Open Race Thread: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series WinStar World Casino 400 | Texas Motor Speedway

Things are bigger in Texas, so they say anyway. I don’t know if I totally agree with that statement 100% but tonight’s race potentially could be a big one. Big on points (just 22 points betwen first and fifth in standings), big on weather (no clouds in the forecast), and potentially big on wrecks (just ask Max Gresham).

To me Texas is the track that was forced onto me as a fan, as both of it’s race dates came from two of my more favorite tracks at the time that were bought for the sole purpose of giving Texas NASCAR Cup race dates.

North Wilkesboro was bought and closed by it’s new owners who transferred it’s race dates to their other tracks, New Hampshire and Texas. North Wilkesboro still sits almost exactly as it was when it ran it’s last Winston Cup race - a forgotten track sitting in a void of time paying tribute to those who once raced there.

One race date wasn’t enough though so Bruton Smith, Owner of Texas Motorspeedway, bought North Carolina Speedway, otherwise known as ‘The Rock’ to race fans, and transferred it’s race date to Texas and volia we got ourselves a brand new race track complete with two NASCAR Sprint Cup race dates. Other NASCAR dates for Nationwide and Trucks soon followed.

Still leaves a sour taste in my mouth though.

With that being said, I’ve got nothing to complain about racing at Texas now a days, although it wasn’t that good when it first opened with groundwater problems (among other things), but to Bruton’s credit he and his crew have worked to make it a bigger and better facility. Admittedly the track has grown on me, but to be honest I’d still like to see them racing at The Rock and North Wilkes again.

Looking forward to seeing how the race is going to unfold tonight.

Qualifying was rained out, so the field was set by Owner Points.

Starting line up is after the jump, see you there!