They’re back!
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams are ready for action at Kansas Speedway in the Toyota Tundra 250 on Friday night, May 12th. Television coverage begins at 8 pm ET on FOX Sports 1 with radio coverage on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
The green flag waves at around 8:30 pm ET for 250.5 miles over 167 laps. Stage 1 ends on lap 40 with Stage 2 ending on lap 80 and the last stage on the last lap.
2016 Camping World Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award winner, William Byron is the defending race winner.
What To Watch For: The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns Friday night after a six-week break.
Johnny Sauter attempts to extend his four-point standings lead over second-place Christopher Bell.
Matt Crafton goes for his third career Kansas win. He finished runner-up in last year’s race.
A Toyota driver has won the last four races at Kansas.
The New Kansas City Royal
Kyle Busch Motorsports driver Christopher Bell heads to Kansas looking to recapture the Camping World Truck Series points lead and win his second race of 2017.
In one career race at Kansas (2016), Bell had a strong showing – finishing fourth after starting fifth. He ran 100 percent of his laps in that race in the top-15, which resulted in a driver rating of 112.1 at Kansas.
Bell now trails Camping World Truck Series points leader and defending series champion Johnny Sauter by four points.
He won his first race of the 2017 season at Atlanta Motor Speedway and has two stage wins so far this season.
The Kansas City Chief: Matt Crafton
Two-time Camping World Truck Series champion Matt Crafton is the chief of Kansas Speedway.
In 16 Camping World Truck Series starts at Kansas, Crafton has two wins, five top-fives and eight top-tens.
He’s finished outside the top-25 only once (2005) and has four-consecutive top-two finishes.
Crafton also owns multiple Kansas Speedway track records:
Most Wins: two
Most Races: 16
Most top-fives: five
Most top-tens: eight
Most Lead Lap Finishes: ten
Most Laps Completed: 2,576
Sauter Hoping to Secure First Win at Kansas
Camping World Truck Series points leader and defending champion Johnny Sauter is looking for his first win of the 2017 season at Kansas Speedway.
Sauter has historically ran well at Kansas, as he has one career win (2010), four top-fives and five top-tens. He has an average finish at Kansas of 10.1.
The No. 21 GMS Racing driver has 121 laps led at Kansas – good for the most among Camping World Truck Series drivers.
Since 2009, Sauter has 73 fastest laps at Kansas – which is also the most among Camping World Truck Series drivers in that span.
In eight career starts at Kansas Speedway, Sauter has never finished outside the top-25.
Toyota’s New Motto?
Let’s Go Places and Win NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Races… at Kansas
A Toyota driver has won the last four Camping World Truck Series races at Kansas Speedway.
2016 Sunoco Rookie of the Year winner William Byron won last season, two-time Camping World Truck Series Champion Matt Crafton won in both 2015 and 2013, and Camping World Truck Series team owner Kyle Busch won in 2014.
There have been 16 Camping World Truck Series races at Kansas Speedway and each Camping World Truck Series manufacturer has multiple wins at the track.
Chevrolet and Toyota have six wins each, while Ford has four wins.
First Timers at Kansas
There are ten Camping World Truck Series drivers making their track debut at Kansas Speedway in Friday’s Toyota Tundra 250.
There are six Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders: Chase Briscoe, Austin Cindric, Grant Enfinger, Stewart Friesen, Noah Gragson and Kaz Grala.
There are four other Camping World Truck Series drivers making their track debut this week including Austin Hill, Brett Moffitt, Todd Peck and Regan Smith.
There have been two Camping World Truck Series drivers that have won their first race at Kansas Speedway; William Byron (05/06/2016) and James Buescher (04/21/2012).
There have been two Camping World Truck Series drivers that have won their first pole at this track; John Wes Townley (05/06/2016) and Tim George Jr. (04/21/2012).
Changing it Up
There have been three different race winners in the last three Camping World Truck Series races at Kansas Speedway.
In 16 total Camping World Truck Series races, there has been only one repeat winner – Matt Crafton (2015, 2013).
In last season’s Toyota Tundra 250, the race produced the most lead changes (19) in any Camping World Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway.
Also Noteworthy…
Kyle Busch Entered for NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race at Kansas: Kyle Busch Motorsports owner Kyle Busch will run the No. 51 Toyota in Friday’s Toyota Tundra 250 at Kansas Speedway. In three Camping World Truck Series races at Kansas, Busch has won once (2014) and has two top-tens with 115 laps led.
There’s No Place Like Home: Camping World Truck Series driver Jennifer Jo Cobb will be racing at her hometown track (Kansas Speedway) Friday night. Cobb’s hometown is Kansas City, Kansas, and she has five consecutive top-25 finishes at Kansas Speedway.
Where History Began: Last season, William Byron won his first career Camping World Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway in the Toyota Tundra 250. The win was the start of a historic rookie season for Byron as he would go on to win six more races – breaking the Camping World Truck Series rookie wins record set by Kurt Busch.