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  • Four Takeaways-NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Race at Eldora

    Four Takeaways-NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Race at Eldora

    The NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Eldora Dirt Derby took place last Thursday night. It was the 15th race of the season for the truckers with only two races until the Playoffs begin at Bristol. Many drivers needed a good points day or a win to solidify themselves in the championship hunt. While it was a fun event, for the most part, some fans were not happy with how the race went down but they were happy with the outcome.

    With that said, here are this week’s Four Takeaways From The Dirt Derby

    1. Friesen finally gets win – A favorite among the dirt racing fans, the Canadian finally took the checkered flag last Thursday night. It was a popular win for Friesen and his fans who waited so long to get into victory lane. Something to note, during the post-race press conference, team owner Chris Larsen stated, “We started this out as something on the side, something else to do for fun.” Now they are winners and championship contenders in the Truck Series. It really is amazing to see how far Friesen and his No. 52 Halmar Racing team has come in the past four years since his first race at Eldora in 2016.

    2. Too many cautions laps – This was certainly the talk of the night on Social Media among race fans and racers. There were way too many caution laps wasted especially late in the race. They could have gone back to racing with seven to go but didn’t resume until two to go. At the track, you could hear the fans voicing their opinion as it came across TV. To put it into perspective, there were 68 laps ran under caution. That’s 45% run under yellow with an average green flag run of 6.3 laps. I hope we never see this again, as it is one of the biggest races of the season in the Truck Series aside from Daytona, Talladega, Bristol and Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.
    3. Not an exciting race – Speaking of Eldora, it really wasn’t that exciting compared to years past. While there is nothing wrong with Chase Briscoe winning both stages and leading 93 laps after starting on the pole, for some fans, it lacked some of the intensity that we usually see. There was only one lead change throughout the race and that came under caution, when Briscoe made a pit stop and Friesen stayed out. It was all about track position and it seemed like it was tough to pass and the second groove never came in.

    4. Heated Tempers – You know that the Playoffs are on the horizon when tempers flare after the race is over. Ben Rhodes and Tyler Dippel had an altercation in the garage area due to on-track activity. The action has certainly been heating up over the past few weeks as drivers are trying to make the Playoffs and fight for a championship. It will definitely be interesting in the weeks to come, especially when the Playoffs began at Bristol.
  • NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Power Rankings-Eldora

    NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Power Rankings-Eldora

    Last Thursday, the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series visited Eldora Speedway for their 15th race of the season and saw an unfamiliar face in victory lane.

    While some have criticized the race for not being as exciting as it has been in years past, some drivers earned a much-needed points day, others had a disappointing night and one finally got to victory lane.

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

    1. Stewart Friesen – Worst to first for Friesen in one week as he finally earned his first career win in four years and 63 starts after being so close multiple times. With the win, he finally locks himself into the Playoffs and could potentially be a threat in the postseason if he keeps this pace up. Friesen dominated the race leading 57 of the 150 laps, despite not winning any stages. It will be interesting to see if the Canadian can keep this run going and start to heat up when it counts. He can’t afford any more finishes like he had at Pocono the week before.

      Previous Week Ranking – Not Ranked

    2. Grant Enfinger – Enfinger came close to getting that elusive win on Thursday night after falling short in a close battle the year before. The No. 98 team placed third after starting 15th. While he didn’t lead any laps, Enfinger had a decent finish of fifth in the second stage. Coming out of Eldora, he still remains the regular-season points leader over teammate Matt Crafton by 52 points. With Michigan being the season finale this weekend, something catastrophic will have to happen to Enfinger in order for him not to win the regular title.

      Previous Week Ranking – Not Ranked


    3. Sheldon Creed – Creed almost became a wild card in last week’s race by coming up one spot short. He worked hard all night, finishing fourth in Stage 1 while not earning any stage points in Stage 2. Now, Creed will have to win on Saturday at Michigan in order to put himself in the Playoffs. The second-place finish was his first top-five of the season.

      Previous Week Ranking- Not Ranked

    4. Todd Gilliland – A much needed fourth place for Gilliland who came close to winning the Dirt Derby last Thursday. Still, it’s not going to be enough to point his way into the Playoffs without a lot of help. In the race, Gilliland started eighth, finished second in Stage 1 and seventh in Stage 2 while he finished fifth overall. He will have to have a great run on Saturday with some help from others to fight for the championship.

      Previous Week Ranking – Not Ranked

    5. Tyler Dippel – A somewhat surprising eighth-place finish for Dippel, who is really not a dirt expert. He bested last year’s finish of 13th to have his career-best finish last Thursday. Dippel finished ninth in Stage 2 before earning his second top-10 of the year. Unfortunately, it’s win or go home for Dippel and the No. 02 Youngs Motorsports team this week at Michigan.

      Previous Week Ranking – Not Ranked

      Fell Out

      1. Ross Chastain – A difficult night for Chastain and his No. 45 Niece Motorsports team who finished 12th after being in the top five at one point in the race. The Floridian lead no laps and finished ninth, and sixth in both stages, respectively. It was a different week for Chastain after coming off a strong dominant win at Pocono the week before. However, he is locked into the Playoffs at this point sitting 14th in the regular-season standings with three wins.

      Previous Week Ranking – First

      2. Harrison Burton- Speaking of disappointing nights, it was one for Burton and his No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports team. Burton caused a caution on Lap 57 when he spun on the backstretch collecting some damage to his truck. After the incident, Burton could never really rebound from it and wound up 31st.

      Previous Week Ranking – Second

      3. Brett Moffitt – A struggle for Moffitt and his No. 24 GMS Racing team after being involved in a big wreck in Turn 1 on Lap 65. Like Burton, Moffitt never had the chance to have a better finish and finished 29th after starting third. On the bright side, the Grimes, Iowa native did finish third in Stage 1 but did not earn any stage points in Stage 2. Moffitt looks forward to Michigan, the site where he won in a thrilling finish last year against Johnny Sauter making a last-lap pass.

      Previous Week Ranking – Third

      4. Tyler Ankrum- It was a ninth-place finish for Ankrum and the No. 17 DGR-Crosley team after starting 26th. The No. 17 team did not win any stage points despite their top-10 effort.

      Previous Week Ranking – Fourth

      5. Matt Crafton- Hard to believe, it’s been two years now without a win for Crafton and his No. 88 ThorSport Racing team. The California native started the night well on the outside pole but wound up with a 10th place finish. Crafton finished fifth and third in both stages, respectively. Still, the finish could probably have been somewhat better for the No. 88 team who is facing pressure to get into the Playoffs with just one race remaining.

      Honorable Mention

      1. Mike Marlar – Marlar earned a fourth-place finish in his first-ever career Truck Series start at Eldora after qualifying in the 23rd position. It’s the same truck that Josh Reaume owns and got them the publicity the team deserves. At one point, Marlar found himself contending for the lead but had to settle for a top five finish. He was able to finish eighth in Stage 2. It shouldn’t be surprising to dirt fans, however, as he competes regularly in the Super Late Model Racing Series. In fact, Marlar went to victory lane in Tennessee in the series just a few days after his Truck Series debut.
  • Friesen survives, wins his first career race at Eldora

    Friesen survives, wins his first career race at Eldora

    It took 437 laps led and 63 starts but finally, Stewart Friesen is a winner in the Gander Outdoors Truck Series. Friesen had to hold off Sheldon Creed and company to win the Dirt Derby at Eldora Speedway.

    “Thank you to all the race fans that stuck with us, that kept pulling for us,” Friesen said after he got out of his truck in Victory Lane. “Everybody that came to my hauler and thought that this is the week. Today, this is the day. This is part of it!”

    “Just thanks to all these race fans. This was meant to be.”

    Friesen was on the last spot in the Truck championship but with the win, he is locked into the field of eight for the Truck Series Playoffs that will start in Bristol.

    Sheldon Creed came home with a career-best finish of second followed by Grant Enfinger and Mike Marlar, a dirt regular, who came home fourth. Kyle Bisch Motorsports driver Todd Gilliland came home in fifth.

    Chase Briscoe and Matt Crafton started on the front row and they are no strangers to being up front on the dirt. Briscoe won this race last year with Crafton winning the year before. Briscoe led from wire to wire even though the stage was slowed by two quick cautions. Landon Huffman who is subbing for Spencer Boyd spun it around. Then Jake Griffin spun it around as well right after the green flag waved from the Huffman spin. When it was all said and done it was Briscoe winning the stage followed by Gilliland, Brett Moffitt, Creed and Crafton to round out the top five.

    Stage 2:

    Most of the leaders decided to stay out after the stage break with the exception of Gilliland and Moffitt while Briscoe continued to dominate as he did in the first stage. Also like the first stage, some yellows disrupted the flow of the action. Harrison Burton spun his truck around on Lap 57 and the dirt version of “The Big One” happened on Lap 65 which involved Austin Hill, Burton, Christian Eckes, Carson Hocevar, Colt Gilliam and more. Many were able to continue but for Hill and Gilliam, their nights were over.

    The action and the yellows did not stop though as the No. 34 of Mason Massey spun it around on Lap 76 when he got a cut tire. Creed spun it after they went back to green after the Massey spin but there was no yellow waved.

    Like the first stage though it was all Briscoe as he went wire to wire to win the stage.

    Final Stage:

    Friesen stayed out while Briscoe and Crafton, among others, went in to pit after the stage ended. With going in to pit Briscoe restarted 12th while Friesen led the field to green to start the final stage. Friesen started to pull away but it was all for nothing due to the No. 45 of Chastain spinning right in front of the field. But somehow, someway, all of the field escaped without hitting Chastain’s truck.

    There were a few more incidents after this one including a yellow that featured three wrecks in one. First, the No. 54 of Kyle Strickler spun trying to navigate the high side and before that the No. 32 of Devin Dodson and the No. 10 of Jennifer Jo Cobb. Last but not least Johnny Sauter and Briscoe got connected after the Strickler spin. Norm Benning spun with 31 laps to go after they went back to green following the multiple trucks that spun in the previous caution. The fun didn’t stop there as Dodson spun it around again with 17 laps to go.

    Briscoe was a man on a mission but he tried a little bit too hard and spun out with nine laps to go while battling Creed for fifth. Briscoe went on to finish seventh.

    There is only one race left to make the field of eight for the Gander Outdoors Truck Series Championship and that will be determined by the race in Michigan, a week from Saturday (August 3), on FS1.

  • Jeffrey Abbey – Eldora Dirt Derby Race Advance

    Jeffrey Abbey – Eldora Dirt Derby Race Advance

    Eldora Dirt Derby | Eldora Speedway Race Advance

    Team: No. 44 Niece Chevrolet Silverado
    Driver: Jeffrey Abbey
    Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport

    Abbey on Racing at Eldora: “I’m excited to return to the Truck Series at Eldora,” said Abbey. “It’s definitely a unique challenge, but I’m thankful for the opportunity. This is my third time coming to Eldora in one of these trucks, I’ve learned a lot the last two years and should be able to apply that this year. Niece Motorsports is having a strong season, and I’m hoping to keep that momentum going for them.”

    Abbey at Eldora: Abbey has two starts at Eldora Speedway, coming in 2017 and 2018. His best finish was in his Truck Series debut with Niece Motorsports in 2017. Abbey started 16th and worked his way into the top-five, before finishing 14th.

    About Jeffrey Abbey: The 20-year-old driver got his start behind the wheel racing go-karts at the age of six. Abbey has earned 62 wins in 225 starts, between 2013 and 2017, racing IMCA Southern Sport Modifieds. In addition, Abbey’s resume boasts a 2016 IMCA Supernationals Championship at Boone Speedway.

    Abbey was also the IMCA Nationals Point Champion in 2016, as well as the Brian Mize Memorial Champion at 85 Speedway in 2016. Abbey was the Southern Challenge Champion at Abilene Speedway in 2016 and the Texas State Champion in 2015 and 2016. Abbey was crowned the Boyd Raceway Track Champion in both 2015 and 2016.

    About Niece Motorsports:

    Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2019, Niece Motorsports enters its fourth season in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 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.

  • Ross Chastain – Eldora Dirt Derby Race Advance

    Ross Chastain – Eldora Dirt Derby Race Advance

    Eldora Dirt Derby | Eldora Speedway Race Advance

    Team: No. 45 Niece Equipment/Jack Hewitt Throwback Chevrolet Silverado

    Driver: Ross Chastain

    Follow the Team: @NieceMotorsport; @RossChastain

    Ross Chastain on Racing at Eldora: “I’m so proud of this team,” said Chastain.  “This week will definitely be a new challenge for me, but I’m excited to have the opportunity to race at a place like Eldora.  Plus, we have this awesome Jack Hewitt throwback scheme; I’m hoping we can make Jack proud!”

    Making the Playoffs: Chastain’s third win of the season is the most among series regulars, with two of those wins counting towards playoff eligibility.  Chastain is 18th in driver point standings and must stay in the top-20 for the next two races to remain eligible to compete for the championship.

    Chastain at Eldora: Chastain will make his first start at Eldora Speedway on Thursday night.

    On the Truck: Niece Motorsports and Ross Chastain will pay tribute to one of dirt racing’s greatest this week at Eldora Speedway.  The No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado will carry the iconic JW Hunt paint scheme made famous by Jack Hewitt.

    Hewitt, who was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 2002, was beloved by fans for his no-nonsense attitude.  Never one to mince words, Hewitt did his talking on the race track, but did not shy away from speaking his mind.

    In 1998, Hewitt made history as the first driver to win all four legs of the USAC Four Crown Nationals.  Among his other accomplishments at the half-mile dirt track: 13 USAC National Sprint Car Series feature wins, three USAC National Midget Car Series wins, eight USAC Silver Crown Series wins, 16 Modified wins, two All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car A-main wins, and one Dirt Late Model Victory.

    Hewitt’s success was not confined to Eldora, on the strength of 12 victories, he secured the Championship in 1985 in the All Star Circuit of Champions.

    He was also a back-to-back champion in the USAC Silver Crown Series in 1986 and 1987.

    About Niece Motorsports:

    Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece.  In 2019, Niece Motorsports enters its fourth season in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series.  Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 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.

  • Jake Griffin Racing Preview: Eldora Dirt Derby

    Jake Griffin Racing Preview: Eldora Dirt Derby

    Jake Griffin Excited To Return To Eldora With Affarano Motorsports

    Event: Eldora Dirt Derby
    Location: Eldora Speedway, Rossburg, OH
    Date/Broadcast: August 1, 2019 at 9 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90

    Jake Griffin Fast Facts:
    Jake Griffin will return to the site of his best NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series finish, fourth, as he straps in to the No. 03 Chevy Silverado of Affarano Motorsports.

    Jake just ventured to Alaska Motorsports Park where he scored a win in a Pro Late Model. Jake is equally comfortable on asphalt or dirt. Jake has made five starts in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series,
    having debuted under the tutelage of Mike Mittler and his MB Motorsports operation.

    In his last outing at Eldora, Jake drove Red Horse Racing’s #11 Toyota Tundra. After starting 11th, he brought home a fine 4th place finish.

    Jake Griffin, Q&A:

    What are you looking forward to the most at Eldora?

    “Everything! What’s not love about Eldora? It’s a fantastic track that has so much history and it’s one of those places that you get a special vibe from. Everything about it just awesome.”

    What was it like to race in Alaska and win?

    “Talk about complete opposites – Alaska Motorsports Park and Eldora Speedway! I could look at mountains as I raced on asphalt in cool Alaska and now we head to one of the world’s finest dirt tracks during the hottest part of the year in Ohio. Alaska was really cool and I’m so glad I had the chance to race there. As great as it was to bring home the trophy, my focus is on Eldora now.”

    You and crew chief Buddy Sisco have known each other for a long time. You’ve got to be glad to have him atop the pit box at Eldora.

    “Buddy’s so good at everything- building the trucks, strategy, making the calls, you name it. I’m thrilled to be able to head to the track with him. I think we can run well together.”

    You’ve worked with team owner Mike Affarano before, so you have some familiarity with him, too. That’s got to make the trip to Eldora easier.

    “Yeah, Mike’s a grass roots racer. He’s old school and I love that. We’re not heading to the track with the newest or most pristine truck out there, but I know we’ll be tough out on the track.”

    Speaking of the truck, you’re driving a pink one at Eldora…

    “Hey, Dale Earnhardt’s first race car was pink, so I’m in good company. Besides, we will be easy to spot no matter how much dust and dirt gets kicked up!”

    Sponsors for Eldora:
    The #03 Chevy Silverado will carry the colors of the Clayne Crawford Foundation, AIR West: Adventures In Racing, American Trash Service, Comfort Solutions, Comfort Inn of Piqua, Ohio and Cut It Out Graphics. MechanixWear, Maradyne and WIX Filters will serve as associate sponsors.

  • NASCAR Schedule for Eldora and Watkins Glen

    NASCAR Schedule for Eldora and Watkins Glen

    The NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series heads to Eldora Speedway this week for the Eldora Dirt Derby. This will be the seventh race at the half-mile dirt track for the series. Chase Briscoe, coming off an Xfinity Series victory last weekend at Iowa Speedway, will return to Eldora with ThorSport Racing in his first start in the Truck Series this season to defend last year’s win.

    The Monster Energy Cup Series and the Xfinity Series travel to Watkins Glen this weekend. Chase Elliott will return to defend his Cup Series win. Joey Logano won last year’s Zippo 200 at the Glen but will not be competing in this year’s Xfinity race.

    All times are Eastern.

    Wednesday, July 31 – Eldora Speedway

    7:05 p.m.: Truck Series First Practice – No TV
    9:05 p.m.: Truck Series Final Practice – No TV

    Thursday, August 1 – Eldora Speedway

    7 p.m.: Truck Series Qualifying – Five qualifying races, 10 laps each – Last Chance Race, 15 laps – FS1 (caution laps do not count)

    The top five trucks in each heat race will transfer into the Dirt Derby. Those that did not advance to the feature will compete in the Last Chance Race to determine the remaining positions in the lineup.

    9 p.m.: Eldora Dirt Derby Truck Series Race – Stages 40/90/150 Laps = 75 Miles – FS1/MRN/ SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    Friday, August 2 – Watkins Glen

    12:35 p.m.: Xfinity Series First Practice – No TV
    2:05 p.m.: Xfinity Series Final Practice – No TV

    Saturday, August 3 – Watkins Glen

    10:35 a.m.: Cup Series First Practice – NBCSN/MRN
    11:40 A.M.: Xfinity Series Qualifying – Multi-Vehicle/Two Rounds – NBCSN
    1:05 p.m.: Cup Series Final Practice – NBCSN/MRN
    3 p.m.: Xfinity Series Zippo 200 Race – NBC/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    6:40 P.M.: Cup Series Qualifying – Multi-Vehicle/Two Rounds – NBCSN/MRN

    Sunday, August 4 – Watkins Glen

    3 p.m.: Cup Series Go Bowling at the Glen Race – NBCSN/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

  • NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Preview-Eldora

    NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Preview-Eldora

    The time has come for one of the Truck Series most popular races of the year, The Eldora Dirt Derby. It will mark the 15th race of the 2019 Truck Series season as the race to the Playoffs heats up. We will also see some dirt regulars mixing it up with the big boys on the dirt track.

    Flashing back, Ross Chastain won this past weekend at Pocono for his third win of the year. He sits 18th in the regular-season standings and more than likely will compete in the Truck Series Playoffs when they began in a couple of weeks at Bristol. However, Chastain doesn’t have much dirt experience and does not have any starts at Eldora.

    With that said, Eldora may be a curveball to his Niece Motorsports crew but with practice time ahead of Thursday night’s race, Chastain and his No. 45 team will hopefully have time to figure it out.

    While Chastain pretty much has a championship spot locked up, other drivers are still on the outside looking in. With Eldora being a bit of a wildcard race, the Truck Series regulars will be hoping to have a smooth race and clinch their spot in the playoffs Thursday night.

    Here’s a look at who might win Thursday night’s Eldora Dirt Derby 150.

    1. Matt Crafton – Hard to believe, but it’s been two years since Crafton last won a race in the Truck Series but Eldora just might be the place where he can snap that long winless streak that began two years ago. The California native has six starts at Eldora, winning the 2017 race and finishing fourth in last year’s race. Other finishes include a 10th in 2016, ninth twice in 2015 and 2014, and eighth in the first race here in 2013. The Menards driver has two top-fives and six top-10 finishes along with 24 laps led, with zero DNFs. Crafton has also been racing his dirt modified recently to gain practice for the Truck Series race at Eldora. Look for the two-time champion to be hungry for a win on Thursday night.

    2. Chase Briscoe – You can’t count out last year’s winner Briscoe, who returns for another start at Eldora with ThorSport Racing piloting the No. 27 Ford. Briscoe won in a thriller last year with his teammate Grant Enfinger. The Mitchell, Indiana native is a stand out on dirt having competed in 410 sprint cars before making a career jump to stock cars. Briscoe also competed in the 2017 race for Brad Keselowski, finishing third. In 2017, he finished fourth in Stage 1. In 2018, he finished third in Stage 1 and won the second stage. Despite winning in a thriller, Briscoe was dominant leading 54 laps. Never count out the dirt stand out that is seeking another win in a one-off.

    3. Stewart Friesen – When you’re talking about dirt racing, you can’t exclude another dirt star Friesen. While not competing in the Truck Series on a regular basis, Friesen is busy racing his big-block modified in the Northeast, particularly in the Super DIRTcar Series. The Canadian native has more than 260 wins on dirt and is normally racing every night at a dirt track. Eldora is also a special place for Friesen, as it was the site of his Truck Series debut in 2016. Since that time span, he has amassed 62 starts, 19 top-fives and 30 top-10 finishes with 437 laps led, and has been a perennial runner up multiple times. After having wrecked out on the first lap in last weekend’s race at Pocono, Friesen will look to turn it around Thursday night with a win. At Eldora, he has three starts with a best finish of second in 2017 after starting on the pole. Other stats include 94 laps led and two top-five finishes with one DNF. Keep an eye out on Friesen who will try to get his first win Thursday night.

    4. Kyle Strickler – Despite finishing 31st in last years race, Strickler returns for another start in the Truck Series with the DGR-Crosley team driving the No. 54 Toyota. Strickler has all kinds of dirt racing experience competing in Super Late Models, Dirt Modifieds, Big Block Modifieds and has countless wins on dirt tracks across the country. In the Truck Series, however, Strickler only has one start which came in last year’s race for the late Mike Mittler. Unfortunately, his night was cut short due to a crash on Lap 145. This year, Strickler will have a great chance for a shot at the win. The No. 54 truck finished fourth and fifth in both stages, respectively, in the 2018 race. Don’t be surprised if Strickler has a great run or perhaps even steals the show Thursday night.

    5. Sheldon Creed – Someone that might surprise the field Thursday night is GMS Racing driver Sheldon Creed. Creed is on the outside looking in and is paired with his ARCA championship-winning crew chief again. The California native has some dirt experience competing on the tracks like DuQuoin State Fairgrounds and Illinois State Fairgrounds in the ARCA Racing Series. In 2017, Creed finished fourth at Springfield and second at DuQuoin after leading 33 laps in that race. In 2018, he finished second at Springfield after leading 28 laps and 10th at DuQuoin after starting on the pole and leading 44 laps. At Eldora, Creed’s results have been unremarkable with finishes outside the top-10; his best finish was 15th after starting sixth in last year’s race. Creed will have some work to do, but he has been on fire as of late and could use that ARCA dirt track exposure and find his way into victory lane in Thursday night’s race.

    Playoff Bubble:

    1. Harrison Burton – Burton only has one start at Eldora, which came in 2017. He finished 15th in that race driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

    2. Todd Gilliland – Like Burton, Gilliland has one start with a finish of 22nd, but he did earn a sixth place in Stage 2. Gilliland will have to win the race Thursday night in order to have a shot at competing in the Playoffs.

    3. Ben Rhodes – Also on the outside looking in is the No. 99 ThorSport Racing driver Ben Rhodes. Rhodes has three starts at Eldora with no finishes inside the top-10. His best finish was 23rd in his first outing, two years ago. Rhodes did start on the pole last year and led 44 laps, and winning Stage 1 before finishing 29th.

    4. Tyler Dippel – Dippel has one start with a best finish of 17th.

    5. Austin Wayne Self – Self has two starts at Eldora with a best finish of ninth in 2016. Last year he finished 18th after finishing 10th and fourth in both stages, respectively.

    6. Gus Dean – Dean is a bit of a long shot who sits 16th in the regular-season standings. He has no starts at Eldora but does have ARCA starts at the dirt tracks of Springfield and DuQuoin. In 2017, Dean has finishes of 11th in Springfield and third at DuQuoin. In 2018, he finished seventh in Springfield after starting on the pole and leading six laps and finished 18th at DuQuoin due to a crash.

    Other notables on the entry list include Jake Griffin in the No. 03 for Mike Affarano, ARCA standout Carson Hocevar making his Truck Series debut filling in for Jordan Anderson, Tim Ward in the No. 08, Colt Gilliam in the No. 8 for NEMCO Motorsports, Mike Marlar in the No. 33 for Reaume Brothers Racing and Devin Dodson in the No. 34 for Reaume Brothers Racing. Mark Smith will pilot the No. 38 for Niece Motorsports, Jeffrey Abbey will be in the No. 44 for Niece Motorsports, Christian Eckes returns again in the No. 51 for Kyle Busch Motorsports and Justin Shipley will drive the No. 80 for Jacob Wallace. The No. 74, owned by Lou Goss, has yet to be announced.

    Eldora Speedway has hosted six Truck Series races since its first in 2013. Since then, there have been six different drivers that have gone on to victory lane. Those include Austin Dillon who won its first outing, Bubba Wallace, Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, Matt Crafton and Chase Briscoe.

    Qualifying will be important at Eldora as the race winner has come from inside the top five for the most part with the exception of two that came outside the top five. Dillon came from the 19th starting position in 2013, with Wallace coming from sixth in 2014 and Larson from seventh in 2016.

    Toyota has the most victories in the Eldora Dirt Derby with three in 2014, 2015 and 2017. Chevrolet follows in second with two victories in 2013 and 2016. Ford only has one victory with Briscoe in 2018.

    With Eldora being on a Thursday this year, there will be two Truck Series practice on Wednesday evening. First practice is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET with final practice set for 9:05 p.m. ET, both lasting an hour with no live TV coverage.

    Qualifying will be a little different with heat races replacing the normal qualifying format. There will be five qualifying heat races Thursday, each lasting 10 laps. The first heat race is slated for 7 p.m. ET live on Fox Sports 1. Last chance qualifying, with 15 laps, takes place at 8:15 p.m. ET.

    The seventh annual Eldora Dirt Derby 150 will take the green flag a little after 9 p.m. ET live on Fox Sports 1 and MRN Radio. Stages will be broken into 40/90/150 laps to make up the 75 miles distance.

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

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

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway never disappoints. It was the 13th race of the season and with three races to go until the Playoffs begin, some drivers are on the bubble and other drivers are locked in.

    Here are four takeaways from the sixth annual Eldora Dirt Derby.

    1. Grant Enfinger Comes Up Short – At Eldora, you wouldn’t think of Enfinger as a dirt racer but he did have some prior dirt experience racing in ARCA at tracks such as Illinois State Fairgrounds and Duquoin where he had some success. Throughout the night, he was quietly racing inside the top-10. Enfinger started 10th and finished seventh and second in both stages, respectively. After some pit strategy late in the race and late race cautions, Enfinger found himself up front with eventual race winner Chase Briscoe. Both of them battled side-by-side in the overtime finish until he fell .038 seconds short of getting his second win and locking himself into the Playoffs.
    2. Noah Gragson and Johnny Sauter Have Forgettable Night – While Gragson finished sixth Wednesday night at Eldora, it didn’t come easy and he had his challenges early in the night. Gragson was put in the last chance qualifier and qualified 27th. At the end of Stage 1, he worked his way up to 18th. He continued to have his challenges as he restarted 25th in the second stage. Gragson would only end up 23rd in Stage 2. The No. 18 Safelite driver benefited from late cautions and various pit strategy and found himself finishing sixth. Nonetheless, Gragson is looking to put Eldora behind him and looking ahead to Pocono. Like Gragson, Sauter was also in the last chance qualifier. He was locked in, regardless, as he could have used a champion’s provisional. Sauter finished fourth in the last chance qualifier, giving him a 29th place starting spot. His night didn’t get better as Sauter was the first caution of the night at Lap 11. Sauter continued to struggle throughout the night not placing in the top 10 in either stage. At the end of the night, Sauter was glad to be done with Eldora as he finished 16th.
    3. Logan Seavey Shines At Eldora – Seavey, a dirt track midget star, had a career night at the dirt track in Rossburg, Ohio. He made his Truck Series debut driving the famed No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Tundra for Kyle Busch. Seavey handled the pressure well as he started on the pole for the second heat race. He led seven laps until he was passed by his KBM teammate Todd Gilliland in the final laps of the heat race. By finishing second, Seavey found himself starting seventh for his first ever Truck Series race. His night continued to shine as he took the lead for the first time on Lap 92 and held on for 53 laps, as a late race caution cut Seavey’s three second lead. More cautions continued to fall and with that, it hurt his track position as other drivers were on fresher tires. Ultimately, Seavey finished eighth. If it weren’t for the late race cautions, we all could be talking about a different winner. Nonetheless, Seavey caught some eyes and attention from race fans and owners. It will be interesting to see if he’ll get anymore Truck Series starts in the future.
    4. Three Races Left Until The Playoffs Begin – Now that one of the wildcards is over for the series, there are three races left until the 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs begin at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. The Playoff field is pretty much set in stone as five drivers have a win and are locked in. These drivers are Sauter, Brett Moffitt, Gragson, Justin Haley, and Ben Rhodes. As the series heads to Pocono this weekend, the action will start to heat up on the track as three drivers sit on the bubble of not making it. These are Matt Crafton, Stewart Friesen and Grant Enfinger. These three drivers will have three more chances to lock themselves in on wins. If not, barring any more issues or troubles they have, they could lock themselves in on points if there aren’t any new winners until the Playoffs begin.
  • NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Power Ranking-Eldora

    NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Power Ranking-Eldora

    Eldora Speedway was home of the 13th race of the season for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. In one of the most anticipated races of the season, this standalone event certainly did not disappoint. The field included Truck Series regulars and dirt regulars but it was a not a dirt regular but a former series driver that stood atop the victory circle Wednesday night.

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

      1. Grant Enfinger – Enfinger and Chase Briscoe certainly put on quite a show in the last remaining laps. Enfinger, who was looking for the second win of his career, his first since Talladega in 2016, had to settle for second by .038 seconds. The win would have locked him into the Playoffs, but with the consistency and strength that Enfinger has shown in the past remaining races, he sits sixth in the playoffs standings, 120 points. In Wednesday night’s race, he finished seventh and second, respectively in both stages. His second-place finish earned him his fourth top five of the year. Previous Week Ranking: 5th
      2. Stewart Friesen – Friesen came up short once again at Eldora, but it wasn’t due to lack of effort from the No. 52 Canadian driver. He was in the fifth heat race and led all 10 laps to score the win, which led him to a third-place starting position. The race was somewhat of a struggle early on for Friesen, as he ran as low 31st but was able to advance with pit stop strategy and cautions helping out the team. But, it wasn’t until the end of Stage 2 when he placed inside the top-10 to finish 10th. Friesen found himself in competition for the win in the final five laps of the race with the multiple race cautions. On one of the restarts, he went four-wide with the top leaders until another caution came out. However, Friesen rallied after being a caution on Lap 29 and earned a third-place finish, giving him his fifth top-five of the year. He’ll have to be careful in the three remaining races until the Playoffs begin as he sits on the bubble in seventh per Playoff standings, 111 points behind, considering no new driver wins until then. Previous Week Ranking: 3rd
      3. Brett Moffitt – Moffitt had a good night at Eldora, considering this was his first time racing on dirt. Based on qualifying results, he was placed in heat race #2 and ended up finishing third, giving him a 12th place starting position. The three-time race winner in 2018 had to fight his way to the front after fighting in dirty air and heavy traffic. He wasn’t able to earn stage points which will hurt the team just a little bit, but Hattori Racing team already has three wins this year and is good for the Playoffs, if they continue to get sponsorship throughout the season. In the end, Moffitt was helped out with the cautions and race strategy to give him a third-place finish. Previous Week Ranking: Not Ranked
      4. Matt Crafton – It has now been one year since Crafton has won a race in the Truck Series. After last night’s race, he has three more races remaining to earn a win to solidify himself into the Playoffs and compete for the championship. Crafton didn’t have a bad night, but it certainly didn’t come without troubles. On Lap 55, he and Tyler Dippel got collected with each other, and Crafton got tipped from behind by Ryan Newman who tore the back end off Crafton’s truck. However, not all was lost, as he and the No. 88 ThorSport team finished eighth and seventh respectively in both stages, ultimately giving him a fourth-place finish. But Crafton and the team are hungry for a win as he sits right on the cut line for the playoffs. He may have to get in on points if he wants to be a championship contender. Previous Week Ranking: 2nd
      5. Justin Haley – Like Briscoe and Crafton, Haley often competes in dirt racing when his schedule allows. It was second race at Eldora and it was almost the same identical finish for the No. 24 GMS Racing team. In last year’s race, he started 13th and finished eighth. Haley was placed in the fourth heat race and finished fourth after starting sixth. This gave him a 19th starting position, meaning it was going to be a long night for the series regular. But the No. 24 took the entire race to get to the front. He didn’t earn any stage points, but with his Gateway win, Haley is locked into the Playoffs. After a wild finish and race, he finished ninth for his ninth top-10 finish of the year. It’ll be interesting to see how he fares in the Playoffs. Previous Week Ranking: Not Ranked

    Fell Out

    1. Noah Gragson – Gragson had a quiet night at Eldora and didn’t make too much noise. He was placed in the last chance qualifier but had points to fall back on to make it into the race. He didn’t finish inside the top-10 at all for either stage after starting 27th, but Gragson did finish sixth after battling handling conditions all night long. He’ll look to Pocono and try to continue to close the gap on Johnny Sauter’s points lead.
    2. Ben Rhodes – Rhodes was having a good race going until a few laps after the Stage 2 restart. On Lap 45, he hit the wall and continued to slip all the way back in the field, ultimately having to bring the truck to pit road as the tow was knocked out of the truck. This gave the Kentucky winner a 29th place finish, but he is locked into the playoffs.