The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series hits the short tracks: The Kroger 250 Preview

Thirty-six Camping World Truck teams will head to Henry County, Virginia this week. Thirty-six Camping World Truck Series drivers will hit the half mile paperclip shaped track that is Martinsville Speedway. Thirty-six Camping World Trucks will leave Ridgeway, Virginia with some form of damage.

That’s the way short track racing at Martinsville goes. The tight corners and fast lap times translate into blazing red brake rotors and plenty of pushed in noses. Martinsville is the arena where fueds are born, where tempers flare, and metal is bent. Both the young and the old will take to the track this weekend but only one will survive and claim the checkard flag for themselves. Since 1995 The Camping World Series has had at least one race here. In 2003 Martinsville was given a second race date.

The list of former winners entered in this race is short, as many of them have moved on to other series’ or have vanished from racing all together. David Starr won in 2006. It was the last time Starr has ever won in Nascar. He’s looking to break his streak of 124 races without a win. Timothy Peters won the 2009 Fall event here at Martinsville, he has since won at Daytona last year. Ron Hornaday Jr won last year’s Fall event, but the past two Spring Martinsville Races have been won by Kevin Harvick. Harvick is making his 2011 debut in the Camping World Series, and what a place to make an entrance.

There is only one Ford team entered this weekend, Chase Mattioli, and only one Dodge team, Parker Kligerman. Chevy and Toyota dominate The Camping World Series. Dodge is no stranger to being an afterthought in Nascar, but Ford is the real surprise. If they want to keep up with Chevy and Toyota it may be time for a new Ford F150 to enter the Camping World Series.

I hope you’re ready for 250 laps of beating and banging. 250 laps of anger and frustration. 131 miles of heart pounding, jaw dropping, excitement courtesy of the Camping World Truck Series.
Entry List and more after the Jump! coco

With 36 teams vying for 36 spots, everyone will make the race unless we have a late entry.

#1-Jeffrey Earnhardt was released from Rick Ware Racing and has since been re-hired back. Should be interesting to watch how the team handles this situation.

#2-Kevin Harvick returns to defend his two spring wins in a row. He has the bright orange colors of Tide on his Chevy Truck.

#3-Austin Dillon has announced he will make his Cup series debut some time this year, but his plans are to win the 2011 Camping World Championship before moving on to the Nationwide Series full time next year. Dillon has shown he is more then just another member of the rich reletives club. Dillon deserves the respect he has been given, as well as the ride.

#4-Ricky Carmichael is still looking for the success he had as an extream athlete. Turner Motorsports is a force in the Nationwide Series, but hasn’t had the success in Trucks that thier impressive young roster should produce.

#5-Travis Kvapil has some pretty bad luck. He’s 26th in points and Randy Moss Motorsports is in trouble. Martinsville is a make or break track for Travis this week.

#07-Jamie Dick has been bouncing back and forth between this team and the now closed Corrie Stott Racing. Dick should be running the full race.

#7-Miguel Paludo has been impressive. Paludo is one of many rookie drivers this year taking the series by storm.

#8-Nelson Piquet, Jr is another of Kevin Harvick’s developmental drivers who have success in other lines of racing. Piquet has been trying to learn and keep his nose clean, that won’t work at Martinsville. He will have to learn how to beat and bang like the rest of Nascar’s stars to make it out of Virginia alive.

#9-Max Papis, another open wheel transfer, was pushed to the Cup series to soon. He’s back where he should have started his journey. Papis has enjoyed some success in the lower levels, and open wheel guys seem to do pretty well on Short Tracks.

#10-Chase Mattioli, the lone Ford in the race. Mattioli is just trying to keep his team in one peace.

#13-Johnny Sauter is fifth in points, and is looking to dethrone teammate Matt Crafton from the points lead. Sauter is a short track driver by nature, and is one to look out for.

#15-Rookie Dusty Davis will make his first short track start. Martinsville isn’t always kind to first comers.

#17-Past Winner Timothy Peters is a favorite to break the Cup drivers hold on the Nationwide and Truck victory lanes. Peters should be on your radar this Saturday.

#18-Kyle Busch’s team has won the past two events this year which makes him a favorite to win this weekend. Martinsville doesn’t care what series you race in, only the tough survive. Busch is tough. But he may need more luck then he has.

#20-Johanna Long has had it rough. She’s trying to make it in the male dominated sport of Auto Racing. Long has had bad luck in the first three races this year.

#22-Joey Coulter has learned that next year he will be joined by Ty Dillon at Richard Childress Racing. That is if Coulter can prove he still belongs with RCR. Coulter hasn’t done much to prove he was ready for the jump, but look at what Ricky Stenhouse has done after his rookie year. 2012 should be a better year for Coulter.

#23-Jason White is still looking for success. He’s finally got a team that is stable, so now is the time to shine.

#25-Tayler Malsam may be entering his last race with Randy Moss Motorsports. Malsam has missed two races this year and sits far outside the top 25 in Owner Points. RMM may decided to focus on Travis Kvapil’s team instead of being a two truck team. Malsam is no stranger to losing rides, which is a shame for such a talented driver.

#29-Parker Kligerman is Penske’s next big star. He’s proving that by having great runs in the first three races for Brad Keselowski Racing. Kligerman is in a tight battle for Rookie of the Year.

#30-The Onion has done a nice job of rebounding from some bad racing at Daytona. He’s looking to return to victory lane this weekend.

#31-James Buescher is trying to do everything he can to lock the #31 team into the top 25. A good finish in the Kroger 250 could do just that. We only have two more races before we change over to 2011 Owner Points.

#32-Brad Sweet is turning a part time gig into a plea for full time. Sweet is 19th in points but has shown far better runs then finishes.

#33-Past Champ Ron Hornaday is looking to return to Martinsville’s Victory Lane. Ron has put up two straight top five finishes heading into Saturday.

#39-Ryan Sieg is trying to stay afloat in the Camping World Series. Sieg has run well at Martinsville. He posted an 11th place finish last year in the Fall.

#46-Rookie Craig Goess is looking to continue the respectable runs that he started 2011 with.

#51-Rookie Justin Johnson has shown better runs then his teammate and fellow double initials lover Dusty Davis. Martinsville will be a stiff learning curve for both Billy Ballew drivers.

#57-Norm Benning is still hanging on to a spot in the top 25, but if he finished bad here, that could all go up in smoke.

#60-Red Bull’s future Cole Whitt is showing no signs of being green. Whitt has been a force this season, and should have no problem running strong here.

#62-Brendan Gaughan’s big return to trucks hasn’t been easy. Gaughan is 20th in points and will need a big race this weekend to get back in the title hunt.

#66-Rookie Justin Marks has not run as well as many would think. Marks needs to step it up this week.

#77-Justin Lofton has been overshined by his fellow Germain drivers Max Papis and Miguel Paludo. Lofton, Gaughan and Bodine are the elderstatesmen here. It’s a great sign of the way the Camping World Series funtions that so many teams are comprised of rookies and young drivers.

#81-Former winner David Starr is looking to break his winless streak. Starr is always a threat to finish in the top ten, but rarely a threat to win.

#88-Points Leader Matt Crafton has yet to lead a lap this year. Crafton has had great runs at Martinsville and should be a favorite to at least lead one lap. He’s a dark horse to win it.

#92-Just two races ago Clay Rogers was leading the points. Now he’s just trying to hang on to the top 10. Rogers should be able to bounce back from the last two mid pack runs.

#93-Shane Sieg may be the older brother of Ryan but Ryan has more successful runs. The Sieg boys will look to keep both cars in the top 25 in owner points.

#97-Matt Lofton, no relation to Justin Lofton, will make just his second Camping World start, and his first of the year.

You do not want to miss this race. Join us Saturday, April 2nd at 1:30pm Eastern on SPEEDtv for the Kroger 250 live from Martinsville, Virginia! Enjoy!