NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Next Race: American Ethanol E15 225
The Place: Chicagoland Speedway
The Date: Friday, Sept. 18—> 19
The Time: 8:30 p.m. (ET)—> 9:30 am ET
TV: FS1, 8 p.m. (ET)—->FS2, 9:30 pm ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM Ch. 90
Distance: 225 miles (150 laps)
Jones vs. Crafton vs. Reddick:
Three-Horse Race for Camping World Truck Series Championship
The race for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title is jam-packed, with Erik Jones leading second-place Matt Crafton by three points and third-place Tyler Reddick by 15 points.
This weekend, the trio will continue their battle for the series crown in the American Ethanol E15 225 at Chicagoland Speedway.
Crafton’s five top-tens at Chicagoland are the same as Kyle Busch for the track record. His highest finish at the 1.5-mile track was a runner-up result last season. Dominant at intermediate courses, the No. 88 ThorSport Racing driver boasts a streak of 13 top-ten finishes at 1.5-mile tracks dating back to Kansas Speedway in 2014. Included in the streak are five wins captured at Kentucky in 2015 – the last 1.5-mile Camping World Truck Series race – Texas-1 in 2014,’15, Atlanta and Kansas in 2015. The only driver other than Crafton to win at a 1.5-mile track this season was Kasey Kahne at Charlotte.
Jones has never competed in a truck at Chicagoland, but won the XFINITY race there earlier this season. He won the last Camping World Truck Series race, at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
Reddick, who has led the standings five weeks this season, finished fourth in his lone start at Chicagoland last season.
New Winner Guaranteed at Chicagoland
No driver on the entry list for the American Ethanol E15 225 at Chicagoland Speedway has won at the 1.5-mile track, guaranteeing a new visitor to Victory Lane.
Drivers in the field with the highest Chicagoland finishes include:
Matt Crafton – Second (09/12/14)
Timothy Peters – Third (07/12/12)
Tyler Reddick – Fourth (9/12/14)
Johnny Sauter – Fourth (8/27/10)
John Wes Townley – Sixth (09/13/13)
Crafton leads the Camping World Truck Series with a career-high four wins, while Erik Jones and Reddick each have two victories.
Mr. 200: Timothy Peters
Competing in the Camping World Truck Series for the 11th consecutive season, Timothy Peters will make his 200th start in the American Ethanol E15 225 at Chicagoland Speedway.
For his career, Peters owns eight wins, 42 top-fives, 94 top-tens and six Keystone Light Pole Awards. His high championship finish was a runner-up showing in 2012.
This season, the 35-year-old Toyota driver ranks seventh in the Camping World Truck Series with two top-fives and eight top-tens. In six starts at Chicagoland, he claims two top-tens with a high finish of third in 2012.
Peters made his first career start at his home track – Martinsville Speedway – on April 9, 2005. Coincidentally, he won his first career race at Martinsville on Oct. 24, 2009, defeating two-time Camping World Truck Series champion Todd Bodine by 1.815 seconds.
Larson To Pilot JR Motorsports No. 00
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has tabbed Kyle Larson to take the wheel of his JR Motorsport No. 00 Chevrolet in the American Ethanol E15 225 at Chicagoland Speedway.
The race will be Larson’s first Camping World Truck Series start of the season. In nine Truck Series starts in his career, Larson has one win, four top-fives, six top-tens and two poles. His last Camping World Truck Series appearance came in last year’s season finale at Homestead where he finished second after starting from the pole.
Larson earned his first NASCAR national series win in a truck at Rockingham on April 14, 2013. That day, he became the first Asian-American and first NASCAR Drive for Diversity alumnus to visit Victory Lane in a NASCAR national series race.
NASCAR Next driver Cole Custer has made seven starts in the No. 00 this year, while Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick and Alex Bowman have each competed in it once. Custer piloted the No. 00 to Victory Lane at Gateway in June, while Kahne won in the truck in May at Charlotte.
Additionally, Larson will run in all three races at Chicagoland this weekend.
NASCAR Next Takes Windy City
Two NASCAR Next drivers are making their first career Chicagoland starts this weekend – John Hunter Nemechek and Jesse Little.
Nemechek has notched a top-ten finish in his last two races, including a career-best third-place result at Bristol. Friday night’s race marks his second career start on a 1.5-mile track – he finished 11th at Kentucky in July.
Jesse Little takes the seat of the No. 97 Toyota Tundra for his second Camping World Truck Series start this season. He made his debut at Dover and is also scheduled to compete at Texas and Homestead later this year. Little has one win in five NASCAR K&N Pro Series East starts in 2015.
Mark It On Your Calendar
500th Camping World Truck Series Race At New Hampshire
At New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 26, the Camping World Truck Series will run its 500th race. The Camping World Truck Series began in 1995 and is in its 21st season of operation. Ron Hornaday Jr. has won the most Series championships with four and races with 51. Mike Skinner earned the first series title driving for legendary owner Richard Childress. Over the years, many of NASCAR’s stars have matriculated in the Camping World Truck Series, including Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Challengers: Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Jamie McMurray and Brad Keselowski.