NCWTS: Drivin’ for Linemen 200 Race Preview

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series travels to the midwest for the fourth annual Drivin’ for Linemen 200 at Gateway Motorsports Park. The event marks the eighth race of the season for the series in 2017. Christopher Bell, who won the event one year ago, will pilot the No. 4 JBL Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

 

The official entry list features 30 drivers for the Drivin’ for Linemen 200. With 30 on the weekend entry list, there will be no DNQ’s later Saturday evening. Fans can watch qualifying on delay at 7:00 p.m. ET. on FOX Sports 1. After that, at 8:30 p.m. ET., the race will get underway live on FOX Sports 1.

 

Todd Gilliland will join Kyle Busch Motorsports on Saturday to make his second career Camping World Truck Series start. Gilliland, son of former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series racer David Gilliland, made his Camping World Truck Series debut at Dover International Speedway earlier this year.

 

The 17-year old driver from North Carolina finished 20th in his first time out. The young rising star started the day 15th and had his day end short after a suspension issue parked them in the garage.

 

“I am super excited about driving the No. 51 PEDIGREE® Toyota Tundra at Gateway this weekend,” said Gilliland. “This will be my first time racing at the track, but we tested there and so I am feeling confident about my performance. It is a cool racetrack. Turns one and two are really tight and turns three and four are wide open, so it will be a challenge. But I think we will be able to get it done.”

 

Christopher Bell, who won last year’s event at Gateway, enters the weekend with momentum after scoring the win at Texas Motor Speedway last week. The driver led 92 of the 167 circuits to score his fourth Camping World Truck Series victory.

 

“Gateway was a good race for us last year because we were able to get a win and earn a spot in the Chase, but it was kind of circumstances that got us the win,” said Bell in a team release. “A few of the strong guys crashing late in the race combined with a good pit stop, followed by a good restart won us the race. I’m looking forward to going back this year and trying to win the race as the dominant truck like we have the other two wins we’ve collected this year. I feel like every time we’ve gone to the track this year we’ve had really good speed and a Tundra that’s capable of winning the race.”

 

Through seven starts in 2017, Bell holds two victories, five top five and six top 10 finishes. The native of Oklahoma has an average start of 5.3 and an average finish of 6.4.

 

Grant Enfinger took the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings lead after a third-place performance last weekend in the Lone-Star State. Enfinger passed Kaz Grala for the top spot last Friday.

 

Grala finished 10th in his No. 33 Chevrolet for GMS Racing at Texas after starting sixth on the leaderboard.

 

Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings:

 

Enfinger – leader

Briscoe -4

Grala -5

Gragson -16

Cindric -37

 

Fans can follow live coverage of the race at 8:30 p.m. ET. on FOX Sports 1. The Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM Channel 90 will have the live radio broadcast.

Brett Winningham
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