Sauter Continues To Lead The Pack
Johnny Sauter has made the upper level of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings his home this season. He now leads the driver points standings over ThorSport teammate Matt Crafton by seven points and remains the only competitor to appear in the top-five all season.
Don’t plan on Sauter falling from his perch atop the standings anytime soon, if at all. He has a joint average finish of 9.2 at the remaining eight tracks – he has yet to make a start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
If Sauter can hold on to the No. 1 spot, he will clinch his first Camping World Truck Series title. His previous high championship finishes were a runner-up showing in 2011 and a third-place performance in 2010. Last season, he finished fourth after posting a career-high three wins.
Trailing Sauter and Crafton in the standings are Ryan Blaney (-13), Darrell Wallace Jr. (-38) and German Quiroga (-48).
Sauter has just one win this season, but has failed to finish in the top-ten in only two of 14 races.
He competes next in the Lucas Oil 225 on Friday at Chicagoland Speedway, a track where he has posted four top-ten finishes in five starts.
Chase Extends Beyond NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup contenders Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski have their sights set on more than just the 2014 driver’s title. Both have teams in the Camping World Truck Series and an owner’s championship is not out of the question.
Brad Keselowski Racing’s No. 29 Ford currently ranks third in owner points (-13) while Kyle Busch Motorsports’ No. 51 (-16) and No. 54 (-38) Toyotas round out the top-five.
A mix of current and former NASCAR Next members, as well as Busch, pilot the trucks. Ryan Blaney drives the No. 29 Ford, while Kyle Busch and Erik Jones split time in the No. 51 Toyota. Darrell Wallace Jr. races full-time in the No. 54 Toyota.
To capture the owner’s title, the Busch and Keselowski outfits must catch up to the ThorSport combination of series leader Johnny Sauter and second-place Matt Crafton, who pilot the No. 98 and 88 Toyota Tundras, respectively. Rhonda Thorson’s No. 88 truck trails partner Mike Curb’s No. 98 vehicle by seven points.
Blaney won the last truck event at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and will try to continue to decrease the points deficit in the Lucas Oil 225 on Friday at Chicagoland Speedway. He finished third in his only start at Chicago last year.
Busch, as usual when he competes in the Camping World Truck Series, is the odds-on favorite to win at Chicago. He boasts three victories in the five truck series events held in the Windy City, including last season’s race. Rowdy’s teammate, Wallace, could potentially beat his boss though. The 20-year-old has posted at least a runner-up finish in four of his last eight races.
Final Stretch Last Opportunity For Wallace Jr., Quiroga
Time is ticking for Darrell Wallace Jr. and German Quiroga with only eight races left on the 2014 schedule. The two drivers sit on the cusp of the top-five in the points standings with Wallace (-38) fourth and Quiroga (-48) fifth.
Both drivers need to make moves to get into the top-three and challenge for the points title. They currently trail third-place Ryan Blaney by 25 and 35 points.
Wallace has been on a tear in the last eight races, climbing four spots in the standings following two victories, two runner-ups and no finish lower than 13th. He has consistently had a fast truck with two pole victories and an average start of 8.3.
Don’t count out Quiroga, who might have started to make his move at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, tying a career-best second-place finish. He continues to have a breakout season in his second full-time year on the Camping World Truck Series circuit with nine top-ten showings in the first 14 races.
Both drivers will attempt to tackle the track at Chicagoland Speedway in the Lucas Oil 225 on Friday. The two made their only starts at Chicago last year. Wallace finished 11th, while Quiroga came in 14th.
Other NASCAR Series’ Notes
Ben Rhodes earned his first NASCAR K&N Pro Series East title Saturday with a fourth-place finish at Greenville Pickens Speedway. The 17-year-old from Louisville, Kentucky, has five wins and has a 63-point lead with one race remaining. Fellow NASCAR Next driver Austin Hill pulled away late from Cameron Hayley and Gray Gaulding to pick up the win.
Greg Pursley saw his NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship points lead cut to 15 over Dylan Lupton last time out and will look to rebound Saturday at Miller Motorsports Park. Pursley has three wins (2010-12) at the 2.2-mile road course. He has an average finish of 1.8 in five starts at the Utah track, while Lupton finished third in his first race there last year.
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season features three first-time winners, including Eric Goodale at his home track of Riverhead Raceway in June. The Tour returns to the .25-mile Long Island track Saturday for the Riverhead 200. Woody Pitkat (Stafford) and Tommy Barrett Jr. (Bristol) picked up their first career wins on the tour in August. Doug Coby holds a slim four-point lead over Justin Bonsignore with four races remaining.
Andy Seuss heads to South Boston Speedway as the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour championship points leader and is looking for a season sweep at the .4-mile Virginia track. Seuss holds a 23-point lead over four-time champion George Brunnhoelzl III and won the spring race at South Boston. Rex White, recently elected into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, will serve as Grand Marshal and be on hand to meet with fans. White scored 28 victories in NASCAR’s premier series during his career and made three starts at South Boston, highlighted by a win at the track in 1962