Event Format Announced for Inaugural NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race At Eldora Speedway

On July 24, the trucks will make their dirt debut at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. Photo - Jeff Wackerlin
On July 24, the trucks will make their dirt début at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. Photo – Jeff Wackerlin

Historic Event To Offer Unique Qualifying, Race Procedures

NASCAR announced today the qualifying and race procedures for the inaugural “Mudsummer Classic” – the highly anticipated NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway on Wednesday, July 24. Unlike asphalt tracks, dirt tracks have historically used a format much different from typical races and that will be the case for this event, the first NASCAR national series race held on dirt in more than 40 years.

The race will feature a traditional two-lap qualifying session, five qualifying races, one last-chance race and a champion’s provisional to determine the 30-truck starting field. The top-20 in owners’ points entering the race event will have a guaranteed starting position.

Here are additional details for each round of qualifying:

Qualifying

Two-lap qualifying determines starting position for the qualifying races

Qualifying Races

  • Five qualifying races

o    Eight laps each; only green flag laps count

o    Five trucks transfer from each qualifying race

  • Lineup for the qualifying races will be based on qualifying speeds with four locked-in trucks (trucks in the top 20)
  • The top-five trucks in qualifying will start on the pole for their respective qualifying race
  • Highest finishing non-locked-in truck will transfer to race from each qualifying race
  • At the completion of the qualifying races, 25 trucks will have earned spots into the feature.

Last Chance Race

  • 15 laps; only green flag laps count
  • The top-four finishers will transfer to the feature and start in positions 26-29
  • The lineup will be based on the finish from the qualifying races

Starting position No. 30 will go to the most recent past series’ champion who has not already qualified. If the 30th starting position is not filled by an eligible champion, it will be assigned to the next highest finishing truck in the Last Chance Race.

“NASCAR and Eldora Speedway have collectively worked together to come up with a format that embraces the history of dirt track racing while also ensuring that full-time competitors have an opportunity to be a part of this special event,” said Chad Little, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series director. “This will also add an exciting element for the fans and we look forward to putting on a great show at this unique venue.”

The race length and format are also new for the series. The race will be 150 laps divided into three segments. The segments will be 60, 50 and 40 laps.

There will be pit stops between each segment, with teams having the opportunity to change tires and work on their trucks.

More details on the event schedule will be released later this spring.

The “Mudsummer Classic” will be the first NASCAR national touring series event held on dirt since NASCAR’s premiere series competed on September 30, 1970 in Raleigh, N.C. Richard Petty won the Home State 200 at the one-mile State Fairgrounds Speedway.

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Johnson Claims Eighth Martinsville Win

Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, leads Joe Nemechek, driver of the #87 MaddiesPlaceRocks.com Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series STP Gas Booster 500 on April 7, 2013 at Martinsville Speedway Photo - Jerry Markland/Getty Images
Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, leads Joe Nemechek, driver of the #87 MaddiesPlaceRocks.com Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series STP Gas Booster 500 on April 7, 2013 at Martinsville Speedway
Photo – Jerry Markland/Getty Images

Jimmie Johnson closed out a perfect weekend at Martinsville Speedway Sunday afternoon, winning the STP® Gas Booster™ 500 in dominant fashion.

Johnson started on the pole in a Chevrolet after a track-record qualifying run on Friday and then led 346 laps Sunday on the way to his 62nd career NASCAR Sprint Cup victory.

With the victory, his eighth at Martinsville, Johnson became the track’s all-time win leader among active drivers. He was tied with Jeff Gordon. Continue reading →

Fan4Racing Fan2Fan NASCAR – NHRA Talk – Monday, April 8, 2013

Fan4RacingFan2FanTalkLogo333x250Hey Race Fans are you ready for our next episode of Fan4Racing’s Fan2Fan NASCAR-NHRA Talk on  Monday, April 8th?

Listen to the REPLAY right here…

Listen to internet radio with TSCRN
on Blog Talk Radio

Fan2Fan NASCAR Talk begins with our media guest Nick Brincks, a  Junior Mass Communication major at Morningside College; student station manager of KMSC, employed part-time at KWIT and KKYY.

Next is Sal Sigala Jr, and his guest Tom Bogner from Lucas Oil marketing

  • Introductions – Inspiring stories
  • Q&As with Tom Jensen – Tom Bogner
  • NASCAR – NHRA hot topics
  • Fan2Fan NASCAR – NHRA Talk for next week
  • Tell us what you want to talk about

Upcoming on Fan4Racing’s Fan2Fan NASCAR-NHRA Talk

On Demand Replays of Fan2Fan NASCAR-NHRA Talk

 

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Sauter’s Hot Start Continues With Kroger 250 Win At Martinsville Speedway

Johnny Sauter is only the second driver in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series history to open the season with back-to-back wins. Mark Martin in 2006 was the first. Photo - Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
Johnny Sauter is only the second driver in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series history to open the season with back-to-back wins. Mark Martin in 2006 was the first.
Photo – Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Johnny Sauter’s hot start to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season continued Saturday afternoon with a win in the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway.

The win gave Sauter a sweep of the first two races of the season. He won the opener at Daytona five weeks ago and with Saturday’s win he became only the second driver in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series history to win the first two races of the season. Mark Martin won the first two races of the 2006 season.

“We typically run well here, so our expectations are high. Yesterday (Friday practice) was no different. The truck was really fast off the hauler,” Sauter said after his second Martinsville Speedway victory. “We knew today was going to be about tire management, more so than I ever remember here. So the first part of the race we ran about 80 percent and tried not to lose too much track position.

 

“Later on after our first pit stop, we were around eighth and still riding. After the next pit stop with 100 to go we were 18th and I was wondering how I could be patient and aggressive. With 40 or 50 to go we put the hammer down and let her go. It was an amazing day.”

Sauter took the lead with 17 laps to go and really wasn’t challenged, taking a 1.888-second victory over ThorSport Racing teammate Matt Crafton.

Pole-sitter and rookie Jeb Burton finished third, followed by former Martinsville winner Timothy Peters and rookie Darrell Wallace Jr.

Burton, who set a track record in qualifying Friday, had the dominant truck for most of the day, leading 154 laps at the .526-mile track before losing the lead to Sauter.

“I really wanted to win and had them covered for half of the race,” said Burton. “I was really good at the beginning and we adjusted to the track at half way and we still had them covered. I just used up too much of the truck late. But we’ve got nothing to hang our head about. We had a good truck all day.”

The day finished much better than it began for Crafton. He started eighth, fell back through the field and was involved in a little beating and banging two or three times.

“I thought we were going to go down a lap on the first run. They dropped the green and I was good for about five laps and then I was about done,” said Crafton. “But this bunch of mine never gave up. They kept making adjustments. I can’t thank those guys behind the wall enough … they were using their heads and making methodical changes to the truck.”

Action returns to Martinsville Speedway Sunday with the running of the STP® Gas Booster™ 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race.

Excellent seats remain for Sunday’s STP® Gas Booster™ 500 at Martinsville Speedway and may be purchased by calling 877.RACE.TIX or online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com. Martinsville Speedway’s ticket office will open at 7 a.m. on Sunday.

Martinsville Speedway

 

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