NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams are ready to race 225 miles over 150 laps in the Buckle Up in Your Truck 225 at Kentucky Speedway on Thursday, July 7th. FOX Sports 1 coverage begins at 8 pm ET with a green flag around 8:30 pm ET with MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR radio coverage also available.
Intermediate Ace Crafton Eyes Repeat at Kentucky
No current NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver has had as much success as Matt Crafton at intermediate tracks. Dating back to the 2014, the No. 88 ThorSport Racing driver has logged a top-ten finish in 19 of the last 21 races at ovals measuring 1.5 or 1.54 miles. During that stretch, he has logged seven wins and five runner-up finishes.
He will try to defend his victory from last season at Kentucky Speedway in Thursday’s Buckle Up In Your Truck 225.
In 17 Kentucky starts, Crafton owns one win, five top-fives, 12 top-tens and an average finish of 10.6.
On the season, he has two wins, four top-fives and seven top-tens in nine starts. Crafton’s two victories virtually guarantee him a spot in the Camping World Truck Series Chase. The Tulare, California native trails William Byron by one point for first in the series standings.
Crafton leads the Camping World Truck Series in average running position (6.0), driver rating (113.6), fastest laps run (210) and laps led (398).
Sunoco ROTY Frontrunners Bell and Byron Aim for Another Win at Kentucky
Kyle Busch Motorsports teammates William Byron and Christopher Bell have continued the team’s legacy of success in the Camping World Truck Series this season.
The two Sunoco Rookie of the Year frontrunners – Byron leads Bell by 16 points in the rookie standings – have virtually assured themselves spots in the inaugural eight-driver Camping World Truck Series Chase by winning races. Byron’s three visits to Victory Lane lead the series, while Bell won his first race of the season two weeks ago at Gateway.
Byron leads two-time champion Matt Crafton by one point in the series standings. In addition to his three wins, he claims four top-fives and five top-tens in nine starts this season.
Bell’s victory at Gateway was the second of his career (Eldora) and his first on pavement. He has three top-fives and five top-tens in nine starts this season.
Joining Bell and Byron in Thursday’s race are part-time KBM competitors, Kyle Busch and Daniel Suárez. A victory by a KBM driver would mean sole possession of first on the Camping World Truck Series all-time winners lis with 51. KBM is now tied in the record books with Roush Fenway Racing.
Louisville’s Rhodes Readies for CWTS Debut at Hometown Track
Ben Rhodes, from Louisville, Kentucky, will make his Camping World Truck Series track debut at his hometown venue in Thursday’s Buckle Up In Your Truck 225 at Kentucky Speedway.
The NASCAR Next alumnus and 2014 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion placed 30th at Kentucky in last fall’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race there.
Rhodes has registered career-high finishes in his last two starts – showings of fourth at Iowa and second at Gateway.
The ThorSport Racing driver sits tenth on the Camping World Truck Series Chase Grid, 11 points behind Ben Kennedy on the cutoff line.
Moffitt Takes the Saddle for Red Horse Racing at Kentucky
Brett Moffitt will take the wheel of the No. 11 Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra in Thursday’s Buckle Up in Your Truck 225 at Kentucky Speedway as a sub for Matt Tifft, who underwent surgery for removal of a low-grade glioma in the brain.
Moffitt, the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year, has made two Camping World Truck Series starts in his career. His best series finish is a 14th-place result recorded at Kentucky in 2013.
“Obviously, we’re thinking of Matt and can’t wait for him to return, so we’re sending him our best wishes and we hope to see him back at the track soon,” Moffitt said. “I hate that it’s under these circumstances, but I’m really grateful for this opportunity with Red Horse Racing and I hope it can lead to more.”
Tifft is undergoing rehabilitation and once cleared by physicians, will return to racing.
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