Right at Home … Perhaps there’s no other place on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series calendar where Tyler Ankrum feels more at home than Texas Motor Speedway (TMS). The driver of the No. 16 Toyota Tsusho Toyota Tundra TRD Pro has arguably had more success at “No Limits, Texas” than any other venue on the circuit. The part-time rancher and full-time wheelman has made five starts at TMS, fourth-most of any track in his career, and all but one of those starts resulted in top-10 finishes. Such a track record could have Ankrum primed to ride back to his North Carolina ranch with a fresh cowboy hat to match his signature buckle and boots.
Truckin’ in Texas … The San Bernardino, Calif. driver hit the halfway mark to the Camping World Trucks playoffs last week at Kansas Speedway and is in the midst of a three-race stretch at 1.5-mile tracks. Ankrum rides into TMS with not only a potent personal history at the Lone Star State’s biggest oval, but also a strong track record by the No. 16 team. In the past six races at TMS, the No. 16 group led by crew chief Scott Zipadelli has collected three top-five and four top-ten finishes, including a near victory in October of 2020. Ankrum has four top-10 finishes in his five appearances at TMS, including a third-place run in his second visit to Texas in 2019. If history is any indication, the pairing could yield a season-best performance for the No. 16 team on Friday evening.
Season to Date … Eight races have been completed in the Camping World Trucks regular season and eight remain before the 10 playoff competitors are decided. Ankrum currently holds the 13th position in the driver championship standings, 45 markers behind the cut line. Ankrum has tallied three top-10 finishes in eight races thus far.
HRE Salutes … Ankrum’s No. 16 will carry Ronald Simpson above the right-side door at TMS. Simpson was an uncle to team mechanic Adam Wilcox and served in the U.S. Army from 1973-1978. He was a member of the 84th Transport Company, served overseas in Illhesheim, Germany and domestically at Fort Stewart, Georgia, and was a lifelong race fan.
Chassis Selection … Crew chief Scott Zipadelli and the Toyota Tsusho team turned around chassis No. 008 to race at TMS from its most recent appearance at Darlington Raceway. Ankrum drove to a ninth-place finish two weeks ago at the “Lady in Black” and also raced it at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Tune In … Fox Sports 1 will carry live coverage from TMS as Ankrum and the Camping World Trucks competitors kick off All-Star weekend. FS1’s coverage begins with practice and qualifying at 4:00 p.m. ET followed by the green flag at 8:30 p.m. ET. Stay connected with the No. 16 Toyota Tsusho team by following @Hattori_Racing on Twitter, @hattoriracing on Instagram, and Hattori Racing Enterprises on Facebook.
Tyler Ankrum Quote:
On having confidence at Texas:
“Texas has been one of those places where I’ve felt comfortable and have been able to have some good results right from the start. This race team has always had speed at Texas and have been in the mix for a few wins there in the past. I think it’ll be a good combination and a place that we can hopefully capitalize on Friday night with our Toyota Tsusho Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. Texas is always a special place to race, especially with it being All-Star weekend but it’s cool to get to race our Tundra TRD Pro near where they’re made in San Antonio. Hopefully we can keep some track position throughout the night and get our first top-five of the year.”
HRE PR
Latest posts by Speedway Digest Staff (see all)