Camping World Truck Series Pocono Mountains 150 Preview

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Extra! Extra! Pocono Adds Mileage

Pocono Raceway is extending the show this year as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race is now for 150 miles instead of its previous 125. The extra mileage won’t be too much of an added burden to the drivers’ stamina; three of the last four races have ended with a green/white checkered finish in 2010, 2011 and 2013. Continue reading

Camping World Truck Series MudSummer Classic at Eldora Preview

EldoraGet The Dirt On Eldora

From asphalt to dirt, the Camping World Truck Series transitions to the high-banked clay oval of Eldora Speedway on July 23 for the second consecutive season. The only dirt track on the schedule, Eldora will challenge even the most seasoned of veterans as it remains unique to the truck series among national series schedules.

Eldora is the only race to award the winner a golden shovel that helps to carry on the “ceremonial digging” tradition instituted at the inaugural event, when the race winner scoops dirt from the track as a keepsake. FOX Sports 1 offers coverage of practice, qualifying and the qualifying races throughout the day, with the green flag start scheduled for 9 p.m. ET. Continue reading

Erik Jones Earns Trip to Victory Lane at Iowa Speedway

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No one’s ever questioned the talent Erik Jones possesses.His luck?

That’s another matter entirely.

But Friday at Iowa Speedway, both skill and good fortune finally co-existed for the 18-year-old Kyle Busch Motorsports driver, who powered to his second career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series triumph in the American Ethanol 200.

“Glad we could get out and command the race and bring it home,” said Jones, who led 130 laps and held off a spirited charge from Brad Keselowski Racing’s Ryan Blaney, who settled for second.

He brought it home in one piece, too.

Jones, who runs a 12-race schedule, wrecked while leading late in the June 14 race at Gateway Motorsports Park outside of St. Louis.

He was running in the top-five when another truck sent him spinning on a late restart in the March 29 race at Martinsville.

“You really want to try to make your mark every time you get in (the truck),” Jones said. “It’s a tough industry and when you get in and you get turned around or something like that, it’s just really a bummer and it kind of takes that week and you have to throw it away. When you only get so many opportunities, it makes it really hard as a young guy.”

Not that he’s complaining.

His turn at the wheel of the No. 51 Toyota put the truck into victory lane for the sixth time this season — and the first time when owner Kyle Busch wasn’t driving.

“It was definitely fun,” Jones said. “I had a lot of fun — two young guys battling hard there for the win. Pretty hungry.”

It’s the second time Blaney’s snared a runner-up finish at Iowa Speedway this season.

He ran second to Sam Hornish Jr. in May’s Get to Know Newton 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race.

“We’re getting closer and closer to getting to victory lane,” said Blaney, who owns one win at Iowa, which came in 2012. “It’s just a matter of time.”

That description appeared àpropos to Friday’s race at times, as well.

Blaney, who excelled in long runs, could reel in Jones, but couldn’t stick a pass.

His best chance came with 16 laps remaining, but a side-by-side duel that went three-wide with the lapped truck of Justin Lofton didn’t provide enough daylight.

“I knew that was my best opportunity to try to get by him,” said Blaney, who notched his fifth top-five finish of the season. “We got really close. It almost sucked me around. Luckily we didn’t wreck right there. It was tight racing, but a good race and hopefully good for the fans.”

Matt Crafton earned third, with Joey Coulter and German Quiroga Jr. completing the top-five.

Crafton said lapped traffic was often perilous, so his podium finish was especially pleasing.

“My lord, some of these guys would go from the bottom to the top and back to the bottom,” said Crafton, who assumed the series points lead by two over Blaney while former leader Johnny Sauter limped in with an 18th-place finish. “It was absolutely insane, lapping some of them. I know they had their hands full, without a doubt.”

That’s not a problem for Jones, who battled his teammate Darrell Wallace Jr. for the lead early in the race before an ill-timed pit stop helped drop Wallace — the pole sitter — to 13th.

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Camping World Truck Series American Ethanol 200 at Iowa Preview

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Iowa Victory Lane Welcomes Newcomers

In its six-year history hosting the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Iowa Speedway has seen one repeat winner, Timothy Peters. With only three past winners including Peters, Ryan Blaney and Matt Crafton, expected to run Friday’s race, a new face in Victory Lane would be no surprise. Among those without wins are two drivers with the highest active driver ratings with multiple starts at the track, including Erik Jones at 107.4 and Johnny Sauter at 107.0. Continue reading

Wallace Jr. Scores Second Career NASCAR Victory at Gateway

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Darrell Wallace Jr. put a stop to his rough start to 2014 that he has experienced. On Saturday night, his win gives the No. 54 team confidence as they continue to attempt climbing out of the hole he was in for the first six races of the season. Continue reading