won from the pole or first starting position, making it the most proficient starting position in the field at 27%.
    • Kurt Busch leads the series among active NCS drivers with the most starts at Watkins Glen without visiting Victory Lane at 19 starts.
    • 18 different organizations have won in the NCS at Watkins Glen and nine are active this weekend.  Hendrick Motorsports (8), Joe Gibbs Racing (7), Roush Fenway Racing (3), Richard Childress Racing (2), Richard Petty Motorsports (2), JTG Daugherty Racing (1), Team Penske (1), Stewart-Haas Racing (1) and Wood Brothers Racing (1).
    • Six different manufacturers have won in the NCS at Watkins Glen.  It is led by Chevrolet with 19 victories, followed by Ford with eight, Pontiac and Toyota with four each and Buick and Mercury each have one.
    • Erik Jones leads all active NCS drivers in average finishing position at WGI with a 6.333 in three starts.
    • Kyle Busch leads the NCS in laps led at Watkins Glen among active drivers with 247 in 15 starts.

    Top 12 Driver Ratings at Watkins Glen

    Chase Elliott – 120.4
    Kyle Busch – 110.5
    Erik Jones – 104.8
    Martin Truex Jr – 99.9
    Brad Keselowski – 99.4
    AJ Allmendinger – 94.9
    Kurt Busch – 92.9
    Daniel Suarez – 92.5
    Kevin Harvick – 90.5
    Denny Hamlin – 90.0
    Kyle Larson – 88.2
    Ryan Blaney – 85.4

    Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2019 races (15 total) among active drivers at Watkins Glen International. Series did not compete at WGI in 2020 due to the pandemic.

  • Austin Hill wins inaugural Truck Series race at Knoxville

    Austin Hill wins inaugural Truck Series race at Knoxville

    Two hours, three minutes and four overtime restarts after the race began, Austin Hill fended off Chandler Smith to win the first-ever NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Knoxville Raceway.

    “I kind of thought we were out of it (winning the race) there for a little bit,” Austin Hill said to Fox Sports 1.

    “I had that restart on the outside of the 38 (Todd Gilliland) and I fell all the way back to 20th (in the running order). I didn’t think we were going to make it back up, track position was huge. It was really hard to get around people. I just kept my head down.

    “This team at HRE (Hattori Racing Enterprises) never quit. That’s the thing I like about this group. We never stop, we never quit. Even when we think we’re down and down, we just keep coming back. If you would have told me we would win a dirt race this year, I would have told you, you’re lying.”

    The Georgia driver didn’t become a contender for the win until the final stage when Hill restarted in the top three. Yellow after yellow, Hill stayed in contention and did not let the 18 of Chandler Smith pull away. Eventually, right before the final yellow on Lap 172, Hill pulled slightly ahead of Smith at the previous timing/scoring loop, putting him in the lead. Despite Smith having the most dominant truck during the final 10 laps, he came up short, finishing second to Hill, and will have to wait another week for a chance at his first career victory.

    “First of all, just have to thank Danny (Stockman, crew chief) and all the guys on this No. 18 JBL Toyota Tundra team. They worked their tails off on this thing and we got it really good in practice. We fell back there in the race, and I couldn’t run the top, but we were able to make it work on the bottom. We needed track position, but we were able to lead a bunch of laps. I don’t think the call was right (at the end with regard to line-up) that they (NASCAR) made to be honest, but it is what it is and that’s part of it.”

    Prior to the main event feature, there were four 15-lap qualifying heat races to set the field. The driver who gained the most points in the heats would start on the pole. Josh Berry, Kyle Strickler, Tyler Ankrum, and Carson Hocevar all won their heat races. However, the pole position went to Derek Kraus who gained the most points of 17.

    Throughout the first stage, there three cautions that slowed the event. The yellow flag was brought out when Johnny Sauter was spun by Chase Briscoe in Turn 4 and again when dirt regular, Brian Brown, was spun by Chase Purdy in Turn 3. The final caution of the stage occurred when Jessica Friesen spun on Lap 37.

    NASCAR ended Stage 1 under yellow and Kraus took home the stage victory. Todd Gilliland, Josh Berry, Carson Hocevar, Tyler Ankrum, Sheldon Creed, Stewart Friesen, Brett Moffitt, Chandler Smith and Austin Hill rounded out the top 10 finishers.

    There were only a couple of incidents in Stage 2. Jessica Friesen brought out the yellow for the second time on Lap 66 after getting spun by Kraus and collected by Morgan Alexander in Turn 3. Another caution resulted when the No. 51 of Brown spun in Turn 4.

    Prior to the yellow, Gilliland had led the majority of the stage before being passed by Kraus for the Stage 2 victory.

    The action really heated up in the third and final stage of the night. There were nine cautions and a 14-minute red flag during the stage. The major incident included a big pileup on Lap 155 when most of the field wrecked in Turn 1. The drivers involved included Rohrbaugh, Gray, Deegan, Benning, Berry, Ankrum, Zane Smith, Purdy, Erickson, Briscoe, Jake Griffin, Schatz, Creed and Windom, creating the red flag situation.

    There were two more overtime restarts as more yellows flags were flown for incidents in Turn 1.

    After the multiple cautions, the final restart came at Lap 177 with Austin Hill and Chandler Smith battling it out for the win. However, on Lap 179 (29 laps over the scheduled race distance), Austin Hill scored his first victory of the 2021 Truck Series season.

    Chandler Smith, Grant Enfinger, Gilliland, Kraus, Matt Crafton, Ben Rhodes, Brian Brown, Tate Fogleman and Danny Bohn completed the Top 10.

    There were 14 cautions for 80 laps and seven leaders among 20 lead changes. Hill led twice for 11 laps en route to his seventh career Truck Series victory.

    Playoff Points Standings with one race to go until the Playoffs begin:

    1. John Hunter Nemechek, five wins, 34 playoff points
    2. Ben Rhodes, two wins, 11 playoff points
    3. Todd Gilliland, one win, 7 playoff points
    4. Sheldon Creed, one win, 6 playoff points
    5. Austin Hill, one win, 5 playoff points
    6. Zane Smith (clinched playoff spot), +140
    7. Matt Crafton (clinched playoff spot), +119
    8. Stewart Friesen, +61
    9. Carson Hocevar, +53
    10. Chandler Smith, +40

      Below the cut line
    11. Johnny Sauter, -40
    12. Austin Wayne Self, -44
    13. Tyler Ankrum, -51
    14. Derek Kraus, -71

    Official Results following the Corn Belt 150 at Knoxville Raceway:

    1. Austin Hill, led 11 laps
    2. Chandler Smith, led 71 laps
    3. Grant Enfinger
    4. Todd Gilliland, led 61 laps
    5. Derek Kraus, won both stages, led 10 laps
    6. Matt Crafton, led one lap
    7. Ben Rhodes
    8. Brian Brown
    9. Tate Fogleman
    10. Danny Bohn
    11. John Hunter Nemechek
    12. Jake Griffin
    13. Ryan Truex
    14. Zane Smith
    15. Chris Windom
    16. Carson Hocevar, led 17 laps
    17. Tyler Ankrum
    18. Devon Rouse
    19. Norm Benning
    20. Johnny Sauter, led eight laps
    21. Hailie Deegan
    22. Cody Erickson, 2 laps down
    23. Kyle Strickler, 2 laps down
    24. Andrew Gordon, 2 laps down
    25. Jennifer Jo Cobb, 3 laps down
    26. Jessica Friesen, 4 laps down
    27. Stewart Friesen 9 laps down
    28. Josh Berry, OUT, Accident
    29. Parker Price-Miller, 19 laps down
    30. Austin Wayne Self, OUT, Accident
    31. Tanner Gray, OUT, Accident
    32. Donny Schatz, OUT, Accident
    33. Chase Purdy, OUT, Accident
    34. Codie Rohrbaugh, OUT, Accident
    35. Sheldon Creed, OUT, Accident
    36. Chase Briscoe, OUT, Accident
    37. Jett Noland, OUT, Accident
    38. Brett Moffitt, OUT, Accident
    39. Jack Wood, OUT, Accident
    40. Morgan Alexander, OUT, Accident

    Up Next: The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will take nearly a month off before heading to Watkins Glen International Raceway on Saturday, August 7, live on Fox Sports 1 and MRN Radio at 12:30 p.m./ET.

  • John Hunter Nemechek gets KBM back on track with Charlotte win

    John Hunter Nemechek gets KBM back on track with Charlotte win

    After finishing fifth, eighth, and 12th during the last three races, John Hunter Nemechek brought the No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports truck back to victory lane at Charlotte Motor Speedway with their first win since Richmond this past April.

    “Started today, hitting the fence in the third lap of practice and having to fix our truck and luckily we were able to fix it,” Nemechek said. “I didn’t hit the fence too hard, I don’t know how I didn’t pancake the right side. Overall, the team did an awesome job repairing it.”

    “You couldn’t really pass during that first stage, the PJ1 wasn’t really run in yet and everybody was kind of bottom hunting. Pit crew did an awesome job during the first stop, which helped us gained track position, and led from there on out. We had a dominate truck I feel like. We got damage there when the 13 (Johnny Sauter) ran into someone who was stopped on the top. Knocked our camera off that created a big hole in the roof. Overall, a solid victory, and nice to get our third win.”

    Nemechek started fourth based on the metric system after qualifying was canceled due to afternoon rain showers. From there, the Mooresville, North Carolina native finished third in Stage 1, took the lead on Lap 39 to win Stage 2 and regained the lead on Lap 72. He went on to win his third Camping World Truck Series win of the 2021 season.

    Todd Gilliland and the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports truck were given the pole position.

    Stage 1: Lap 1 – Lap 34

    Stage 1 was relatively caution-free as the 2020 Truck Series champion, Sheldon Creed, dominated the stage and took home his first stage victory of the year. Gilliland, Nemechek, Austin Hill, Zane Smith, Tyler Ankrum, Derek Kraus, Matt Crafton, Ben Rhodes and Hailie Deegan completed the Top 10 finishers for Stage 1.

    Stage 2: Lap 38 – Lap 60

    Nemechek shone in the second stage when he gained the lead one lap after the restart. Two cautions would slow the stage. The first one occurred on Lap 49 when the No. 15 of Tanner Gray and the No. 32 of Bret Holmes both made hard contact in Turn 4 causing damage to both trucks. The second caution came on Lap 55 as Stage 1 winner, Creed, wrecked in Turn 4. It appeared as though Creed was going to save the truck but he was collected by the No. 23 of Chase Purdy, eventually ending Creed’s night due to too much damage.

    During the caution, race leader Nemechek came down pit road for a pit stop.

    A one-lap dash restart ended Stage 2 and this time, the No. 21 of Zane Smith took the green-checkered flag followed by Austin Hill, Majeski, Kraus, Truex, Crafton, Hocevar, Friesen, Enfinger and Nemechek to round out the top 10. Unfortunately for Smith, he was penalized for having pit crew members over the wall too soon.

    Stage 3: Lap 68 – Lap 134

    On Lap 72, Nemechek retook the lead and had a comfortable advantage heading into the final pit stops with 33 laps to go when he pitted. However, things got interesting with 20 to go, when the No. 13 of Johnny Sauter and the No. 14 of Trey Hutchens had a scary accident on the frontstretch. Sauter had nowhere to go when Hutchens was slowed on the fronstretch and he hit the back of the No. 14 hard, causing major damage to both trucks. Sauter suffered extensive damage as the entire right side of his truck was torn off with the chassis of the truck exposed.

    Meanwhile, Nemechek was leading the race and had some minor damage above the windshield. After the late yellow, there was a restart with 10 laps to go. His only challenger during the final laps was the youngster, Carson Hocevar, who was trying to chase down Nemechek for his first win.

    But ultimately, Nemechek hit his marks as the race wound down and brought home Kyle Busch Motorsport’s third win of the season.

    Carson Hocevar, Ben Rhodes, Stewart Friesen, Todd Gilliland, Chandler Smith, Ty Majeski, Derek Kraus, Austin Hill, and Zane Smith completed the Top 10.

    Nemechek led three times for 71 laps en route to victory. There were five cautions for 31 laps and 12 lead changes among nine different leaders.

    Official Results of the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway:
    1. John Hunter Nemechek, led 71 laps
    2. Carson Hocevar, led five laps
    3. Ben Rhodes
    4. Stewart Friesen, led one lap
    5. Todd Gilliland, led five laps
    6. Chandler Smith
    7. Ty Majeski
    8. Derek Kraus
    9. Austin Hill
    10. Zane Smith, won Stage 2, led 13 laps
    11. Christian Eckes, led three laps
    12. Ryan Truex, led one lap
    13. Hailie Deegan, 1 lap down
    14. Grant Enfinger, 1 lap down
    15. Jack Wood, 1 lap down
    16. Tyler Ankrum, 1 lap down, led two laps
    17. Austin Wayne Self, 1 lap down
    18. Timmy Hill, 1 lap down
    19. Bayley Currey, 1 lap down
    20. Drew Dollar, 1 lap down
    21. Dawson Cram, 1 lap down
    22. Tanner Gray, 1 lap down
    23. Kris Wright, 2 laps down
    24. Danny Bohn, 3 laps down
    25. Cory Roper, 5 laps down
    26. Spencer Boyd, 6 laps down
    27. CJ McLaughlin, 7 laps down
    28. Akinori Ogata, 9 laps down
    29. Keith McGee, 11 laps down
    30. Matt Crafton, 20 laps down
    31. Johnny Sauter, OUT, Accident
    32. Trey Hutchens III, OUT, Accident
    33. Jennifer Jo Cobb, OUT, Suspension
    34. Chase Purdy, OUT, Damage Vehicle Policy
    35. Sheldon Creed, OUT, won Stage 1, led 33 laps
    36. Bret Holmes, OUT, Accident
    37. Tate Fogleman, OUT, Rear Gear
    38. Timothy Peters, OUT, Steering

    Up Next: The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will head to Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday June 12 live on Fox Sports 1 and MRN Radio at 1:00 p.m./ET.

  • Kyle Busch comes out on top at Kansas after wild overtime attempts

    Kyle Busch comes out on top at Kansas after wild overtime attempts

    Kyle Busch took the checkered flag at Kansas Speedway after multiple attempts in NASCAR Overtime. It would be Busch’s 61st win in the Camping World Truck Series and also marks the fifth win for Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2021.

    “It’s pretty awesome, we had some great accomplishments as a team.” Busch stated. “It’s just a true team effort and a testament to everybody at Kyle Busch Motorsports. It’s fun to have the opportunities with running for my own trucks and going out there and be able to put on good shows, good finishes, good races, and work with some good talented people.”

    Stages 30/30/74 would make up the 134 lap event, with John Hunter Nemechek on the pole.

    Stage 1: Laps 1-30

    Nemechek and teammate Busch would take the green flag. A good portion of the Top 10 would go three-wide, with Todd Gilliland one of the drivers to fall backward at the start.

    Sheldon Creed would launch himself up to second while Ben Rhodes, Matt Crafton, and Austin Hill challenge Busch for third. A few laps later Busch would have a run off of Turn 2, and use it to breeze past Rhodes for third.

    Creed took away the lead from Nemechek as he would pass the No. 4 down the inside into Turn 1. Nemechek would try and fight back for the lead but would get loose off Turn 2, losing out to Busch as he would drop to third.

    Busch’s No. 51 would come to life as he made a pass on the bottom of Creed’s No. 2, placing him back to the front. Nemechek would quickly dispose of Creed, making it a Kyle Busch Motorsports 1-2.

    The No. 51 would take the first stage, with Nemechek behind Busch. Creed, Rhodes, Crafton, Austin Hill, Stewart Friesen, Todd Gilliland, Derek Kraus and Ross Chastain would be the Top 10.

    Stage 2: Laps 38-60

    Busch led on the restart but it was Creed that would muscle his way to the front shortly afterward.

    A few laps later Busch would run down the No. 2 and reclaim the race lead.

    On Lap 43 Chase Purdy would have a big moment, sliding his truck. The No. 23 would keep it straight, however, and the race stayed green.

    Busch would take the Stage 2 win, sweeping both stages. Nemechek again would be in second, while Creed, Austin Hill and Zane Smith would round out the Top 5. Friesen, Kraus, Rhodes, Gilliland, and Hailie Deegan would rack up the Top 10.

    Nemechek would beat Busch off pit road during the stage break to lead on the restart.

    Final Stage: Laps 67-140

    As the field bunched up to start the final stage, Nemechek would lead the field down, with Creed battling the No. 4. Teammate Busch would make a three-wide pass on the inside of both Nemechek and Creed, and would take the lead immediately.

    A caution would fly as Carson Hocevar nearly spun out battling with Christian Eckes. He would save it but the yellow flag would fly.

    The leaders would stay out on the track, but Johnny Sauter would come down pit road to make some big swings to his No. 13.

    A majority of the front runners would swarm Busch on the next restart, as he would get in a four-wide situation with the other drivers. Creed would come out on top with teammate Smith right behind him.

    On Lap 97, Nemechek would run down Creed and take the lead away. Smith would bring his truck down pit road as green flag pit stops began.

    Tyler Ankrum would have troubles as he would go around, but no caution would fly, dropping the No. 26 down in the running order.

    Busch’s truck would come to life as he closed in on the front two of Creed and Nemechek with a three-wise pass for the first position. Shortly afterward, the leaders, one-by-one, would come down pit road.

    With 17 to go Creed hit the Turn 1 wall due to his right front tire going down. A lap later Sauter would pit from the lead, bringing Busch back up to the front.

    The yellow flag would fly with seven laps to go, bunching the field up. Jennifer Jo Cobb’s truck stalled on the track, bringing out the yellow. This would lead to NASCAR Overtime. Rhodes brought his car down pit road for fresh tires, as well as Deegan.

    Busch and Chastain led the field to green. Rhodes made it three-wide with Busch and Chastain, who would come out on top with a pass to the bottom. However, there would be trouble behind them as Friesen went for a spin off of Turn 2, and collecting Kraus and knocking the two out of contention.

    Chastain and Smith would lead for another attempt at overtime. Smith would try to block Busch but would force the No. 51 up against the outside wall as the field flocked to three to four-wide racing. Many drivers would experience several tire rubs on their trucks, but everyone would keep it clean as the leaders fought it out.

    Hill and Chastain would duke it out for the lead, and Busch would make it three-wide for the lead as they got to the final lap. Busch’s No. 51 would breeze by Chastain and Hill, running away from the two drivers to claim the victory at Kansas.

    There were 36 lead changes among seven different drivers.

    The Camping World Truck Series heads to Darlington Raceway for the LiftKits4Less.com 200 on Friday, May 7 at 7:30 PM ET. Coverage will be on FOX Sports 1 and MRN Radio for 147 laps of action.

    Results:

    1. Kyle Busch, Stage 1 and 2 winner, 59 laps led
    2. Ross Chastain, six laps led
    3. Austin Hill
    4. Christian Eckes, three laps led
    5. John Hunter Nemechek, 16 laps led
    6. Todd Gilliland
    7. Zane Smith
    8. Raphael Lessard
    9. Johnny Sauter, 13 laps led
    10. Ben Rhodes, two laps led
    11. Chandler Smith
    12. Bayley Currey
    13. Hailie Deegan
    14. Stewart Friesen
    15. Tyler Ankrum
    16. Austin Wayne Self
    17. Grant Enfinger
    18. Tanner Gray
    19. Chase Briscoe
    20. Ryan Truex – one lap down
    21. Timothy Peters – one lap down
    22. Timmy Hill – one lap down
    23. Carson Hocevar – one lap down
    24. Matt Crafton – one lap down
    25. Chase Purdy – two laps down
    26. Danny Bohn – two laps down
    27. Bret Holmes – two laps down
    28. Derek Kraus – two laps down
    29. Spencer Davis – three laps down
    30. Jordan Anderson – three laps down
    31. Dawson Cram – three laps down
    32. Sheldon Creed – four laps down, 41 laps led
    33. Kris Wright – five laps down
    34. CJ McLaughlin – seven laps down
    35. Spencer Boyd – seven laps down
    36. Tate Fogleman – ten laps down
    37. Jennifer Jo Cabb – OUT, Electrical
    38. Jessi Iwuji – OUT, Too slow
    39. Norm Benning – OUT, Too slow
    40. Ryan Reed – OUT, Steering
  • Weekend schedule for Richmond

    Weekend schedule for Richmond

    NASCAR heads to Richmond Raceway this weekend for the Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 Sunday afternoon and the Camping World Truck Series is back after a two-week break on Saturday for the ToyotaCare 250.

    The Xfinity Series will return to competition on April 24 at Talladega Superspeedway.

    Kyle Busch has the series-best driver rating (110.6) and the most wins of any active driver with six. Richmond could potentially provide the best opportunity for Busch to grab his first victory this season.

    But don’t discount Martin Truex Jr. who has won two of the past three races at the 0.75-mile track. Brad Keselowski, who won in 2020, will also be one to watch. And don’t forget Denny Hamlin. Richmond is one of Hamlin’s best tracks. In 28 Cup Series starts he has three poles, three wins, 13 top fives and 17 top 10s.   

    There have only been 12 Truck Series races at Richmond. Last year was the first series race since 2005 and was won by Grant Enfinger. This weekend, Enfinger, who is running a part-time schedule, will be wheeling a ThorSport Racing entry. Starting third, he hopes to become the first repeat winner since Tony Stewart in 2002-2003.

    There will be no practice or qualifying sessions due to COVID-19 protocols established by NASCAR.

    The starting lineups are determined by the following metrics formula:
    • 25 percent: Driver’s finishing position from the previous race
    • 25 percent: Car owner’s finishing position from the previous race
    • 35 percent: Team owner points ranking
    • 15 percent: Fastest lap from the previous race

    All times are Eastern.

    Saturday – April 17

    1:10 p.m.: Truck Series Driver Intros (Drivers standing by their trucks)
    1:30 p.m.: Truck Series ToyotaCare 250 (Stages 70/140/250 Laps=187.5 Miles)
    FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Pole: Ben Rhodes

    Sunday – April 18

    2:45 p.m.: Cup Series Driver Intros Drivers Standing by their cars)
    3 p.m.: Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 (Stages 80/235/400 Laps=300 Miles)
    FOX/MRN/TSN/Sirius XM NASCAR Radio
    Pole: Martin Truex Jr.

    Richmond Raceway Data

    Season Race #: 9 of 36 (04-18-21)
    Track Size: 0.75-miles
    Banking/Turns 1 & 2: 14 degrees
    Banking/Turns 3 & 4: 14 degrees
    Banking/Frontstretch: 8 degrees
    Banking/Backstretch: 2 degrees
    Frontstretch Length:  1,290 feet
    Backstretch Length:  860 feet
    Race Length: 400 laps / 300 miles
    Stage 1 Length: 80 laps
    Stage 2 Length: 155 laps
    Final Stage Length: 165 laps

    Richmond Raceway Qualifying Information:

    Track Qualifying Record: Jeff Gordon at 130.599 mph (20.674 secs) on September 4, 2013.
    2020 pole winner: None – The Spring 2020 race was moved due to the pandemic and the NCS only competed at the track once in September 2020.

    • Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch lead all active drivers in the NCS in starts with 39 each.
    • Kyle Larson leads all active drivers with an average starting position of 9.0, followed by Denny Hamlin at 9.9.
    • Hamlin leads all active pole winners with three poles (2006, 2008 and 2016).
    • Joey Logano is the only active driver that have won consecutive poles (2015 sweep).
    • Only three active drivers have been able to win from the pole: Kyle Busch (2010), Brad Keselowski (2014) and Hamlin (2016).

    Richmond Raceway Race Information:

    Track Race Record: Dale Jarrett at 109.047 mph (02:45:04) on September 6, 1997.
    2020 Playoff Race Winner: Brad Keselowski 101.868 mph (02:56:42) on September 12, 2020.

    • Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in wins with six victories (spring 2009, spring 2010, spring 2011, spring 2012, 2018 sweep).
    • A total of 27 different starting positions have led to wins, but the first starting position is the most proficient starting position than any other starting position with 24 wins.
    • Joe Gibbs Racing(JGR) leads in victories with 16 wins.  Tony Stewart (1999, 2001, 2002), Hamlin (2009, 2010, 2016), Busch (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2018 sweep), Matt Kenseth (2015), Carl Edwards (2016), and Martin Truex Jr. (2019 sweep).
    • A total of nine different manufacturers have won at Richmond Raceway.  Chevrolet leads in wins with 38 victories, followed by Ford (33), Dodge (17), Toyota (14), Pontiac (11) Plymouth (10), Buick (two), Oldsmobile (two) and Chrysler (one).
    • Busch leads all active drivers in average finishing position at 6.9 in 27 series starts.
    • Hamlin leads all active drivers in laps led with 1,704 laps led in 28 starts.

    Top 12 Driver Ratings at Richmond
    Kyle Busch – 110.6
    Kevin Harvick – 110.3
    Denny Hamlin – 106.8
    Brad Keselowski – 100.9
    Kurt Busch – 94.2
    Martin Truex Jr – 92.2
    Joey Logano – 92.2
    Kyle Larson – 89.2
    Ryan Newman – 87.3
    Chase Elliott – 86.3
    Aric Almirola – 77.5
    Tyler Reddick – 76.5

    Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2020 races (31 total) among active drivers at Richmond Raceway.

  • Martinsville to host rain-tire testing for use at select short tracks

    Martinsville to host rain-tire testing for use at select short tracks

    NASCAR will hold a test session Thursday at Martinsville Speedway to look at the possibility of using rain tires on NASCAR’s shorter ovals. They are not discussing racing in the rain but being able to race on a wet track which should shorten rain delays.

    Officials for NASCAR are already at the Martinsville track testing the Next Gen car with Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota manufacturers.

    Kyle Larson will participate in the test with the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet and Chris Buescher will drive the No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford. The test will be conducted on a dampened track.

    Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, described the purpose of the test as a step toward determining if the use of rain-tires can decrease the length of rain delays.

    “I think the overall goal is anything we can do to speed up the drying process, regardless of the technology, to allow us to get back to racing more quickly is a benefit to the fans,” O’Donnell said. “We’re always trying to innovate, and you saw that with what we’ve done around the track-drying system and that’s worked out well. We’ve always looked at what’s the next iteration. If you’ve looked at what the teams have been able to do with more road racing coming into the fold, the idea of short tracks and could we work with Goodyear to find a tire that would allow us to get back to racing sooner under wet-weather conditions.”

    O’Donnell emphasized that the intent is not to be able to race in the rain but to be able to shorten lengthy rain delays and return to competition quicker.

    “I think at this point, we’re not talking about if it’s actually raining, “he said. “It’s more so, can we get back more quickly than the track being completely dry, which is what we require now. That’s part of the test, looking at where’s the limit, where we would feel comfortable for the drivers. We want this to be safe, so that will be part of this test — talking to the drivers, what are they comfortable with — then obviously talking to Goodyear and (director of racing) Greg Stucker and his team about how they feel and how the tire performs, what if any tweaks we could make to that tire coming out of Martinsville, so there’s a lot that we’re hoping to learn here in terms of grip levels. Each track is unique, so this is something we’ll have to look at for multiple venues.”

    There is no timetable for how quickly the use of these rain-tires could be implemented at various short tracks as the decision will not be made solely by NASCAR but will be discussed with the team owners, drivers and Goodyear.

    “Too early to tell, but I would say if this worked and we felt comfortable with it — and that would be both Goodyear and reaction from the drivers and teams — this is something we would look to implement as quickly as we could,” O’Donnell said. “We all know that if we can deliver a race on time or shorten those delays, that’s a benefit to the entire industry.”

  • Weekend schedule for Atlanta

    Weekend schedule for Atlanta

    NASCAR heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend. With five different winners in five races, the Cup Series has consistently provided diverse results. The Xfinity Series has had four different winners in five races, with Austin Cindric winning at Daytona and Phoenix. The Truck Series is back after a two-week break for the fourth race of their season.

    There will be no practice or qualifying sessions due to COVID-19 protocols established by NASCAR.

    The starting lineups are determined by the following metrics formula:

    • 25 percent: Driver’s finishing position from the previous race
    • 25 percent: Car owner’s finishing position from the previous race
    • 35 percent: Team owner points ranking
    • 15 percent: Fastest lap from the previous race

    All times are Eastern.

    Saturday, March 20

    2:30 p.m.: Truck Series Fr8Auctions 200 race (Stages 30/60/130 Laps = 200.02 Miles) FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Pole: John H. Nemechek

    5 p.m.: Xfinity Series EchoPark 250 race (Stages 40/80/163 Laps = 251.02 Miles) FS1/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Green flag: 5:13 p.m.
    Competition caution: Lap 20
    Pole: Austin Cindric

    Sunday, March 21

    3 p.m.: Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 race (Stages 105/210/325 Laps = 500.5 Miles) FOX/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Green flag: 3:19 p.m.
    Competition caution: Lap 25
    Pole: Denny Hamlin

    Georgia native Jeff Foxworthy is bringing his popular comedy act during a pre-race performance on Sunday. Admission to Foxworthy’s show is included with every grandstand ticket for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.

    Atlanta Motor Speedway Information:
    Season Race #: 6 of 36 (03-21-21)
    Track Size: 1.54-miles
    Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 24 degrees
    Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 24 degrees
    Banking/Frontstretch: 5 degrees
    Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees
    Frontstretch Length:  2,332 feet
    Backstretch Length:  1,800 feet
    Race Length: 325 laps / 500.5 miles
    Stage 1 & 2: 105 Laps (each)
    Final Stage: 115 Laps

    Atlanta Motor Speedway Qualifying Information:
    2020 pole winner: None – Starting Lineup set by Metric Qualifying; Chase Elliott started on the pole.
    Track qualifying record: Geoffrey Bodine, Ford (197.478 mph, 28.074 secs. 11-15-97)

    Ryan Newman leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series(NCS) in the average starting position at Atlanta with a 7.429 in 28 starts.  Newman and Buddy Baker are tied for the NCS most poles with seven each.

    Atlanta Motor Speedway Race Information:
    2020 pole winner: Kevin Harvick, Ford (142.966 mph, (03:30:03), 06-07-20)
    Track race record: Bobby Labonte, Pontiac (159.904 mph, (03:07:48), 11-16-97)

    Chase Elliott leads all active drivers in the NCS in average finishing position at Atlanta with a 10.0 in five starts. The Georgia native and series champion returns home this weekend. The Hendrick Motorsport’s driver has the opportunity to become the second driver in series history from the state of Georgia to win at Atlanta. Elliott could join his father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott (a.k.a. Awesome Bill from Dawsonville) with five Atlanta Cup wins.

    Kevin Harvick leads all active drivers in laps led with 1,197 in 29 starts. Atlanta is one of Harvick’s best tracks having won in all three NASCAR national series. Harvick leads all active drivers with 30 starts, wins (three tied with Kurt Busch), top fives (nine), top-10s (15 tied with Kyle Busch), and laps led (1,348).

    Nine different manufacturers have won in the NCS at Atlanta.  Led by Chevrolet (40), Ford (33), Pontiac (11), Dodge (nine), Mercury (eight), Buick (four), Plymouth (four), Toyota (three) and Oldsmobile (one).

    Top 10 Driver Ratings at Atlanta
    Kevin Harvick – 102.2
    Brad Keselowski – 96.9
    Martin Truex Jr – 96.9
    Kurt Busch – 96.7
    Denny Hamlin – 94.7
    Kyle Busch – 94.0
    Chase Elliott – 93.1
    Kyle Larson – 90.2
    Joey Logano – 83.6
    Ryan Blaney – 83.6
    Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2020 races (22 total) among active drivers at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

  • John Hunter Nemechek dominates Las Vegas en route to victory

    John Hunter Nemechek dominates Las Vegas en route to victory

    Despite a final stage littered with six cautions, John Hunter Nemechek held off team owner and teammate Kyle Busch, to score his first victory under the Kyle Busch Motorsports banner.

    Nemechek started third and led 94 laps of the scheduled 134 to score the seventh Truck Series victory of his career at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

    “Coming back to the Truck Series, that was the plan, that was the goal. We came into the year with the hashtag ‘here for wins’ and we are here for wins,” said Nemechek. “I definitely think experience paid off tonight.”

    Stages 30/30/74 made up the 134-lap race distance. Only one truck went to the rear, the No. 02 of Kris Wright, due to unapproved adjustments.

    Stage 1: Lap 1 – Lap 30

    The first yellow of the night didn’t take long to fly. In fact, the yellow came out on Lap 1 for the No. 04 of Cory Roper, who spun in Turns 3 and 4 to slow the field.

    From there, the rest of the stage was caution-free, but there would be some noticeable incidents. On Lap 9, the No. 42 of Carson Hocevar came to pit road as Hocevar suffered a flat tire. Thirteen laps later, the No. 19 of Derek Kraus was on pit road after losing power.

    Despite these incidents, Nemechek dominated the first stage and took the stage victory. Sheldon Creed, Matt Crafton, Kyle Busch, Stewart Friesen, Christian Eckes, David Gilliland, Ben Rhodes, Chandler Smith and Grant Enfinger completed the Top 10.

    Stage 2: Lap 36 – Lap 60

    Shortly after the restart for Stage 2, Busch reported that he had no oil pressure in his No. 51 Toyota Tundra. However, the Las Vegas native kept plugging along and passing trucks for position. Meanwhile, Zane Smith in the No. 21 was on pit road for a flat tire and then penalized for too fast on pit road.

    At Lap 48, Busch took the lead away from Nemechek and went on to win the second stage. Nemechek, Friesen, Crafton, Rhodes, Hill, Enfinger, Gilliland, Eckes and Akrum were the Top 10.

    Stage 3: Lap 67 – Lap 134

    As the green flag flew for Stage 3, there were multiple cautions that filled the stage. A couple of them were for hard hits. The first was on Lap 70 when the No. 44 of Conor Daly hit the Turn 1 wall, ending his night early. Thankfully, the IndyCar veteran would walk out of the Niece Motorsports entry unscathed. The second caution was brought out when a big crash erupted on Lap 98 as the No. 24 of Raphael Lessard was cleared too early going into Turn 1 and was spun by the No. 17 of David Gilliland. Due to the incident, Lessard and Gilliland collided, collecting several trucks including Hailie Deegan, Ryan Truex and Bret Holmes.

    The final caution of the night came out with 10 laps to go. The No. 26 of Tyler Ankrum and the No. 75 of Parker Kligerman wrecked each other on the backstretch causing another late-race restart with six laps to go.

    On the restart, Busch gave Nemechek a big push going into Turn 1 which allowed the Mooresville, North Carolina native to pull out front. After the push, Nemechek checked out and won by .686 seconds over Busch for his first NASCAR victory in two years.

    With Nemechek scoring the victory, Joe Nemechek and John Hunter became the first NASCAR family to score a NASCAR career win at the same track. Joe won the Busch Grand National Series (now the Xfinity Series) race back in 2003.

    There were nine cautions for 48 laps and nine lead changes among five different drivers.

    Official Results following the Bucked Up 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

    1. John Hunter Nemechek, won Stage 1, led 94 laps
    2. Kyle Busch, won Stage 2, led 16 laps
    3. Austin Hill
    4. Stewart Friesen, led four laps
    5. Matt Crafton
    6. Zane Smith
    7. Grant Enfinger
    8. Parker Kligerman
    9. Christian Eckes
    10. Ben Rhodes
    11. Brett Moffitt, led 13 laps
    12. Todd Gilliland
    13. Austin Wayne Self
    14. Johnny Sauter
    15. Danny Bohn
    16. Sheldon Creed
    17. Chandler Smith
    18. Tate Fogleman
    19. Dawson Cram
    20. Spencer Boyd
    21. Chase Purdy
    22. Carson Hocevar, 1 lap down
    23. Kris Wright, 2 laps down
    24. B.J. McLeod, 2 laps down
    25. Jordan Anderson, 2 laps down
    26. Hailie Deegan, 4 laps down
    27. Jennifer Jo Cobb, 4 laps down
    28. Raphael Lessard, 4 laps down
    29. Jesse Iwuji, 5 laps down
    30. Derek Kraus, 8 laps down
    31. Norm Benning, 11 laps down
    32. Tyler Ankrum, OUT, Crash
    33. Tyler Hill, OUT, Crash
    34. Cory Roper, OUT, Crash
    35. Bret Holmes, OUT, Damage Vehicle Policy
    36. Ryan Truex, OUT, Damage Vehicle Policy
    37. David Gilliland, OUT, Crash
    38. Conor Daly, OUT, Crash

    Up Next: The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will visit Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 20 and is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET, live on FOX Sports 1 and MRN Radio.

  • Interview – Q&A with Truck Series driver Ryan Truex

    Interview – Q&A with Truck Series driver Ryan Truex

    In this week’s interview, Speedway Media catches up with Niece Motorsports newcomer, Ryan Truex. Truex recently joined the team for a full-season and will contend for the 2021 Truck Series championship. During the interview, the Mayetta, New Jersey native discusses what he considers his best season, if he has any superstitions about racing and his “Welcome to NASCAR” moment, among other topics.

    SM: You’ve run 52 races in your Truck Series career over the past seven years and have come close to winning multiple times. In your opinion, what’s the best you’ve ever run? 

    RT: “I’d say my best season was 2017 with HRE (Hattori Racing Enterprises),” Truex said. “We were starting to build new trucks during that year and really started performing well and coming close to winning races. I knew the team was on the verge of winning races at the end of the year. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to put something together for the following season and the rest is history.”

    SM: Following up on that question, you finished second twice in the series, once in 2016 at Daytona and then three years ago in 2017 at Loudon. Both times you had strong trucks. What do you think you could have done differently to score the victory or were those races just not meant to be? Is Daytona still a heartbreaker as you reflect back or is there a different race that you wish you had back?

    RT: “Daytona was a tough one because I felt like we were in the right position to race back to the checkered flag and have a great shot at the win. The caution just came out at the worst time when I was trying to build a run to take the lead back,” he said. “2017 Loudon was another tough one. We took the lead on a late restart and I did everything I could to hold (Christopher) Bell off, he just had a stronger truck than me at the end of the day. I believe things happen for a reason and that my time will come. I just have to keep working at it.”

    SM: Has there ever been a moment where you’ve gotten lost at a racetrack? If so, where did you get lost, and how did you get back to the right spot?

    RT: Road America 2018, it took me quite a while to find the garage area,” Truex said. “I ended up in a random corner like two miles from where I was supposed to be and had to open up maps on my phone and turn on satellite view to figure out where I was and where I needed to be.”

    SM: Most drivers have their ‘Welcome to NASCAR moment that’s happened during a race. When did you have that moment and how did you take that learning lesson moving forward? 

    RT: “One that sticks out to me is Talladega, 2012,” Truex said. “I was running an Xfinity car for JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) in a limited schedule. Back then we were still allowed to tandem draft at the superspeedways. I was running mid-pack, just riding, and none other than Dale Jr. latched to my bumper and pushed me all the way to the front. As soon as we got there, he left me out by myself and took the lead and I got pushed right to the back again. I like to imagine he was smirking behind that visor when he did that.”

    SM: In racing, many drivers are skeptical of myths or urban legends, things like the No. 13, no peanut vendors at the racetracks, etc. In your mind, what’s the craziest superstition you’ve ever heard as a racecar driver and do you believe in that superstition? 

    RT: “I don’t believe in superstitions but I’ve heard them all,” he said. “MTJ (Martin Truex Jr., Ryan’s brother) with the rabbit’s foot for Homestead in 2017 that Darrell Gwynn (former NHRA Driver) gave him is probably the craziest one that I’ve heard, but it obviously worked out pretty well.”

    SM: The Truck Series has really evolved from its beginnings in 1995 and has had a lot of storied drivers and unique races. If you could go back in time to race in a certain event, which event would you choose and why?

    RT: “I think the first year of the series would be cool to be a part of,” Truex said. “Lots of unique tracks and drivers and the atmosphere around the new series seemed like a really exciting thing to be involved with.”

    SM: Who is one race car driver that you believe will always have your back no matter what happens on the racetrack?

    RT: “I think the obvious answer is my brother (Martin Truex Jr.), but there are a few others out there that I have a lot of respect for and feel like that feeling is mutual,” he said. “Brett (Moffitt) and I have known each other for a long time and we’re teammates which makes it a great combo for us. I feel like (Matt) Crafton and (Johnny) Sauter have always been two drivers that I’ve always had a great relationship with on and off the track as well.” 

    SM: Sometimes people get mistaken for different people in real life and being on the grid. Has there been an instance where you were mistaken for somebody else?

    RT: “If I had a nickel for every time someone thought I was Kyle Larson, I could start my own truck team.”

    SM: As in most cases in racing, there are more bad days than good. Whenever you have a bad day at the tack, how do you pick yourself up and not let it ruin the rest of the day or the weekend?  

    RT: “I just have to remind myself that quitters never win and the bad days will always pass,” Truex said. “You can’t let yourself dwell too much on them.”

    SM: Rain delays are never fun during racing. How do you pass the time during a rain delay?

    RT: “Eat all the food.”

    SM: There are several new tracks on the Truck Series schedule, such as Bristol Dirt, Circuit of the Americus, Nashville returning to the schedule, Knoxville and Watkins Glen. Which of these tracks are you looking forward to the most and why?

    RT: “I have Watkins Glen circled on my calendar,” he said. “I’ve always run well there, and its a track I’ve been going to for a long time – since Martin was racing there in the Busch North Series. I feel like we will have a good shot at a win there.”

    SM: Wrapping this up, what’s one goal or expectation that you would like to achieve before the end of the year? 

    RT: “I’ve been around the national series level for a long time,” Truex said. “I’ve been very close to winning races multiple times and feel like I’ve proven I can get the job done, but I know I need to win. Bottom line. I think I have a team capable of doing it and my plan is to finally get some trophies this year.”

    Truex has made 53 Truck Series starts to date over a span of seven years, with 11 top-fives and 20 top-10 finishes with two poles along with 151 laps led. Additionally, the New Jersey native has made various starts in the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series and won back-to-back NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Series Championships in 2009 and 2010.

    Fans of Ryan Truex can follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Additionally, you can check out his website here.

    Fans of Niece Motorsports can like them on Facebook, “follow” them on Twitter and Instagram. You can also visit their website here.

    Special thanks to Michelle Brachowski for coordinating this interview and many thanks to Ryan Truex for taking the time out of his busy schedule for the interview.