‘Awfully Good’ Racing Highlighted by Landen Lewis, Olivia Murray Wins at Cook Out Summer Shootout
Tuesday was an “awfully” good night for racing and fun at Cook Out Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where Landen Lewis (Boston Reid & Co. Pro division) and Olivia Murray (Outlaws) were among the drivers claiming victory during Round 4’s white-knuckled excitement.
Back-to-back Wins for Lewis
Landen Lewis powered his Boston Reid & Co. Pro division hot rod to back-to-back wins with a triumphant Round 4 run. The 25-lap feature seemed to be well in hand for Alex McCollum, who was dominant early, until a caution on Lap 13 brought the field back together.
On the ensuing restart, Lewis squeezed his way into the lead taking the inside line away from McCollum and charging ahead of the pack. Parker Eatmon followed in his No. 4 machine to take the second place spot.
“This means a lot,” Lewis said. “It took me four years to get where we’re standing. Last week we finally won. (Team owner) Joe (Ryan Osborne) told me, when you win it once, it’s easier to get back again. He has right.”
Murray Manhandles Outlaw Competion
In the Bandolero Outlaw division, it was ladies night at America’s Home for Racing as Olivia Murray took home her first Cook Out Summer Shootout win of the 2022 season after dominating the 20-car field in a 20-lap feature. Despite three cautions that collected a total of 12 cars, Murray held off some fierce competition from Killian McMann and Phoenyx Kimball, among others.
In the end, however, no one had the speed to catch Murray, who cruised to victory ahead of Hunter Morgan and Kaeden Ballos.
“I just had to make sure I hit all my marks; The car felt so good,” Murray said after the win. “I’ve got to thank my sponsors – and my parents. Everybody here’s been able to help me do what I do.”
Cook Out Summer Shootout continues with Round 5 on Tuesday, July 5. “Red, White and Brew Night” at America’s Home for Racing features a full slate of Legend Car and Bandolero action, post-race autograph session and a patriotic fireworks display. All first responders get in FREE with a valid ID.
TICKETS:
Cook Out Summer Shootout Entry is $10 for adults and kids 12 and under are FREE. Tickets can be purchased at the gate, by calling 800-455-FANS or online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.
KEEP TRACK:
Follow all the thrilling CookOut Summer Shootout action using the hashtag #WeCreateLegends. Connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Top 10 in each division of Tuesday’s races (unofficial results):
Beginner Bandoleros: 1. Gavin Holland; 2. Wyatt Coffey; 3. Bryson Mruphy; 4. Aidan Zschiedrich; 5. Hendrick Case; 6. Jeffrey Beck; 7. Mason Roberts; 8. Jack Smith; 9. Corbin Cannon; 10. Camden Truett
Bandolero Bandits: 1. Beckham Malone; 2. Hudson Canipe; 3. Darren Krantz Jr; 4. Ben Morabito; 5. LaQuan McCoy; 6. Bryson Brinkley; 7. Carson Cauble; 8. Mardy Roberts III; 9. Colt Johnson; 10. Owen Zacharias
Bandolero Outlaws: 1. Olivia Murray; 2. Hunter Morgan; 3. Kaeden Ballos; 4. Phoenyx Kimball; 5. Bobby Gossett; 6. Alison Johnson; 7. Killian McMann; 8. Carson Smith; 9. Nathan Lyons; 10. Joshua Lowe
Young Lions: 1. Carson Haislip; 2. Joel Smith; 3. TJ Decaire; 4. London McKenzie; 5. Joshua Dickens; 6. George Phillips; 7. Sean McElearney; 8. Layton Harrison; 9. Trevor Cline; 10. Luke Baldwin
VP Racing Semi-Pro: 1. Sean Abell; 2. Carson Brown; 3. Trevor Wester; 4. Byron Daley; 5. Preston Wrisley; 6. Justin Campbell; 7. Jack Baldwin; 8. Lucas Vera; 9. Thomas Annunziata; 10. Andres Perez
Boston Reid & Company Pro: 1. Landen Lewis; 2. Parker Eatmon; 3. Alex McCollum; 4. Jordan Black; 5. Garrett Lowe; 6. Cameron Bolin; 7. Justice Calabro; 8. Gavin Graham; 9. Jake Bollman; 10. Daniel Wilk
Masters: 1. Brandon McKenzie; 2. Robbie Woodall; 3. Robby Faggart; 4. Rusty Young; 5. Dwayne Holder; 6. Mark Green; 7. Carl Cormier; 8. Lee Jordan; 9. Brandin Wrisley; 10. Clayton Austin
CMS PR
CHARLESTON CANCELED: DIRTcar Summer Nationals Graves 40 at Charleston Speedway Canceled
Due to unforeseen circumstances, DIRTcar and Charleston Speedway officials have decided to cancel the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Late Model and DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified events at Charleston Speedway, scheduled for July 5.
There will not be a makeup date for the Summer Nationals and Summit Modifieds.
Illinois-Indiana Week will now begin on Wednesday, July 6, with the second visit of the season to Fayette County Speedway in Brownstown, IL.
For further updates on the DIRTcar Summer Nationals and Summit Modified Nationals, visit DIRTcarSummerNationals.
DIRTcar Series PR
Is NASCAR Popular in Texas?
It's obvious. In the United States, interest in Formula One is exploding. To see a record-breaking audience at Racetrack of the Americas for the United States Grand Prix, go no farther than Austin, Texas. While it's possible that those attendance figures imply that NASCAR is losing ground, it's important to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.
Finding a Good Sportsbook for NASCAR
It's now simpler than ever to place a wager on a NASCAR national race owing to the proliferation of NASCAR betting services on the internet. However, as the popularity of NASCAR betting grows, so does the question of where to place real money wagers. It might be difficult to find out where to place your NASCAR bets online that are secure, reliable, and have the highest odds of winning! It's always recommended that you conduct some research prior to using a sportsbook. It is also important to check the legality of sports betting in Texas, as this will make the experience more reliable and safe.
History of NASCAR in Texas
If North Wilkesboro's North Wilkesboro International Speedway seems like a ghost town, Texas World Raceway in College Station isn't any better.
With a two-mile length with 22-degree banked turns and eight-degree banked straightaways, the configuration of the racetrack is similar to that of the Michigan circuit near Detroit.
Larry Lopatin and the founder of NASCAR Bill France found themselves at odds with their differing positions on the Talladega embargo of 1969, which meant that the speedway was condemned from day one. Lopatin is rushing to raise additional funds after France pulled the event from its calendar due to complaints about the prize money.
Only 24,000 people attended Lopatin's first race, despite the fact that he had secured the necessary funds. In 1971, 18,000 people attended the speedway's second event. After the 1973 season, the speedway was unable to hold a NASCAR race until 1979 at the earliest. Even at that time, the tale was the same: barely 11,000 people showed out to witness Darrell Waltrip's victory.
With the inaugural long-distance superspeedway race won by Bobby Isaac in 1969, Texas World Speedway briefly became a NASCAR Winston Cup racetrack staple. Isaac beat Donnie Allison by two laps to win the race. NASCAR would not return to College Station until 1970 after the 1969 Texas 500.
The Texas World Speedway had eight races, with Richard Petty winning three (1971-'73) and Cale Yarborough, Isaac, Darrell Waltrip, Buddy Baker, and Benny Parsons each winning one race. The very last time NASCAR raced at Daytona International Speedway was in 1981 when Parson won the Budweiser 400.
To begin with, the Automobile Race Club of America held races there between 1991 and 1993 when Ishin Speed Sport purchased and restored the racetrack, but after that season, the speedway was used for sports car races and amateur racing.
From that point onwards, the speedway's 15-turn road course has served as its principal feature with groups such as the SCCA, CMRA, and various driving schools making their way around the 2.9 miles of lefts and right.
Greg Biffle's No. 16 Roush-Fenway Motorsports Ford recorded an incredible 228 miles during a December test on the two-mile track, confirming that the speedway remains one of the quickest in the country... If Texas World Speedway were to be relaid and SAFER barriers added, it would be an ideal location for an event of any kind. Fort Worth's track, on the other hand, has already been dubbed the speedway's more entertaining cousin.
Texas World Speedway's revival would be a wonderful addition to the state's already impressive collection of motorsports venues. When it came to NASCAR, the track looked to be in the wrong decade. Texas World Raceway would be a welcome addition in an era when raceways are all the same.
Perhaps this time around, it won't be as difficult to attract viewers.
Most Renowned Race in Texas NASCAR History
2007 Samsung 500
The first twelve races at Texas Motor Speedway were all won by drivers. As a result, the race had an air of satire.
Jeff Gordon had the worst luck of anyone in the first twelve races. Despite strong hopes, he was unable to provide a good result. He appeared certain to fail at Texas.
Due to a rain-disrupted qualifying session, Gordon was able to start from the front row At Texas, he would get out to a strong start and take the early lead.
HaasTooling.com Racing: Cole Custer Road America Advance
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● Cole Custer and the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) are going road-course racing for the second time in the last three events and the third time this season when they take to NASCAR’s longest racetrack – the 4.048-mile, 14-turn circuit at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin – for Sunday’s Cup Series event.
● Sunday’s 62-lap, 250-mile race will be Custer’s 93rd Cup Series start, his 12th on a road course, and his second at Road America. He qualified 15th and battled a loose-handling racecar to a 17th-place finish in last year’s first Cup Series appearance at the track in 65 years and just the second ever. Custer’s best previous Cup Series finish on a road course was ninth in the October 2020 race on the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval en route to that year’s Rookie of the Year honors. He qualified sixth for his most recent road-course outing June 12 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway and was battling for a top-10 finish in the closing laps before getting spun in turn 11 and having to settle for 21st.
● Custer will also make his third NASCAR Xfinity Series appearance of the season behind the wheel of the No. 07 SS Greenlight Racing Ford Mustang during Saturday’s Henry 180. In his 13 previous Xfinity Series outings on road courses, Custer finished outside the top-10 just once with a best result of third in this year’s March 26 race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. He was fourth in the 2018 Xfinity Series race at Road America and has two other top-10s there. Custer’s first Xfinity Series outing in the No. 07 Mustang this year resulted in a victory from the second starting position Feb. 26 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California.
● Custer also has top-10s in all three of his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series outings on road courses, all at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario. His best was his most recent, a second-place run from the pole with a race-high 39 laps led in the No. 00 JR Motorsports entry in 2016. He also made three starts apiece on the road courses at Sonoma and Watkins Glen in NASCAR K&N Pro Series competition, with best finishes of third in the 2016 East Series race at Watkins Glen after having qualified on the pole there the previous year, and fourth in the 2019 West Series race at Sonoma.
● Riding along with Custer and his SHR Mustang is team co-owner Gene Haas’ newest holding, Haas Tooling, which was launched as a way for CNC machinists to purchase high-quality cutting tools at great prices. Haas cutting tools are sold exclusively online at HaasTooling.com and shipped directly to end users. HaasTooling.com products became available nationally in July 2020. Haas Automation, founded by Haas in 1983, is America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools. The company manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers and rotary tables and indexers. All Haas products are constructed in the company’s 1.1-million-square-foot manufacturing facility in Oxnard, California, and distributed through a worldwide network of Haas Factory Outlets.
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| Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing |
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You’ve had some of your best outings at Road America when you raced in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and you and your fellow competitors enjoyed racing there for the first time in the Cup Series last year. How do you feel about heading back this year? “I’m really excited for Road America. It’s a really prestigious road course in our country and I think it’s a place where, if you have any bad tendencies, it’s going to show up at Road America. You have so many different corners, there are so many hard corners, it just brings out some of the best road-course racing.”
How do you think the NextGen cars will fare at Road America this weekend? “Obviously, the NextGen cars are very different, but we’ve seen so far that they’re very well suited for road-course racing. I think Road America is a track that’s really tough – it’s a really tough road course. Like I said, if you have any bad tendencies, they’re going to show up there. But with how well the NextGen cars race on the road courses, I think you’ll see a lot of guys doing well out there. It should be even more competitive than we’ve seen so far.”
One of the track’s nicknames is “America’s National Park of Speed,” and the fans there are known to be among the most passionate in all of motorsports. How do you like that aspect of racing there? “Those cheese lovers, they might be out of control (laughs). It’s awesome to go up there. Just hardcore race fans, people who live and die by that racetrack, and I think it’s really cool to see people who are that passionate about the sport.”
At just over 4 miles, a lap around the 14-turn Road America layout is the longest on the Cup Series schedule, each lap somewhat of a “road trip” in itself. If you could go on a road trip with anyone, who would that be, and why? “That’s a good question. I think a lot of people are probably going say Dale Earnhardt. He’s really iconic in our sport, somebody who I think would be fun to talk to about what it was like back when he first got going and how much the sport’s changed, and what he thinks about it now. I think it would be a really interesting conversation.”
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HighPoint.com Racing: Chase Briscoe Road America Advance
| Notes of Interest |
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● The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, for the third of six road course events on the 2022 season schedule. Sunday’s race marks Chase Briscoe’s second Cup Series start at the 4.048-mile, 14-turn road course.
● The HighPoint.com driver started 35th and drove his way to a sixth-place finish a year ago this weekend at Road America. It was his second of three top-10 finishes in 2021. In total, Briscoe has nine Cup Series starts on road courses with three top-10s. He finished 13th in his most recent road-course race June 12 at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway.
● The 27-year-old racer from Mitchell, Indiana, picked up two Xfinity Series wins on road courses – his first career Xfinity Series victory was in the series’ inaugural race on the Charlotte Roval in 2018. He also fulfilled his childhood dream of kissing the historic Yard of Bricks when he scored his fifth win of the 2020 season on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.
● Briscoe finished among the top-10 in all but three of the 10 road-course races in which he competed in the Xfinity Series. And in his lone NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start on a road course – the 2017 race at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Bowmanville, Ontario – Briscoe finished seventh in a Ford F-150.
● Briscoe is 18th in the driver standings following last weekend’s 34th-place finish at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway. He currently holds a spot in the 16-driver playoff field by virtue of his March 13 win at Phoenix Raceway.
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| Chase Briscoe, Driver of the No. 14 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing: |
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You had an off weekend to reset before jumping back in for a 10-week run for the playoffs, but you had a tough outing in Nashville last weekend. What is the focus the next nine weeks? “I’m just kind of stressed out with the situation in the playoffs, truthfully, and we have nine weeks until the playoffs start. We just need to really focus on making the playoffs. Just because we have a win, it doesn’t mean we’re guaranteed at all with how many winners we’ve had right now. So I think we just need to try to take these next nine races and use them as a practice for the playoffs and try to execute. I’ve done a terrible job as far as executing on days we have good car. There have been multiple races we could’ve won that we threw away. You get three races in each round of the playoffs and if you have one bad race, you’re kind of done for the playoffs. I just need to do a better job as a racecar driver of understanding that and trying to capitalize. Come playoff time, you’re not going to be able to shoot yourself in the foot and continue on like nothing happened.”
How do you stay grounded and focused on what’s ahead? “Johnny (Klausmeier, crew chief) and my team, I feel like, do a really good job of that. I feel like, internally, I kind of do try to do the same. I just don’t have a ton of experience in the playoff format. You know that I’ve only done it three years now and that was on the Trucks and Xfinity levels. So at the Cup level, obviously, it’s way more intense, way more cutthroat. So I don’t know, I feel like I’ve not done a great job in the past in the lower series of doing the playoff run. So I just need to do a better job, at the end of the day. And I feel like if we if I do a good job, my team puts a car under me and people who make me capable of running up front and trying to win races. It’s just a matter of putting it all together and limiting mistakes.”
Road America is a track where you have to be very careful. If you get off track, it can really cost you. How much does that affect how you approach the race?
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Brandon Jones - No. 19 Menards/Patriot Lighting Toyota GR Supra Preview - Henry 180 at Road America
No. 19 Menards/Patriot Lighting Toyota GR Supra News and Notes:
- JONES AT ROAD AMERICA: Brandon Jones has six prior starts at Road America in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS). He has one top-10 finish and has led four laps. Jones has an average starting position of 17 and an average finish of 16.5.
- FEATURED ON THE HOOD: The No. 19 Menards Toyota GR Supra will carry the Patriot Lighting logo on the hood this weekend at Road America. For more information visit: www.menards.com.
- NASHVILLE XFINITY SERIES RECAP: Jones started eighth in the Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville Superspeedway. The No. 19 Menards Toyota GR Supra started off loose, making it hard for Jones to drive into and out of the corners. The No. 19 pit crew made adjustments at the first stage break and gained five spots for Jones on pit road. Adjustments at the second stage break made the car much better for Jones to drive. Jones stayed out during all the cautions in stage three, driving all the way up to second place. The No. 19 team finished the race in 14th place after gambling on pit strategy.
- FOLLOW ALONG: Follow along for updates and a behind-the-scenes look at Jones 2022 NXS/ARCA Seasons.
Twitter: @BrandonJonesRac I Facebook: Brandon Jones Racing I Instagram: Brandonjames
- RACE INFO: The NASCAR Xfinity Series Henry 180 is scheduled for 2:30 PM EST on Saturday, July 2. The race will be broadcasted on USA, MRN, Sirius XM and available to stream on the NBS Sports app.
From the Cockpit:
Brandon Jones: “Our No. 19 team has come a long way with our road course program, and we feel very confident going into Road America. We had a very strong run last year at Road America until a late spin cost us our chance for a solid top-three finish. I feel as if I need some redemption this year due to the way we finished last time. Road America is unlike any other road course on our schedule, mainly because it is over four miles. Every corner brings its challenges. Track position and restarts are going to be critical, so this will be a big part of our strategy as well as working on passing and not making mistakes. I have been able to run go-karts, lay some laps down in the TRD simulator, and run bi-weekly dirt micros in preparation. I am excited to get back to Road America and score the best finish we can for my Menards/ Patriot Lighting Toyota GR Supra team.”
JGR PR
Sammy Smith / No. 18 Allstate Peterbilt Group Toyota GR Supra Preview – Henry 180 at Road America
No. 18 Allstate Peterbilt Group Toyota GR Supra News and Notes:
- SMITH’S XFINITY DEBUT: This weekend’s race at Road America will be Sammy Smith’s NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) debut. He will run a total of eight NXS races for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) in 2022. The remaining races on his schedule are Pocono (July 23), Michigan (August 6), Watkins Glen (August 20), Kansas (September 10), Bristol (September 16), Martinsville (October 29), and Phoenix (November 5). The Henry 180 will be Smith's first race at Road America.
- ALLSTATE PETERBILT GROUP: The No. 18 Toyota GR Supra will be sponsored by Allstate Peterbilt Group for Smith’s debut.
- 2022 ARCA SERIES: Smith has won the last two ARCA Menards Series races this season – Elko Speedway and Berlin Raceway. He has two poles this season with an average starting position of 3.3 and an average finish of 1.8 after running four races. In the ARCA Menards Series East, the reigning champion has three wins this season – New Smyrna, Pensacola and Nashville – with his other two finishes being in the top-five.
- FOLLOW ALONG: Follow along for updates and a behind-the-scenes look at Smith’s 2022 NXS/ARCA Seasons.
Twitter: @SammySmithSS I Facebook: Sammy Smith Racing I Instagram: @sammysmithss_
- RACE INFO: The NASCAR Xfinity Series Henry 180 is scheduled for 2:30 PM EST on Saturday, July 2. The race will be broadcasted on USA, MRN, Sirius XM and available to stream on the NBS Sports app.
From the Driver’s Seat:
Sammy Smith: "I’m excited to start my NASCAR Xfinity Series career this weekend at Road America! I’ve been preparing for this for a long time and am ready to compete at the next level. There’s a lot that’s new this week learning a new track, new car and new team, so I’m coming into this race as prepared as I can be. It’s going to be challenging, but I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can about these cars and putting on a solid performance for the No. 18 Allstate Peterbilt Group team this weekend!"
JGR PR
Daniel Dye - New Smyrna Preview
Race Notes:
- Daniel Dye returns to New Smyrna Speedway for the Florida Sunbelt Series, Clyde Hart Memorial 100 on Saturday night under the lights.
- Dye's last event at the half-mile came on February 19, where he drove the Ben Kennedy Racing car to a solid fourth-place finish. That was the same day Daniel competed in the ARCA Menards Series event at Daytona International Speedway, where he finished third in his inaugural start.
- One hundred thirty three days will have passed since the most recent start at New Smyrna for DD. Saturday's race will be the fifth super late model start at New Smyrna Speedway in 2022, and the ninth event of the season with Ben Kennedy Racing's No. 43.
- Daniel will race on back-to-back weekends at New Smyrna Speedway, with an ARCA Menards Series race at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course in between. The Clyde Hart Memorial 100 is on July 2, ARCA Dawn 150 on July 8, and the Southern Super Series on July 9.
- Behind-the-scenes updates and content will be posted to Daniel's Twitter account on race day, @danieldye43.
DD Quote:
“I'm definitely looking forward to getting back in the late model this weekend at a track I obviously know really well. The BKR guys have done a great job getting us dialed in at New Smyrna this year, so it'll be good to go back and work on it, have some fun, and get ready for the Southern Super Series race as well.”
Daniel Dye PR
No. 10 Haas Automation Ford Racing: Road America Race Advance
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● After 17 races this season, Almirola is the only driver in the NASCAR Cup Series without a DNF (Did Not Finish). He has completed all but five laps of the 4,650 run this year – a 99.9 percent completion rate.
● Last year at Road America, Almirola led one lap and finished 14th. Almirola has 30 road-course starts in the NASCAR Cup Series with two top-10 finishes and a best of eighth at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, five top-20s at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International with a best finish of 12th, three top-20s on the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval with a best finish of 14th, and a top-12 finish in the non-points Busch Clash in 2020 on the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway road course. Almirola’s most recent road-course race proved to be a success when piloted the No. 10 Ford to a 14th place finish at Sonoma, but was one of the highest points earners of the day.
● Points: Almirola arrives at Road America 12th in the driver standings with 443 points, 143 out of first.
● Haas Automation, founded by Gene Haas in 1983, is America’s leading builder of CNC machine tools. The company manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers and rotary tables and indexers. All Haas products are constructed in the company’s 1.1-million-square-foot manufacturing facility in Oxnard, California, and distributed through a worldwide network of Haas Factory Outlets. Also represented on the No. 10 car will be team co-owner Gene Haas’ newest holding, Haas Tooling, which was launched as a way for CNC machinists to purchase high-quality cutting tools at great prices. Haas cutting tools are sold exclusively online at HaasTooling.com and shipped directly to end users. HaasTooling.com products became available nationally in July 2020.
● Almirola’s career: In 405 NASCAR Cup Series starts, Almirola has earned three wins, 28 top-five finishes, 89 top-10s, three poles, and has led 899 laps.
● One More Time: On Jan. 10, Almirola released a video on his YouTube channel announcing his retirement from fulltime NASCAR Cup Series racing after the 2022 season to spend more time with his family. His opening remarks were attributed to his grandfather’s mentorship. This year marks Almirola’s 11th fulltime Cup Series season. The official press release can be viewed here.
● Beyond the 10 YouTube Series: In 2022, Almirola is once again sharing his life beyond the No. 10 Smithfield Ford with season three of his award-winning YouTube series. Fans and media can subscribe on YouTube to see Almirola’s personality on and off the track. Episodes have already featured life as a dad, a husband and an athlete, and it gives fans a unique perspective on what goes on in the life of a professional NASCAR driver. Fans can also follow Almirola’s social media channels: @Aric_Almirola on Twitter and Instagram, and @AricAlmirola on Facebook.
● Almirola was the only NASCAR Cup Series driver to finish in the top-10 in this year’s opening three races. He finished fifth in the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, sixth at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, and sixth at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Almirola’s top-10 streak ended with a 12th-place finish at Phoenix Raceway despite running inside the top-10 throughout the race. |
| Aric Almirola, Driver of the No. 10 Haas Automation Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing: |
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You don’t consider yourself a road course ace, but you were one of the highest points earners at Sonoma three weekends ago. Are points the strategy at road courses this year?
“Yes and no. We came to Sonoma with a good car and I felt good about it, but feeling good about it means a top-10 or top-five run. I didn’t grow up road-course racing like some of these guys. Drew Blickensderfer (crew chief) put us on a great strategy and we were really good on the long run, so we were able to capitalize on stage points each stage. We knew if the race went long enough without a caution, we would have a shot at top-10 or top-five, but a caution came out in the middle of our long run. We still finished fourth and were credited 38 points, which is the equivalent of winning the race with no stage points, so if we get the opportunity to do that, we’re going to take it.”
What do you do to prepare yourself for road courses?
“Well, there are two ways to train that are very important – mentally and physically. Mentally, we have Ford Performance, who allows us to use high-tech simulator technology that helps us dial in our road-course skills. We typically do that on Tuesday or Wednesday before a race. It refreshes us on the course layout and gives our team some simulation notes to use. The physical side is just as important because road-course racing is very physically demanding on the core, neck, arms, lower legs. And, on top of that, it’s the middle of the summer, so it’s going to be hot. I feel that I have an advantage there because I do a lot of cycling and a lot of heat training in the summer. At Sonoma, we gained three or four spots in the closing laps, so I look forward to those long runs where I may have a physical advantage.”
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NASCAR National Series News & Notes - Road America
NASCAR Cup Series
Next Race: Kwik Trip 250 presented by JOCKEY Made in America
The Place: Road America
The Date: Sunday, July 3
The Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV: USA, 2 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 250.98 miles (62 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 15),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 30), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 62)
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Next Race: Henry 180
The Place: Road America
The Date: Saturday, July 2
The Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
TV: USA, 2 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 182.16 miles (45 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 10),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 20), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 45)
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Next Race: O'Reilly Auto Parts 150 at Mid-Ohio
The Place: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
The Date: Saturday, July 9
The Time: 1:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 1 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 151.28 miles (67 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 15),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 35), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 67)
NASCAR Cup Series
NASCAR celebrates Fourth of July Weekend at Road America
For the second year-in-a-row the NASCAR Cup Series will be celebrating Independence Day (July 4) Weekend in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin competing on the world famous Road America this Sunday, July 3 at 3 p.m. ET on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90). This weekend’s Kwik Trip 250 presented by JOCKEY Made In America race marks just the third-time in series history that Road America has hosted a NASCAR Cup Series event (1956, 2021, 2022).
In the early 1950’s, sports car races were being run on the streets in and around Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, but the state legislature banned racing on the public roads soon after. A man named Clif Tufte organized a group of local citizens and leaders of the Chicago Region of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). This group developed plans and sold stock to build a permanent racecourse. The overall vision of Road America grew out of the dreams of Tufte, a highway engineer, who chose 525 acres of Wisconsin farmland outside the Village of Elkhart Lake for the track. Ground broke for Road America in April of 1955 and the track’s first SCCA national race weekend was held later that same year (September 10, 1955).
At 4.048-miles in length, with 14 turns, the track is virtually the same today as it was when it was first laid out. The natural topography of the glacial Kettle Moraine area was utilized for the track, sweeping around rolling hills and plunging through ravines making it one of the most challenging tracks in the world.
The first, and up until last season, the only, NASCAR Cup Series race at Road America was on August 12, 1956. An estimated crowd of 10,000 braved terrible weather to watch the event. And in an unusual ruling, NASCAR limited the cars to 10 gallons of fuel at start the race.
The August 12, 1956, race was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tim Flock driving a Mercury for car owner Bill Stroppe. Flock led 17 laps of the 63-lap event, making just two pit stops en route to his win; his fourth victory of the 1956 season. Flock won with an average speed of 73.858 mph and did it in 3 hours, 29 minutes, and 50 seconds. He won the race by a 17 second margin of victory over second place. Bill Stroppe’s cars actually finished 1-2 in the race with Flock winning and his teammate Billy Myers finishing second.
Then last season, the NASCAR Cup Series returned to Road America after nearly 65 years, and the race was won by Hendrick Motorsport’s driver Chase Elliott with a margin of victory of 5.705-seconds over second place Christopher Bell.
Road America will be the third of six road courses on the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series schedule – Circuit of The Americas, Sonoma Raceway, Road America, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, Watkins Glen International and Charlotte ROVAL. Trackhouse Racing teammates Ross Chastain (Circuit of The Americas) and Daniel Suárez (Sonoma) have already won the first two road course races of the year.
The highspeed on-track activity for the NASCAR Cup Series will begin this weekend with practice from 11:30 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. ET, directly followed by Busch Light Pole Qualifying at 12:20 p.m. ET. Both events will be televised on USA Network from 12-1:30 p.m. ET.
Spotlight shifts to Chase Elliott following Nashville win
Hendrick Motorsport’s driver Chase Elliott became the fifth driver of the 2022 season with two victories following his win last weekend at Nashville Superspeedway. Now, the NASCAR Cup Series points standings leader, Elliott, holds a 30-point edge on Ross Chastain in second in the driver standings, as the spotlight shifts its focus on the series’ Most Popular driver and his quest for his second title.
Elliott’s win in Nashville gave him a much needed cushion between himself and Chastain as they battle it out for the Regular Season Championship and the coveted 15 Playoff points that come with it. Unlike in season’s past when one driver would accumulate a lot of Playoff points heading into the postseason, this year the five drivers with multiple wins are primarily grasping onto the lion’s share of the Playoff points – Elliott (13 Playoff pts.), Chastain (13), William Byron (13), Joey Logano (12) and Denny Hamlin (12) – making winning this season Regular Season title that much more important.
Fortunately for Chase Elliott, the NASCAR Cup Series is returning to a road course this weekend which is the type of track that nearly half (seven) of his 15 career Cup Series wins have come on; including last season’s race at Road America. Elliott has also grabbed road course wins at Watkins Glen (2018, 2019), Charlotte ROVAL (2019, 2020), Daytona Road Course (2020), and Circuit of The Americas (2021). Last season at Road America, Elliott started 34th and raced his way up to the win, leading 24 laps en route to the checkered flag.
This season, Elliott has put up two wins (Dover, Nashville), four top fives and 11 top 10s. He has led 513 laps and has held the points standings lead since assuming the position following Atlanta. If Elliott manages to hold on and win the NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Championship, he will become the fifth different driver to accomplish the feat; joining Martin Truex Jr. (2017), Kyle Busch (2019, 2018), Kevin Harvick (2020) and his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson (2021).
And if Elliott would go on to win the overall series championship in Phoenix in November, he would become just the 17th different driver all-time with multiple titles. He would also join Herb Thomas (1951, 1953), Tim Flock (1952, 1955), Buck Baker (1956, 1957), Joe Weatherly (1962, 1963), Ned Jarrett (1961, 1965), Terry Labonte (1984, 1996) and Kyle Busch (2015, 2019) as the eighth driver all-time with just two series championships.
Playoff Bubble: Harvick bounces Almirola out of Playoff transfer spot
With Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Kevin Harvick (16th) and Aric Almirola (17th) teetering the postseason cutoff line in the NASCAR Cup Series driver Playoff outlook standings, these last nine races left in the regular season are going to be tense. A mere nine points separates the SHR teammates as the series heads to Road America for the Kwik Trip 250 presented by JOCKEY Made in America this Sunday, July 3, at 3 p.m. ET on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Heading into Nashville last weekend, Almirola was in 16th with a seven point cushion between himself and Harvick, but Harvick’s top-10 finish was enough to leap frog Almirola in the standings putting himself back into postseason contention. This weekend at Road America, Almirola will try regaining his standing in the points. Last season, Almirola finished 14th to Harvick’s 27th at Road America.
Of the drivers without wins this season heading into this weekend at Road America, Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney currently has the largest points cushion on the Playoff cutoff with +112 points. Blaney is coming off a solid third-place finish last weekend at Nashville and will hope some of that momentum will carryover this weekend on the Elkhart Lake road course. Blaney finished 20th at Road America last season but does have one career Cup road course win at the Charlotte ROVAL in 2018.
Next on the Playoff outlook grid are Joe Gibbs Racing teammates and former road course winners Martin Truex Jr. and Christopher Bell. Truex currently holds a 73-point edge on the postseason cutoff and Bell is up by 37 points. Truex is tied with Kyle Busch for the second-most road course wins among active drivers with four each. Truex has won three races at Sonoma and once at Watkins Glen. He finished ninth in last season’s Road America race. As for Bell, he grabbed his first career NASCAR Cup Series win at the Daytona Beach Road Course in 2021. Watch for Bell to contend this weekend he finished runner-up to Elliott in last season’s Road America race.
| 2022 Driver Playoff Outlook Following Race No. 17 - Drivers Without Wins | ||||||
| Rank | Driver | Points | Wins | Stages | Playoff Pts | Pts From Cutoff |
| 13 | Ryan Blaney | 555 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 112 |
| 14 | Martin Truex Jr. | 516 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 73 |
| 15 | Christopher Bell | 480 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 |
| 16 | Kevin Harvick | 452 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 17 | Aric Almirola | 443 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -9 |
| 18 | Tyler Reddick | 400 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -52 |
| 19 | Austin Dillon | 399 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -53 |
| 20 | Erik Jones | 394 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -58 |
| 21 | Michael McDowell | 355 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -97 |
| 22 | Chris Buescher | 325 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -127 |
| 23 | Justin Haley | 324 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -128 |
| 24 | Bubba Wallace | 313 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -139 |
| 25 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 309 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -143 |
| 26 | Ty Dillon | 276 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -176 |
| 27 | Cole Custer | 273 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -179 |
| 28 | Harrison Burton # | 253 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -199 |
| 29 | Todd Gilliland # | 252 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -200 |
| 30 | Brad Keselowski | 235 | 0 | 0 | -10 | -217 |
Baker’s dozen worth of road course winners entered at Road America
You can’t throw a wrench in the NASCAR Cup Series garage without hitting an active road course winner this weekend at Road America, as 13 are scheduled to compete on Sunday, July 3 at 3 p.m. ET in the Kwik Trip 250 presented by JOCKEY Made In America (USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Led by last season’s Road America winner, Chase Elliott, with seven NASCAR Cup Series road course wins, 13 active road course winners will be taking to 4.048-mile track this weekend; including the series most recent road course winner, Monterrey, Mexico’s Daniel Suárez, who took the win at Sonoma Raceway a few weeks back.
If Elliott wins this weekend, he will tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart for the second-most NASCAR Cup Series road course wins all-time with eight each. Just one behind series road course wins record holder and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon with nine road course wins.
| Active Road Course Winners in the NASCAR Cup Series | ||||||||
| Active Road Course Winners | Total Wins | Sonoma | WGI | Charlotte | Daytona | Indy | COTA | Road America |
| Chase Elliott | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Kyle Busch | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Martin Truex Jr | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kyle Larson | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kevin Harvick | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AJ Allmendinger | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Joey Logano | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kurt Busch | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ryan Blaney | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christopher Bell | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Denny Hamlin | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ross Chastain | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Daniel Suárez | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
NASCAR Cup Series, Etc.
First-Time Winners on Road Courses – Since 2018 in the NASCAR Cup Series road courses have accounted for four first-time winners in the series; including two this season – Chase Elliott (Watkins Glen, 2018), Christopher Bell (Daytona RC, 2021), Ross Chastain (COTA, 2022) and Daniel Suárez (Sonoma, 2022).
Pulling Double Duty at Road America – A total of six drivers will be pulling double duty this weekend at Road America - AJ Allmendinger, Ty Dillon, Josh Bilicki, Cole Custer, Tyler Reddick and Kyle Larson will all be competing in both the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Saturday, July 2, and the NASCAR Cup Series race on July 3 at Road America.
SportsCar stars Tilley and Hand are entered this weekend – Two drivers that cut their teeth in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Kyle Tilley and Joey Hand will be attempting to make the NASCAR Cup Series race this weekend at Road America.
Kyle Tilley hails from Bath, England and this weekend will be his fourth career start in the series and first of the 2022 season. Tilley will be piloting the No 78 Live Fast Motorsports Ford with crew chief Lee Leslie on Sunday. In his three career starts in the series last season, he has put up finishes of 31st (COTA), 35th (Road America) and 30th (Watkins Glen). Tilley is no stranger to Road America, he has one IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship start at the track where he started fourth and finished third in the ORECA LMP2 07 for Era Motorsports last season.
Hand, a former Chip Ganassi Racing driver in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, began an association with Ford in 2015. That year, he became a full-time driver for Ganassi and finished fourth in the IMSA Prototype standings while teamed with Scott Pruett.
Hand, from Sacramento, California, will be piloting the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford this weekend at Road America with crew chief Kevyn Rebolledo. This weekend will be Hands fourth career start in the series and third this season. In his first three starts he put up a 27th (Charlotte ROVAL, 2020), 35th (COTA, 2021) and 20th (Sonoma, 2021).
Though this weekend will be his NASCAR Cup Series career track debut, Hand has competed at Road America in IMSA posting an eighth-place finish for Turner Motorsports in a BMW M3 in 2011.
Loris Hezemans to attempt Road America this weekend – The Team Hezeberg with driver Loris Hezemans will attempt to qualify for the NASCAR Cup Series race, the Kwik Trip 250 presented by JOCKEY Made in America on Sunday, July 3 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
Hezemans, from Eindhoven, Netherlands, made his series career debut earlier this season at Circuit of The Americas; he started 36th but finished 34th seven laps down due to a rear gear issue. This will be Hezemans’ series track debut at Road America, though, he does have one start at the track in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for BJ McLeod Motorsports in 2019; he started 24th and finished 22nd.
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Xfinity Series is making left and right turns for Fourth of July Weekend
NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers will be kicking off the Fourth of July weekend at the 4.048-mile, 14-turn road course at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on Saturday, July 2 at 2:30 p.m. ET for the Henry 180 on the USA Network, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR radio.
The track has hosted 12 Xfinity Series races producing 12 different winners and seven different pole winners with Carl Edwards winning the inaugural race on June 19, 2010.
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ty Gibbs currently sits as the youngest pole winner, having snagged the pole last year at 18 years, eight months and 29 days old. Current Cup Series rookie Austin Cindric became the youngest winner at the road course in 2020, accomplishing the feat at 21 years, 11 months and six days old.
Fans last saw veteran Kyle Busch take the lead in the last five laps of the race to find himself in Victory Lane in last season’s Xfinity Series event at Road America. Although Busch will not be competing this weekend in the Xfinity Series, other Cup Series regulars will be taking to the track on Saturday for the Henry 180, such as Kyle Larson, Tyler Reddick, Ty Dillon and Cole Custer. Also, three former Xfinity Series Road America winners are entered as well – Justin Allgaier (2018), AJ Allmendinger (2013) and Jeremy Clements (2017).
The on-track action will begin on Friday, July 1 with practice at 5:30 p.m. ET followed by qualifying at 6 p.m. ET on the USA Network.
Will we have a different Road America winner once again?
The NASCAR Xfinity Series has been making its way to Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin to race at Road America since 2010 and there has yet to be a repeat winner.
Road America currently holds the longest active Xfinity Series different winners streak at 12. The record for the most consecutive different winners at a single track is 23, set at New Hampshire Motor Speedway between the 1990-2009 seasons.
Of the 12 drivers that have made their way to Victory Lane in the Xfinity Series, only three are entered in the Henry 180 to have the opportunity to add a second Road America win to their resume – AJ Allmendinger (2013), Jeremy Clements (2017) and Justin Allgaier (2018).
Allmendinger has four starts at the Wisconsin road course and has done quite well, posting one win, three top fives, three top 10s and even adding two poles (2013, 2019) to the mix. Road America is particularly special for him as it marks his first ever Xfinity Series win. In 2020, he put on quite the show as he raced his way up to a runner-up finish after starting in the 33rd position. With his success at Road America and being the series’ winningest driver on road courses, the veteran could very well become the track’s first-ever repeat winner as his two wins this season have come at COTA and Portland.
In his 413 Xfinity Series career starts, Clements has posted one win – Road America (2017). The win came as a surprise for all as he was in a nine-year-old car with his small family-owned team. On top of that, he wasn’t even sure if he’d be able to continue his NASCAR career after a 2004 race nearly cost him his hand. This season hasn’t gone quite as planned for the No. 51 Jeremy Clements Chevrolet driver as he’s only posted one top 10 in his 15 starts this season but perhaps, he’ll surprise fans once again and find himself in Victory Lane for the second time. He is currently 20th in the Playoff outlook, the last eligible
Allgaier is looking to keep his momentum alive after coming off a win last weekend in Nashville. He has 10 starts at Road America posting one win, two top fives and five top 10s. (He is tied for most top 10s with Elliott Sadler at five). Although he didn’t have a great finish at the road course at COTA earlier this season (33rd), he redeemed himself at the 1.97-mile road course in Portland with a fifth-place finish.
Playoff Bubble: Five spots still remain
With Justin Allgaier snagging his second win of the season last weekend in Nashville, five spots are still up for grabs in the remaining 11 races of the regular season.
Seven drivers have secured their spots on wins – AJ Allmendinger, Ty Gibbs, Justin Allgaier, Noah Gragson, Josh Berry, Brandon Jones and Austin Hill. The remaining spots are currently held by drivers who are sitting comfortably on points – Sam Mayer sits in sixth with 466 points (+162), Riley Herbst sits in ninth with 413 points (+109) and 2021 Xfinity Series Champ Daniel Hemric sits in 10th with 409 points (+105).
Taking up the last two slots are Landon Cassill in 11th (+81) and Ryan Sieg in the 12th and final Playoff transfer spot on points. Sieg has built up a hefty points cushion (+69 points) over Anthony Alfredo, who sits just outside of the Playoff window in 13th. To keep the points cushion, Sieg will have to bring his A-game as his eight starts at Road America have only produced one top-10 finish (2020).
On the other hand, Our Motorsports’ Anthony Alfredo will be making his series track debut at Road America this weekend.
NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.
Sammy Smith to make his Xfinity Series debut at Road America – Sammy Smith, the reigning ARCA Menards East champion with Joe Gibbs Racing will be behind the wheel of the No. 18 JGR Toyota for his Xfinity Series debut this Saturday, July 2 in the Henry 180 at Road America.
Smith will also run in Xfinity races at Pocono Raceway, Michigan International Speedway, Watkins Glen International, Kansas Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Martinsville Speedway and Phoenix Raceway later this season.
“Sammy has impressed at every level of his racing career,” said Steve DeSouza, Executive Vice President/Xfinity Series for Joe Gibbs Racing. “We believe Sammy will continue to excel and look forward to supporting him as he expands his 2022 schedule to include eight races in the Xfinity Series with the Joe Gibbs Racing No.18 team led by crew chief Jason Ratcliff.”
Hendrick Motorsports No. 17 makes debut with Kyle Larson at Road America - Hendrick Motorsports returns to the NASCAR Xfinity Series marking the first time in more than a decade that the 14-time NASCAR Cup Series championship-winning team has competed on the circuit.
Hendrick Motorsports will field its No. 17 Chevrolet Camaro on July 2 at Road America with Kyle Larson, July 30 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course with Alex Bowman, and Aug. 20 at Watkins Glen International with William Byron.
“Our drivers are always looking for more opportunities to compete,” said Jeff Andrews, president and general manager of Hendrick Motorsports. “We believe the additional road-course experience on Saturdays (in the Xfinity Series) will translate well to Sundays (in the Cup Series). It will be exciting to see the No. 17 return to the racetrack for Hendrick Motorsports, and we’ll do everything we can to take it back to Victory Lane.”
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Preece delivers Team DGR back-to-back wins at Nashville
For the second-time in two years, Ryan Preece took the checkered flag in the Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville Superspeedway. Preece, driving part-time for Team DGR, has now won both NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events at Nashville since the sport returned to the track in 2021. This comes right after Todd Gilliland, NASCAR Cup Series regular, drove the same No. 17 Team DGR Ford F-150 to a win at Knoxville Raceway. The No. 17 truck becomes the second entry throughout the season to go to Victory Lane with two different drivers, the other of which being the No. 51 for Kyle Busch Motorsports with Corey Heim and Kyle Busch.
Team DGR will get an extra weekend to enjoy the spoils of their wins as the series is off this weekend but will return to action next weekend in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the O'Reilly Auto Parts 150 at Mid-Ohio Saturday, July 9 at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Regular Season Title Watch: Zane Smith takes points standings lead with two to go
Front Row Motorsports’ Zane Smith continues to have a standout year as he claims the driver points lead in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with just two races to go in the regular season. The California native is currently 21 points up on John Hunter Nemechek in second in the series driver standings.
Smith’s ascension to the standing lead comes after a strong second-place finish at Nashville, where he narrowly edged out Carson Hocevar in the closing laps. Smith, in his first year driving the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford, has accumulated three wins, eight top-fives and 12 top-10s.
Having one week off before competing in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 at Mid-Ohio, Smith can rest easy knowing he is in prime position to earn the extra 15 Playoff points with only two races left in the regular season. Mathematically, Smith could clinch the Regular Season Championship at Mid-Ohio, but he would need help.
In addition, Smith will be looking forward to another road course on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule. He currently has the season-best average finish at road courses, with a win at Circuit of The Americas and a runner-up effort at Sonoma Raceway.
Clinch Scenarios: Time is running out for those not locked in
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has turned into a pressure cooker with five spots left up for grabs in the Playoffs and just two races left for drivers to win their way into the postseason. And with five spots left and only two races to go, that means at least three spots this season will be taken by drivers who transfer in on points.
Already Clinched
The following five drivers have clinched a spot in the 10-driver postseason field: Zane Smith, John Hunter Nemechek, Ben Rhodes, Chandler Smith and Stewart Friesen.
Can Clinch Playoff Spot Via Points
If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the Playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being 56 points above the fifth winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from either Ty Majeski, Christian Eckes, Carson Hocevar or Grant Enfinger.
- Ty Majeski: Would clinch with 13 points
- Christian Eckes: Would clinch with 43 points
- Carson Hocevar: Could only clinch with help
- Grant Enfinger: Could only clinch with help
If there is a new winner from Matt Crafton or another winless driver lower in the standings but still eligible to advance to the Playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being 56 points above the fourth winless driver in the standings.
- Ty Majeski: Would clinch with 23 points
- Christian Eckes: Would clinch with 53 points
- Carson Hocevar: Could only clinch with help
Can Clinch Playoff Spot Via Win
The following drivers would clinch on their win alone:
- Ty Majeski, Christian Eckes, Carson Hocevar, Grant Enfinger, Matt Crafton, Derek Kraus, Tyler Ankrum, Matt DiBenedetto, Tanner Gray
The following drivers could clinch with a win:
- Timmy Hill: Could only clinch with help
- Colby Howard: Could only clinch with help
- Lawless Alan: Could only clinch with help
Playoff Bubble Trouble Following Nashville
The Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville Superspeedway did not do any favors for several drivers hovering around the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoff bubble and their hopes of making the postseason.
Coming into the weekend sitting ninth in driver standings, Grant Enfinger got caught up in a costly incident on Lap 128 that ended his night and pushed him closer to the postseason cutoff line. Enfinger, driver of the No. 23 GMS Racing Chevrolet, now only sits 10 points above Matt Crafton who is currently in the 10th and final Playoff transfer spot in the driver standings. Crafton and the No. 88 ThorSport Racing Toyota team had a much-appreciated quiet night, coming home with a solid 10th-place finish but still teeters the Playoff cutline with two to go.
Also caught up in the incident at Lap 128 last weekend at Nashville was a driver who sits right outside the Playoff cutline in Matt DiBenedetto. Prior to the incident, the No. 25 Rackley W.A.R. Chevrolet was having a good night running inside the top-10. The good spirits quickly turned bad as DiBenedetto was knocked out of the race and was subsequentially placed at a greater points disadvantage. The first year NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver has shown solid speed throughout the season but has had some tough luck. DiBenedetto is now closer than ever to must-win territory as he has only two races left to earn a Playoff spot.
Leaving the weekend with a solid points outing was Derek Kraus of McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. The 20-year-old from Stratford, Wisconsin brought his No. 19 Chevy Silverado home with an 11th-place finish and a good haul of stage points. With Matt Crafton both finishing one spot ahead of him in the race and sitting one place in front of him in driver standings, Kraus aims to close the gap on the series veteran if he wants any shot of racing for the championship in the final seven races of the season.
Another driver that had a well-timed good run was Tyler Ankrum in the No. 16 Hattori Racing Enterprises Toyota Tundra. Ankrum finished the night with a seventh-place finish, tied for his best on the 2022 season. Coming into Nashville, the 21-year-old native of San Bernardino, California was 14th in driver standings before charging himself into 12th by the end of the night. Ankrum will seek to make up a similar amount of ground on those ahead of him at Mid-Ohio, another road course where he has tallied top-10s at each of the others on the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Schedule.
The same cannot be said for Tanner Gray of Team DGR, who fell back to 14th in the driver standings after a 30th place outing at Nashville. While him and his No. 15 team have been fast for most the season, their placement in the standings does not illustrate that all too well. Gray is now 70 points back from the Playoff cutline, which basically lands him in must-win territory with two races to go in the regular season. He joins other drivers such as Timmy Hill, Colby Howard, and rookie Lawless Alan that would need to land themselves in Victory Lane to compete for a championship.
Camping World Truck Series prepares to race Mid-Ohio for first-time
For the first-time in series history, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will get ready for the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and the O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 at Mid-Ohio (July 9 at 1:30 P.M. ET on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Since 2013, the track has hosted eight NASCAR Xfinity Series events. This season, however, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will be racing in their place as the venue will be the site of the pen-ultimate race of the regular season. It will also act as the last road course race on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 2022 schedule.
The track was opened in 1962 inside the limits of Lexington, Ohio. Built right outside of Mansfield, Ohio which is set directly between Cleveland and Columbus, the facility hosts a road course with two different configurations: a 2.4-mile, 15 turn circuit or a 2.26-mile, 13 turn layout (the latter being what the Trucks will run on). The track sits on 380 acres of land and is often touted as the “Most Competitive in the U.S.”. It currently plays host to IMSA, the NTT IndyCar Series, and now NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA Menard’s Series events.
Only four current drivers in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series have prior experience at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, all making starts in the Xfinity Series. Last year’s Truck Series Champion Ben Rhodes ran at the track in 2015 for JR Motorsports, finishing 10th in one of 10 races he ran for the No. 88 team. John Hunter Nemechek of Kyle Busch Motorsports ended his run at Mid-Ohio finishing 31st in 2019 for GMS Racing’s Xfinity program. The other two drivers are currently vying for a spot in the Playoffs, Matt DiBenedetto of Rackley W.A.R. finished 13th in 2014 while running most of the season for The Motorsports Group. In addition, Timmy Hill came in 37th during a one-off for SS Green Light Racing in 2014 and 27th in 2019 for MBM Motorsports.'
NASCAR PR