The NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway Feb 13, 2012
Photo – Chris Graythen/Getty Images
Trucks Yeah! The Camping World Truck Series will be back in action this season with the chance of even more excitement.
2012 was one of the best Truck Series Seasons in years and more of the same is expected in 2013. 2012 champion James Buescher will be back to defend his title but, he’ll need to hold off other drivers who are back in the trucks this season including Ty Dillon and Timothy Peters. The Trucks will roll into Daytona in just under two weeks and the wheels will be up for the 2013 Truck Series season.
Who’s Back
Many drivers will be back in action this season including defending champion James Buescher. Timothy Peters, Ty Dillon and Joey Coulter all finished within the top five in the points last season and they will be looking to take down Buescher in the championship hunt this season. Timothy Peters came the closest to taking down Buescher last season with a second place finish in the standings but, it was the month of September that took Peters out of the championship hunt. After dominating the race at Bristol by leading all 200 laps, Peters never returned to victory lane in the season and the championship slipped away from him. If anyone can contend with Buescher this season, it’s Timothy Peters.
Other drivers returning to the Truck Series this season include Matt Crafton, Johnny Sauter, Miguel Paludo, Ron Hornaday Jr, John Wes Townley and Ryan Blaney. All have a shot at the championship while most of them try to avenge a not-so-great 2012. This will be the first full-time season in the Trucks for Ryan Blaney and he hopes to put the No.29 Brad Keselowski Racing truck up front as much as possible. Blaney became the youngest winner in the Truck Series last season when he scored victory at Iowa and he’ll look for more of that success in 2013.
Who’s Moved Around
With the youth movement in the Truck Series last season, many owners saw a future with these new young guns and they added them to their team for 2013. Most notably, Kyle Busch Motorsports signed Joey Coulter to drive full-time in the No.18 truck this season after Coulter ended up third in the standings last season with Richard Childress Racing. Ross Chastain found a new home for 2013 after a successful 2012 and he’ll be running the majority of the schedule in the No.19 truck for Brad Keselowski Racing. Chastain will share the ride with many drivers throughout the season but, Chastain will run the majority of the races.
Who’s New
A few new drivers have found a home in the Truck Series for 2013 and will be competing for the championship. Brendan Gaughan is the most notable new driver in the Truck Series this season. Gaughan has competed in the Truck Series before but, he’s back and reloaded for a successful season with Richard Childress Racing in the No.62 South Point Casino Chevy in 2013. Another new driver in the Truck Series this year will be Darrell Wallace Jr who will drive the No.54 Toyota/Coca Cola truck for KBM. Wallace Jr will be looking to take home the championship in his first season in a truck. One final new driver has entered the Truck Series for 2013 and that is Jeb Burton. Burton is son of Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton and Jeb Burton will be looking to bring Turner-Scott Motorsports some success this season. Burton will compete for rookie honors in the No.4 truck for Turner-Scott.
Who’s Gone
The Truck Series is usually a stepping stone series for getting up to the higher levels of NASCAR and after last season, a few drivers got the call up to the Nationwide Series. After a very successful 2012 with Brad Keselowski Racing and Red Horse Racing which resulted in a fifth place finish in the standings, Parker Kligerman will be racing for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Nationwide Series this season. The final driver out of the Truck Series for this season is Nelson Piquet Jr who will drive in the Nationwide Series this season. Piquet Jr will be racing for Turner-Scott Motorsports in the Nationwide Series this season.
What New Tracks Have Been Added to the Schedule
The only way that you haven’t heard about the new venues on the Truck Series schedule for 2013 is if you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months. Possibly the most talked about thing in the off-season was the addition of Eldora Speedway to the Truck Series schedule. Eldora is a dirt track in Ohio, owned by Tony Stewart and now has a truck race on their schedule for this season. Racing on dirt is a huge step for NASCAR and so far, they have handled everything to the best of their ability. Racing at Eldora will be incredible and the Trucks’ debut at Eldora is less than seven months away.
The other track added to the Truck Series schedule this season is Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Ontario, Canada. This will be the Truck Series’ first road course race since 2000 when they ran at Portland International Raceway when Andy Houston won. NASCAR has never run a race at MoSport in its top three series and when the trucks roll into Canada on September 1, it will be a historical moment. Both of the new tracks that have been added to the Truck Series schedule for this season will create unique and exciting racing which fans are eager to witness.
Predictions
It will be hard to match the season 2012 was for the Trucks but, that’s what fans will be looking for to happen this season. More great things are in-store for the Trucks this season and the excitement level will be on an all-time high. Below are my predictions for the top ten in the standings once the season ends.
- Timothy Peters
- James Buescher
- Ty Dillon
- Ryan Blaney
- Johnny Sauter
- Joey Coulter
- Miguel Paludo
- Brendan Gaughan
- Darrell Wallace Jr
- Jeb Burton
Overall, I predict 2013 to feature some more great Truck Series action. More excitement will lead to a phenomenal championship hunt once the season winds down. The Trucks will be strutting their stuff all season long.
Over the past few season, the Truck Series has taken a new-look. The Series went from having the veterans dominate and win all the races to a young-gun driven league. The new look Truck Series that has developed over the past season features many young drivers who are trying to make their name in NASCAR. 2013 has the ability to be as exciting as ever for the Trucks and only time will tell where the excitement level will be set this season. The Trucks will hit the high banks at Daytona very soon and everyone should take a seat as the 2013 Truck Series season is about to take off.
