Testing is always part of team preparation and for several Camping World Truck Series teams, they are taking advantage of testing at Martinsville Speedway this week.
Timothy Peters and his Red Horse Racing team are one of several teams testing at Martinsville Speedway this week, March 18 and 19, in preparation for the Kroger 250. Peters has one win at the track in 16 starts with his lone victory coming in 2009 – his first season for owner Tom DeLoach. Peters also has one career pole at the .526-mile track in October 2012. While this might be just another race for several drivers, competing at one of NASCAR’s oldest tracks has special meaning for drivers like Peters. Continue reading →
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East regular Cole Custer is attempting to make his first start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday, Mar. 29.
He is arriving in Martinsville on a hot streak after winning the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West event at Phoenix International Raceway on Feb. 27. In Phoenix, Custer edged truck series regular Brennan Newberry for his third series victory. Continue reading →
Darrell Wallace Jr., driver of the #54 ToyotaCare Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 26, 2013 Photo – Getty Images
The clock struck one for rookie Darrell Wallace Jr. on Saturday afternoon at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, as he earned his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win in the Kroger 250.
By claiming the victory, Wallace Jr., who turned 20 on October 8 became the first African-American driver to win a NASCAR national touring series event since Wendell Scott won in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) on December 1, 1963 in Jacksonville, Fla., a span of five decades. Continue reading →
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.
Testing is always part of team preparation and for several Camping World Truck Series teams, they are taking advantage of testing at Martinsville Speedway this week.
