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.
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.
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.
BROOKLYN, Mich. (July 31, 2019) — It is not often that a NASCAR driver meets somebody who performs at a faster speed or in a more intense environment than a racer does in a race. But Ben Rhodes, driver of the #99 Carolina Nut Ford F-150 for ThorSport Racing in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series had that experience when he visited the 180th Fighter Wing, Ohio Air National Guard.
Rhodes was in town to promote the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Corrigan Oil 200 on Aug. 10 at Michigan International Speedway. In the middle of media interviews, Rhodes was able to check a bucket item off his list when he got a private tour of the base from Captain Jake “Scooby” Dubie.
“As a pilot myself, this was a definitely a bucket list item for me to visit with the members and to see all the planes,” Rhodes said. “I had a great time learning how much teamwork went into each flight and cannot wait to share that with my team. I am looking forward to coming back to MIS for the last race of the truck regular season on August 10.”
The highlight of the day was when the avid pilot was able to observe the F-16s up close and talk to the service members. In the maintenance hangar, Rhodes met with Technical Sergeant Steve Boehme to learn how the planes are prepared for flight. Boehme serves as a crew chief for the pilots.
Rhodes communicates with his crew chief, Matt Noyce daily to enhance the performance of the truck. The crew chief at the Air National Guard has a vital role to the success of the missions. The pilots depend on the crew chiefs to oversee the preparation of the plane and to ensure the runway is clear of debris for takeoffs and landings.
Dubie, a pilot for the 180th Fighter Wing, showed Rhodes his flight uniform. They were both impressed how similar each of the helmets were for the pilots and drivers. Rhodes had a keen interest in the uniform to learn if anything could help his performance on race day.
Rhodes felt the power of the F-16s up close as he stood in the hanger during takeoffs. The flurry of activity hit a fever pitch as the pilots, crew chiefs and all the mechanics prepared the planes for training. Rhodes stood in awe as the jets roared down the runway and lifted into the air.
Fans can see the 180th Fighter Wing in action this summer. They will be performing the flyover prior to the Consumers Energy 400 on Aug. 11.
Rhodes received two honorary patches to help him remember his visit. Scooby presented Rhodes a 180th Fighter Wing Patch. The origins of the 180th Fighter Wing’s organizational emblem date back to June 22, 1964 when the unit held a group wide design contest in search of a design that could be used to symbolically represent the newly formed 180th Tactical Fighter Group. The emblem was approved and became recognized federally on October 15, 1962.
Dubie also presented Rhodes a 112th Fighter Squadron patch. The history of the 112th Fighter Squadron dates back to Feb. 24, 1954 when the unit submitted a formal request to change the old emblem representing the 112th Bombardment Squadron to a new emblem that would represent the newly formed 112th Fighter-Bomber Squadron.
Sunday ticket holders can stick around on Saturday for a free post-race concert. Michigan’s own, Grand Funk Railroad, will celebrate its 50th anniversary of entertaining crowds at Michigan International Speedway. Skid Row and Sawyer Brown will keep the music going after the checkered flag waves for the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Corrigan Oil 200 on Aug. 10.
Tickets to the Consumers Energy 400 on Aug. 11 and the Corrigan Oil 200 on Aug. 10 can be purchased at www.mispeedway.com. Fans can find the perfect campsite for their families and friends in any of the different campgrounds at the track starting at $130. Fans can purchase tickets and campsites at www.mispeedway.com or by calling 888-905-7223.
Children 12 and under are admitted free on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, children 12 and under tickets start at $15. Children 12 and under can attend three days of NASCAR action for just $15, ensuring families a weekend of fun at affordable prices.
Any guest who purchases a 12 and under ticket will automatically receive a free kids Pit and Driver Introduction Pass courtesy of Henry Ford Health System. Kids can experience pit road on Sunday morning, sign the start/finish line and view the cars and teams up close on race day. Kids will also have access to pre-race ceremonies, including driver introductions.
NASCAR’s Most Entertaining Track continues to add entertainment to the campgrounds, fan plaza, pre-race and stage breaks to make the race week a cannot miss event. The nonstop entertainment at Michigan International Speedway during the Consumers Energy 400 race week provides something for every guest. The track continues to add value for the guests who camp and those who come just for the races. A speed painter will even be in victory lane after the Consumers Energy 400 to capture the race winning celebration.
Nestled in the lush Irish Hills of Southeastern Michigan, Michigan International Speedway is NASCAR’s Most Entertaining Track. It has been the love of NASCAR racing and the thrill of a great time for race fans and drivers alike for 50 years.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
Harrison Burton – Burton only has one start at Eldora, which came in 2017. He finished 15th in that race driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports.
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.
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.
Tyler Dippel – Dippel has one start with a best finish of 17th.
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.
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.
With NASCAR’s national touring divisions edging closer toward their respective Playoffs, the top rookies in each division are clamoring to stake their spots in their championship races. The rookie race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is contained among three drivers (Ryan Preece, Daniel Hemric, and Matt Tifft) who are racing more among themselves, while Xfinity Series rookies have finally broken into the win column following Chase Briscoe’s win at Iowa.
The same can be said for the Gander Outdoors Truck Series, as Tyler Ankrum scored his first win at Kentucky, highlighting what has been an up-and-down season for the 18-year-old Californian. The win definitely gives momentum over fellow Truck standouts Sheldon Creed and Harrison Burton.
MENCS – Richard Childress Racing driver Hemric has started to come around as the season has progressed, as evidenced by his Pocono finish on Sunday where he finished seventh. His second top-10 of 2019 comes ahead of some stout runs in recent weeks where, with the exception of Kentucky and Loudon, he’s been lingering in the top-20. This includes a streak from the June Pocono race to Daytona where he finished as high as 12th, but no lower than 19th.
The No. 8 Luke Lambert-led team has had speed on the mile-and-a-half speedways, as Hemric qualified third at Chicago, but now it’s a matter of connecting the dots for Hemric as the team is still in its building phase.
Meanwhile, performance in Preece’s JTG-Daugherty Racing camp has remained a constant, running in the top-25 unless sidetracked with issues both on-track and mechanical. He’s shown that his primary strength lies in superspeedways, although his third-best finish of 2019 was a 16th at Martinsville. Other than that, it’s that consistency that might keep him from a Rookie of the Year victory. Still, being a rookie is about learning and growing, and given time Preece may become a contender. But there’s a ceiling at JTG-Daugherty, and he may be hitting it right now with Tristan Smith.
Meanwhile, at Front Row Motorsports, there is definite improvement for Tifft. He’s made it easy on his team, only being slowed by two DNFs in 21 starts, and as a result, he was able to boost his career-best finish from a 20th at Phoenix to a ninth-place run at Daytona. A recent Crew Chief swap with teammate David Ragan sent season-long CC Mike Kelley to the 34 while Seth Barbour helped lead Tifft’s No. 36 to one of its better outings of the season as they finished 23rd at Pocono, a week after the team finished 24th at Loudon.
The No. 36 Mustang has been finishing in the top-30 every race since Michigan, and although that isn’t saying much when compared to the other rookies on this, for a completely new team that was formed before the season began it’s definitely a step forward. At this rate, it isn’t unreasonable to expect regular top-25s out of that camp in the near future.
Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 98 Ford Performance Ford, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway on July 27, 2019 in Newton, Iowa. Photo by Jeff Curry/Getty Images.
Xfinity – The Xfinity Series rookie race has now yielded a race winner, as Briscoe joined his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Cole Custer as a winner this season when he won at Iowa. Briscoe is not only a weekly contender; he’s also a championship favorite now as he’s scored a win, eight top-fives, and 14 top-10s in 19 starts. He isn’t just consistent; he’s strong. He’s been in or among the leaders weekly, and there’s little doubt that Iowa will be his only win this season.
Meanwhile, the best result JR Motorsports rookie Noah Gragson has been able to put together was a second at Michigan, but considering JRM has gone from division powerhouse to not breaking into the win column yet this season isn’t Gragson’s fault. Still, four top-fives and 11 top-10s in 19 starts is nothing to frown at as a rookie. He’s only finished off of the lead lap in four races, but one of those was a sixth at Kentucky, so it isn’t for lack of effort. He’s been consistent, but the JRM strength isn’t there.
It’ll be interesting to see where the No. 11 of Justin Haley goes from this point on this season. He’s been as strong as the top rookies in the division this season, but following the death of Crew Chief Nick Harrison, the team will no doubt be faced with a firmer resolve to succeed in his honor. He’s currently ninth in points with two top-fives and 14 top-10s in 19 starts this season, including an eighth at Iowa with Interim CC Alex Yontz (who also led the team to a 10th at Michigan).
Haley came close to victory at Daytona, proving the No. 11 Kaulig Racing team has the strength and resolve to contend for wins, and as good as Haley is with his equipment (zero DNFs in 2019), it’ll be no surprise when he does score a win.
John Hunter Nemechek has had a roller coaster rookie campaign in 2019. He has three top-fives (including a second at Las Vegas) and 11 top-10s in 19 starts but sits in 10th in the standings as he’s been sidelined with three crash DNFs. He placed third at Iowa, and considering he knows what it takes to win in the series and run near the front, he’ll post more strong finishes this season.
However there’s a catch: GMS Racing’s Xfinity effort isn’t as strong as Ganassi Racing’s 2018 Xfinity effort was, as Nemechek was a Ganassi development driver when he won at Kansas last year. He can get a win, and GMS has an Xfinity Series win, and he’s come close this season to Victory Lane, but it’ll take a little more luck than it did last season to seal the deal.
Harrison Burton goes inside of GMS Racing driver Brett Moffitt at Pocono. Photo by Kirk Schroll
NGOTS – Harrison Burton still continues to lead the Truck Series rookie class with seven top-fives and nine top-10s in 14 starts, which currently leaves him fifth in points with his No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports team. Despite the strong showings, though, he can’t seem to finish any higher than third-place, a feat he’s accomplished four times this season.
It’s granted that Burton feels a bit of pressure in his role as a full-time rookie; he’s with a championship-winning organization that has yielded some of the hottest names in NASCAR in recent memory. There’s also pressure considering that the No. 18 is the flagship entry in an organization that has put it in Victory Lane countless times. But unlike his snake-bitten teammate Todd Gilliland, Burton stands a higher chance of placing strongly in the Playoffs and even scoring a win.
Sheldon Creed, however, is not too far behind Burton; with four top-10s he’s currently ninth in points. There’s still pressure on him as he is with a championship-winning organization as well, not to mention his teammate, defending champion Brett Moffitt, has already won twice this year. But Creed needs to exercise a modicum of balance. He’s aggressive behind the wheel, and although it’s nice that there’s a driver who is up on the wheel and ready to get the job done, he’s put himself in situations that have left him with a wrecked truck.
He’s been up front a lot in 2019 and led a lot of laps, so it’s not entirely impossible he parks it in Victory Lane by the end of the season.
Tyler Dippel has definitely been on the underdog side of things, as he’s managed to put himself in the top-15 more often than not. His season highlight so far was when he finished eighth in the first Texas race of 2019, but aside from that his No. 02 Young’s Motorsports entry has only finished outside the top-25 once this season (a crash at Daytona left him in 29th). He’s quietly consistent, and although his equipment may not be top-notch, he’s posting good, solid results that could land him a ride with a solid team down the road.
Tyler Ankrum, on the other hand, got a late start on the season driving for DGR-Crosley Racing, and he’s making up for it in spades. Despite losing a sponsor and being relegated to a couple of appearances in Joe Nemechek’s No. 87, he’s scored a win at Kentucky as well as three top-fives and five top-10s. At Pocono on Saturday he put his No. 17 Toyota in the runner-up spot to Ross Chastain, scoring his second-straight top-two finish, thus showing that the young Californian means business.
Ankrum keeps his equipment together and stays out of wrecks (his save at Texas in June was nothing short of legendary), and considering the No. 17 has momentum he could very well win again this season. If their sponsorship issues can get squared up soon, he could post some more strong results when the Playoffs come around.
The NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series visited Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania this past weekend. Some might say it was an exciting race in regards to track position while others think that it might have been the least exciting race of the season. Despite that, a few drivers who don’t run the series full time earned great finishes, quite possibly their career-best for some.
This week the Truck Series heads to the famous Eldora Speedway on Thursday where the regulars will compete with the dirt track invaders, who normally have a good shot at winning, thanks to their dirt racing backgrounds. But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves for the Thursday night Truck Series race.
Here are four takeaways from the Gander RV 150 at Pocono.
Ross Chastain Championship Favorite – Chastain picked up his third win of the 2019 season this past Saturday, collecting another popular win among the fans. He has quickly become a rising star over the past year. For those fans who don’t have a favorite driver in the series, Chastain is someone that those fans can cheer for. After doing a burnout, the Florida native got out of his truck and grabbed an inflatable watermelon, tossing it to the fans in the stands, showing his appreciation for them. Chastain is also a championship favorite now with three wins in the series. It will be interesting to see if he can continue this momentum into the playoffs.
Too Short Of A Race – I’ve said this again and I’ll state it again, it was too short of a race. Sixty laps does not give the drivers much time to get to the front in order to make something happen. It’s especially true when you have short stages of only 15 laps each for the first two stages, even when the first stage saw only seven green flag laps. That’s not much action for the fans to see. Stage 2 was a little better as we saw no cautions, but still, defending series champion Brett Moffitt noted that it was difficult to pass and it was all about track position. The PJ1 never really was a factor either. Hopefully, with the new schedule announcement this past weekend and the newly adjusted amount of laps, it will give next year’s race more action.
TV Coverage – I’m normally not one to complain about the TV coverage, but Saturday’s race broadcast was not the best. Don’t get me wrong, I am thankful we have someone covering the whole Truck Series season in what is quite possibly the most exciting series in NASCAR right now. However, the telecast from this past weekend was somewhat disappointing. Whenever there is a race on FOX, it helps give these guys the exposure they need and attracts fans as well, such as those who don’t normally get Fox Sports 1. Unfortunately, we were flooded with commercials, especially late in the going and even missed two restarts. I’m not saying Saturday’s telecast was unwatchable, but there is room for improvement.
ThorSport Racing Salvages A Great Day – In what looked liked it was going to be a disastrous day for ThorSport Racing, they were able to turn it around by the time the checkered flag flew. Johnny Sauter had some damage after his contact with Bayley Currey on a restart and had to pit to repair it. Sauter made the best of his situation to finish eighth after starting 16th. Matt Crafton was the highest finisher out of the group, finishing sixth despite at one point running as high as third and having a shot to snap his long winless streak. Ben Rhodes started 15th could only finish fourth in Stage 2, before winding up ninth in his sporty No. 99 Havoline Ford. Regular series points leader Grant Enfinger finished sixth and third in both stages, respectively only to come home to finish 10th. Not the best day for the Ohio based group, but they were still able to make the most out of it.
The NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series came to Pocono Raceway on Saturday afternoon for their 14th race of the 2019 season with just three races remaining until the Playoffs begin at Bristol Motor Speedway in a few weeks.
Drivers like Harrison Burton, Ben Rhodes, Todd Gilliland, Sheldon Creed, Tyler Dippel, Spencer Boyd, Jordan Anderson and Stewart Friesen were hoping to have a good points day or perhaps grab a win at “The Tricky Triangle” to solidify their spot in the Playoffs.
It was action-packed from the start, as we saw most of Stage 1 run under yellow with two cautions. There was even an accident between Friesen and Anthony Alfredo on the first lap. Friesen was unfortunately done for the day after the incident and finished last.
After those two incidents, it was clean and green for the remainder of the race barring the two stage cautions that took place. Fan-favorite Ross Chastain was able to take home the win after completely dominating the race.
Drivers who were coming into the Gander RV 150 on the bubble, still find themselves on the outside looking in. Now the series heads to one of its most popular races of the year, Eldora Speedway, Thursday night.
Before we get there, however, it’s time to take a look at this week’s power rankings following Pocono.
Ross Chastain – No surprise here with Chastain taking home the win for the third time this season. The Florida native put a butt whopping on the field leading twice for 54 of the 60 laps. The only time he was never out front was Stage 2, where Chastain made a pit stop in that stage in order to restart out front for the final stage. He is more than likely locked in at this point but the team is searching for some additional sponsorship for the rest of the year. However, Chastain also stated they are good for the Playoffs and just need some help.
Previous Week Ranking – Second
Harrison Burton – Burton was able to grab a much-needed points day at Pocono, facing possible elimination for the Playoffs. The Kyle Busch Motorsports driver qualified sixth on Friday afternoon. From there, Burton finished third in Stage 1 and won Stage 2. He was able to lead six laps before finishing third. Burton will face some challenges this week as he heads to Eldora for the first time since 2017, where he finished 15th.
Previous Week Ranking – Third
Brett Moffitt – While disappointed with his fifth-place finish Saturday afternoon, Moffitt was able to up his finish from his disappointing outing at Kentucky a few weeks back. The Grimes, Iowa native started fourth, finished fifth and second in both stages, respectively. Still, Moffitt was frustrated with not being able to pass. It was his sixth top-five of the season.
Previous Week Ranking – Fourth
Tyler Ankrum – The Kentucky winner followed up with a second-place finish and was close to winning again. Ankrum finished 10th in Stage 1 while not earning any stage points in Stage 2. While the race was winding down, Ankrum found himself chasing down race leader Chastain with less than 15 to go. Chastain started to save a little bit of fuel, which allowed the DGR-Crosley driver to close in. Ankrum then had to save fuel and back off until he was clear to chase after Chastain. Despite his efforts, Ankrum fell one second short of the win. It was Ankrum’s third top-five of the season.
Previous Week Ranking – Not Ranked
Matt Crafton – Speaking of much-needed points day, Crafton finished sixth in his No. 88 Menards Ford F-150 after running as high as third late. The California native qualified eighth, finished 11th in Stage 1 and fifth in Stage 2. With help of track position, Crafton was close to taking the lead of the race. However, he’ll have to wait until Eldora on Thursday night for another chance, where it will mark one year since his last win in the series.
Previous Week Ranking – Not Ranked
Fell Out
1. Stewart Friesen – Tough day for Friesen and his No. 52 Halmar Racing team who didn’t even make a lap in the race. It all started on Lap 1 when Friesen got loose and went crashing up the hill, receiving major damage to his truck. The damage was too extensive to repair and he finished last, not even being able to complete one lap. Friesen will have to hope his dirt racing background pays off in Thursday’s night race at Eldora.
Previous Week Ranking- First
2. Austin Wayne Self – There is not much to be said for the Texan coming out of this race. Wayne Self competed in the ARCA race Friday afternoon in preparation for Saturday’s Truck race. He qualified 18th, finished 10th in Stage 2 and then wound up with a disappointing 15th place outing.
Previous Week Ranking – Fifth
Honorable Mention
1. Christian Eckes – Eckes won the ARCA race Friday afternoon, dominating the event. Shortly after, he jumped straight into a Kyle Busch Motorsports truck to qualify 13th. The nearby New York native finished seventh in Stage 1 and 22nd in Stage 2 after making a pit stop in the stage. In the end, Eckes wound up fourth.
2. Tony Mrakovich – Looking down the running order, Truck Series fans will see the Pennsylvania native finishing 12th for NEMCO Motorsports. It was just the second Truck Series race of the year for the young 20-year-old and his best finish yet. Mrakovich competed in his family-owned team at Martinsville and Dover earlier this season but failed to qualify. His only other finish was 26th at Fort Worth.
3. Tyler Dippel – Dippel came close to earning his second career top-10 finish Saturday afternoon. He finished ninth in Stage 1 and seventh in Stage 2. Ultimately, the Youngs Motorsports driver came home 11th, just one spot short of the top-10. Dippel is one of the drivers that will have to win in the next two races in order to make the Playoffs.
