NCWTS rolls into Kansas - The O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 Preview
NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series will follow the Sprint Cup Series to Kansas Speedway this weekend for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250. This will mark the series’ 400th race.
Chris Showalter, a crewmember of Randy Moss Motorsports, will also celebrate his 400th race. The Ohio native is the only person in the Truck garage to reach this record, having attended all races since the series’ conception in 1995. Even a torn ACL in 2004 could not keep him from serving on the crew two days after surgery in Kansas.
Laps: 167
Miles: 250.5
Capacity: 81,687
Total purse: $598,636 (2010 figures)
Race record: Ricky Hendrick, 2001 (125.094 mph)
Qualifying record: Bill Lester, 2005 (173.833 mph)
This weekend also marks another milestone: the tenth consecutive year of NASCAR’s series racing at Kansas Speedway. The first winner crowned at this racetrack was the late Ricky Hendrick in 2001, who celebrated his first career victory that day as well. He also set the track record, averaging a speed of 125.094 mph.
The track is also home to two other first-time victors, Jon Wood and Erik Darnell. Perhaps it will serve as grounds for rookie Cole Whitt to get his first win. After finishing third in the NC Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Whitt became the youngest driver ever to lead the NCWTS standings.
But Whitt will have his hands full with hometown favorite Clint Bowyer, who makes his second truck series start in the No. 2 Kevin Harvick Inc. truck.
Don’t count out Ron Hornaday, Jr., either he has finished 6th, 1st, 4th, and 2nd in the last four races at Kansas Speedway. He was on the pole for last year’s race and victory just narrowly evaded him after bumping into Johnny Sauter in the final laps and sliding up the track.
Sauter is the defending champ at Kansas Speedway. And after losing the points lead a few weeks back, he may have a chip on his shoulder to regain it. As always though, put your money on Kyle Busch, who has won four of the seven truck races thus far this season.
Jennifer Jo Cobb will be making her return to the Truck Series after finishing 6th at Daytona International Speedway.
Cole Whitt currently leads the NCWTS standings. Johnny Sauter, Matt Crafton, Austin Dillon, and Ron Hornaday Jr. round out your Top 5.
The entry list is after the jump.
Entry | Trk# | Driver | Owner | Crew Chief | Vehicle Mfg | Sponsor |
1 | 2 | Clint Bowyer | Delana Harvick | Bruce Cook | 11 Chevrolet | Bad Boy Buggies |
2 | 3 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress | Danny Stockman Jr. | 11 Chevrolet | Bass Pro Shops/Nat'l Wild Turkey Federation |
3 | 4 | Ricky Carmichael | Steve Turner | Mark Rette | 11 Chevrolet | Monster Energy |
4 | *5 | Travis Kvapil | David Dollar | Daniel Stillman | 11 Toyota | International Truck/Monaco RVs |
5 | 07 | Butch Miller | Ken Smith | Troy Smith | 11 Toyota | TBA |
6 | 7 | Miguel Paludo | Tom Deloach | Rick Gay | 11 Toyota | Stemco Curoline |
7 | 8 | Nelson Piquet Jr. | Delana Harvick | Chris Carrier | 11 Chevrolet | Bozzano/Jontex |
8 | 9 | Max Papis | Bob Germain | Randy Goss | 11 Toyota | GEICO |
9 | 10 | Jennifer Jo Cobb | Jennifer Jo Cobb | Steve Kuykendall | 10 Ford | Mark One Electric |
10 | 13 | Johnny Sauter | Mike Curb | Joe Shear | 11 Chevrolet | Safe Auto Insurance/Curb Records/Carrier |
11 | 17 | Timothy Peters | Tom Deloach | Butch Hylton | 11 Toyota | Red Horse Racing |
12 | 18 | Kyle Busch | Kyle Busch | Eric Phillips | 10 Toyota | Dollar General |
13 | 20 | Johanna Long | Michelle Gosselin | Kevin Starland | 11 Toyota | Panhandle Grading & Paving |
14 | 22 | Joey Coulter | Pete Raymer | Harold Holly | 11 Chevrolet | RCR |
15 | 23 | Jason White | Steve Urvan | Chad Kendrick | 11 Chevrolet | Gunbroker.com |
16 | 29 | Parker Kligerman | Brad Keselowski | Jeff Stankiewicz | 11 Dodge | Penske Truck Rental |
17 | 30 | Todd Bodine | Steve Germain | Michael Hillman Jr. | 11 Toyota | Germain.com |
18 | 31 | James Buescher | Steve Turner | Michael Shelton | 11 Chevrolet | Exide Batteries |
19 | 32 | Brad Sweet | Steve Turner | Doug George | 11 Chevrolet | Great Clips |
20 | 33 | Ron Hornaday Jr. | Delana Harvick | Jeff Hensley | 11 Chevrolet | Anderson's Maple Syrup |
21 | 38 | Mike Carvey | Pam Sieg | Timothy Brown | 11 Chevrolet | S&W Services |
22 | 39 | Ryan Sieg | Susan Bates | Rod Sieg | 11 Chevrolet | S&W Services |
23 | 46 | Craig Goess | Eddie Sharp | Trip Bruce | 11 Toyota | Greenville Toyota |
24 | 57 | Norm Benning | Norm Benning | James Dugger | 11 Chevrolet | TBA |
25 | 60 | Cole Whitt | Vickie Compton | Marcus Richmond | 11 Chevrolet | Red Bull/Fuel Doctor |
26 | 62 | Brendan Gaughan | Rick Ware | Bryan Berry | 11 Toyota | South Point Hotel and Casino |
27 | 63 | Nick Hoffman | Michael Mittler | Michael Mittler | 11 Ford | Mittler Bros. Machine & Tool |
28 | 65 | Stephan McCurley | Joey Sonntag | Kelly Frankum | 11 Chevrolet | Stegar Lumber Co/Trans Pecos Trucking |
29 | 66 | Justin Marks | Stacy Compton | Doug Wolcott | 11 Chevrolet | GoPro Chevrolet |
30 | 73 | JJ Yeley | Ron Crosby | Joey Sonntag | 11 Chevrolet | county Building Centers/Trans Pecos Trucking |
31 | 77 | Justin Lofton | Rick Germain | Ryan Fugle | 11 Toyota | Lofton Cattle/Germain.com |
32 | 81 | David Starr | Bobby Dotter | Jason Miller | 11 Toyota | ZACHRY |
33 | 88 | Matt Crafton | Rhonda Thorson | Vance Haefele | 11 Chevrolet | Menards |
34 | 92 | Clay Rogers | Ricky Benton | Barry Elvis | 11 Chevrolet | BTS Tire & Wheel/Fleet HQ |
35 | 93 | Shane Sieg | Shane Sieg | Tony Wilson | 11 Chevrolet | S&W Services |
36 | 99 | Bryan Silas | Charles Vest | Cal Boprey | 11 Ford | CollegeComplete.com |
The O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 will air on Speed Channel at 2pm ET on Saturday.
And finally, the next stop for NCWTS is Texas Motor Speedway on June 10th.
