NASCAR Camping World Truck Series M&M’s 200 presented by Casey General Store at Iowa Preview

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams are in the spotlight for the M&M’s 200 presented by Casey’s General Store at Iowa Speedway on Friday, June 23rd at 8:30 pm ET.  Coverage begins at 8 pm ET on FOX Sports 1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Teams are racing 175 miles over 200 laps with Stage 1 ending on lap 60, Stage 2 on lap 120 and the last stage ending on the last lap 200,

What To Watch For: Chase Briscoe tries for his first win after logging two consecutive runner-up finishes.

The last two Iowa winners have been Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders – Kyle Busch Motorsports’ William Byron (2016) and Erik Jones (2015).

NASCAR K&N Pro Series East standings leader Harrison Burton will pilot the No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota.

Nemechek Scores First Win of 2017 at Gateway

John Hunter Nemechek won his fourth career Camping World Truck Series race and first this season at Gateway Motorsports Park last Saturday.

Nemechek had a strong race, leading all 35 laps of the first stage of the race, and passing two-time Camping World Truck Series champion Matt Crafton late in the race for the win.

With the victory, Nemechek broke a seven-race streak of Camping World Truck Series races won by either GMS Racing or Kyle Busch Motorsports this season.

Nemechek also earned a spot in the 2017 Camping World Truck Series Playoffs thanks to his win, joining current points leader Johnny Sauter, two-time winner this season Christopher Bell and Sunoco Rookie Kaz Grala, who have all won this season.

Nemechek’s win at Gateway Motorsports Park put him in elite company. His win on Saturday night was the first race he’s won in which his father and team owner, Joe Nemechek, was also a participant. Other sons to win a NASCAR national series race in which their father participated include Richard Petty, Kyle Petty, Davey Allison and Dale Earnhardt Jr. 

Briscoe Makes it Back-to-Back Runner-Up Finishes

Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender and Brad Keselowski Racing driver Chase Briscoe scored his second top-two finish of the season when he finished second at Gateway Motorsports Park.

Briscoe won his second career Keystone Light Pole earlier in the day, and used that to his advantage as he led a career-high 88 laps in the Drivin’ for Linemen 200 at Gateway. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender also won his first stage of the season as he won Stage 2 – earning his first Camping World Truck Series playoff point.

On the season, Briscoe has three top-three finishes, and four top-tens through eight races. He has yet to finish outside the top-25.

Briscoe is currently tied with ThorSport Racing’s Grant Enfinger atop-the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings at 104 points apiece.

Earning the Rookie Stripe

There are currently three Camping World Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders in the top-eight in points. If the Camping World Truck Series Playoffs began today, Chase Briscoe (fourth in points), Grant Enfinger (sixth in points) and Kaz Grala (one win, eighth in points) would all be in.

Close behind and on the Camping World Truck Series playoff bubble are Sunoco Rookies Noah Gragson (tenth in points), Austin Cindric (12th in points), Cody Coughlin (13th in points) and Justin Haley (14th in points).

As for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings, the race is tight. Brad Keselowski Racing driver Chase Briscoe and ThorSport Racing’s Grant Enfinger are tied at 104 points each. Kaz Grala (-16), Noah Gragson (-21) and Austin Cindric (-46) round out the top-five.

Iowa Speedway Quick Facts

As the Camping World Truck Series heads to Iowa Speedway for the M&M’s 200 and  below are some series quick facts:

Races: ten

Pole Winners:  ten

Youngest Pole Winner: John Hunter Nemechek (06/18/2016 – 19 years, 0 months, 7 days)

Oldest Pole Winner: Mike Skinner (09/05/2009 – 52 years, 2 months, 8 days)

Race Winners: eight

Youngest Winner: Erik Jones (07/11/2014 – 18 years, 1 months, 11 days)

Oldest Winner: Mike Skinner (09/05/2009 – 52 years, 2 months 8 days)

Races Won From Pole (or 1st Starting Position): four

Last Race Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): Erik Jones (06/19/2015)

Race Record: Erik Jones – 110.429 mph (07/11/2014)

Qualifying Record: German Quiroga Jr. – 138.62 mph (07/13/2013) 

Beginners Luck in the Truck

In the last two Camping World Truck Series races at Iowa Speedway, the winners have both been Sunoco Rookies.

Those two rookies would also go on to win the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award in their respective rookie seasons.

Last season, William Byron drove the No. 9 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota Tundra to Victory Lane at Iowa Speedway. Byron went on to become the 2016 Sunoco Rookie of the Year in the Camping World Truck Series.

In 2015, another Kyle Busch Motorsports driver, Erik Jones, won at Iowa Speedway in the No. 4 Toyota Tundra. Jones was the 2015 Sunoco Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and also won the series championship that same season.

There are nine Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders making their track debut at Iowa Speedway in Friday’s Camping World Truck Series M&M’s 200. They include: Chase Briscoe, Wendell Chavous, Austin Cindric, Cody Coughlin, Grant Enfinger, Stewart Friesen, Noah Gragson, Kaz Grala and Justin Haley.

Two current Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers won their first Camping World Truck Series career race at Iowa Speedway; Ryan Blaney won in 2012, while Austin Dillon won in 2010.

Also Noteworthy…

Four-Wide Salute At Gateway: To kick off the Camping World Truck Series race at Gateway Motorsports Park, the field went four-wide during the pace laps to recognized the 100th anniversary of Scott Air Force Base. Click here to view video of the moment.

Gilliland’s Gateway Run Ends Early: In his second career Camping World Truck Series start, NASCAR Next driver Todd Gilliland’s night ended early due to a transmission issue. Gilliland has had poor luck in his first two Camping World Truck Series starts as he had a suspension problem after contact at Dover.

Burton Back for KBM at Iowa: NASCAR Next driver Harrison Burton will be back in the Camping World Truck Series this week at Iowa, running in the No. 51 Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Burton has two Camping World Truck Series starts this season – finishing 13th at Martinsville and 13th at Dover.

Pair of NASCAR XFINITY Series Drivers Camping at Iowa: NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers Ross Chastain and Brandon Jones will both be running in the Camping World Truck Series this weekend at Iowa. Chastain will be driving the No. 66 Bolen Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado, while Jones will be running in the No. 99 Matthew Miller Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado.

Owner Standings Update: GMS Racing’s No. 21 Chevrolet Silverado remains in the Camping World Truck Series owner standings lead through eight races. Kyle Busch Motorsports’ No. 4 Toyota Tundra (-38), ThorSport Racing’s No. 88 Toyota Tundra (-62), Brad Keselowski Racing’s Ford F-150 (-69) and ThorSport Racing’s No. 27 Toyota Tundra (-99) round out the top-five in the owner standings.

Manufacturer Standings Update:  Toyota Racing leads Chevrolet in the Camping World Truck Series Manufacturer Standings by a single point, 296-295 through five races. Both manufactures have four Camping World Truck Series wins each this season. Ford remains in third place with 245 points.