NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News & Notes — Eldora Speedway
UPDATE: Corrects broadcast network for qualifying and qualifying races.
Note: A full NASCAR National Series News & Notes package previewing this weekend’s NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be released later in the week. The following notes package is in advance of Wednesday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 1-800-CAR-CASH Mud Summer Classic at Eldora Speedway (9 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1).
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Next Race: 1-800-CAR-CASH Mud Summer Classic
The Place: Eldora Speedway
The Date: Wednesday, July 22
The Time: 9 p.m. (ET) on FOX Sports 1
Qualifying: FOX Sports 2, 5 p.m. (ET)
Qualifying Races: FOX Sports 2, 7 p.m. (ET) (Simulcast on FOX Sports 1 from 8-8:30 p.m.)
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM Ch. 90
Distance: 75 miles (150 laps); Segments of 60-50-40 laps
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
Keselowski Headlines Eldora Entry List
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series superstar Brad Keselowski will pilot the No. 29 Ford in Wednesday’s 1-800-CAR-CASH Mud Summer Classic (9 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1) at Eldora Speedway. He is the first NSCS champion to compete in the event. One of 26 drivers to win in all three NASCAR national series, Keselowski owns NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team Brad Keselowski Racing, which runs the No. 19 (Tyler Reddick) and No. 29. Keselowski claims one win in 64 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts.
Austin Dillon Returns To Eldora
Inaugural 1-800-CAR-CASH Mud Summer Classic winner Austin Dillon returns to Eldora Speedway on Wednesday (9 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1) for the third addition of the only dirt race on the NASCAR national series docket. He will try to become the first two-time victor at the Ohio track. Defending race winner, NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Darrell Wallace Jr. is not scheduled to compete.
How to Qualify For Eldora
Qualifying for Wednesday night’s race at Eldora is unlike anything on the NASCAR national series calendar. There will be two laps of single truck qualifying to determine the Keystone Light Pole Award winner, as well as the starting positions for five 10-lap qualifying races. The top five trucks from each qualifying race transfer to the feature. After the five qualifying races, there will be a 15-lap Last Chance Qualifying Race. The top-two finishers in the Last Chance Race will transfer to the feature. Positions 28th-31st will go to the highest-ranking eligible trucks in owner points that have not already earned a starting position through qualifying. The 32nd starting position will go to the most recent eligible past series champion. If that position is not filled by an eligible champion, it will be assigned based upon owner points. Keystone Light Pole qualifying and all qualifying races will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 2 starting at 5 p.m. ET, and simulcast on FOX Sports 1 starting at 8 p.m. ET. Click here for an infographic detailing the Eldora qualifying and race procedures.
Tough Mudders: Dirt Aces Entered At Eldora
Next Wednesday, dirt aces Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell, Austin Dillon and Ty Dillon will show who the “Tough Mudders” really are in the 1-800-CAR-CASH Mud Summer Classic at Eldora Speedway (9 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1). All four drivers race on the asphalt ovals of NASCAR, but enjoy returning to their dirt roots.
Here are some of their dirt accomplishments:
Reddick
- In 2012, became the youngest driver to start the World 100 at Eldora Speedway
- Youngest driver to win a Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Feature Event
Bell
- In 2014, earned 26 feature wins on dirt, including wins in Midgets (18), Winged Sprint Cars (four), and Non-Winged Sprint Cars (four)
- 2013 United States Auto Club (USAC) National Midget Champion
- 2013 USAC Midget Rookie of the Year
Dillon
- In 2015, won DIRTcar Nationals Gator Championship at Volusia Speedway Park (Fla.) in UMP Modifieds
- In 2013, won inaugural 1-800-CAR-CASH Mud Summer Classic event at Eldora Speedway
- 2007 & 2009 May All-Star Shootout winner at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Dillon
- In 2014, won DIRTcar Nationals Gator Championship at Volusia Speedway Park (Fla.) in UMP Modifieds
- 2008 May All-Star Shootout winner at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Loop Dogg: Erik Jones Continues To Dominate Advanced Metrics
It ain’t nuthin’ but an “E” Thang.
Although he’s currently third in the driver standings, 29 points behind leader Matt Crafton, Erik Jones continues to post dominant loop data statistics.
Jones’ numbers indicate he’ll start racking up wins and gaining on Crafton and second-place Tyler Reddick.
The 19-year-old NASCAR Next alum paces the NCWTS in average running position (3.6), fastest laps (434), laps led (647) and driver rating (127.7).
Jones placed second at Kentucky in his last start and owns one win, six top fives, and seven top 10s on the season. He also leads the NCWTS with a 2.4 average start.
NASCAR Next’s Cole Custer to Make National Series Dirt Debut
NASCAR Next member and youngest winner in NASCAR national series history Cole Custer takes the track for the first time since Iowa (June 29) in the 1-800-CAR-CASH Mud Summer Classic at Eldora Speedway.
The race marks Custer’s first NASCAR national series start on dirt. In four starts this season, the 17-year-old California native has one win, two top 10s, and a 9.8 average finish.
Madeline “Mad Maddie” Crane to Make First NASCAR Start at Eldora
Madeline “Mad Maddie” Crane looks to become the 18th female driver to record a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start when she makes her NASCAR debut in Wednesday’s 1-800-CAR-CASH Mud Summer Classic at Eldora Speedway. The 17-year-old Georgia native races Super Late Models at Senoia (Ga.) Raceway where she ranks fourth in the points standings. Crane began her career when she was 10 years old racing Bandoleros in the Thursday Night Thunder Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway – a program that helped produce Joey Logano, David Ragan, Reed Sorensen, Chase Elliott, and Ty Dillon. She participated in the NASCAR Drive 4 Diversity Combine at Langley Speedway last October.
Schrader Back for More Mud Summer Action
Four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winner Ken Schrader joins the fun at Eldora for the third consecutive season. Schrader, a 60-year-old driver with 31 seasons of NASCAR experience, became the oldest Keystone Light Pole Award winner in series history at the inaugural 1-800-CAR-CASH Mud Summer Classic in 2013 and finished the race 14th. Last year, he finished fourth after starting 10th.
Ohio Is For Truckers: KBM Team Members Have Buckeye State Ties
ThorSport Racing might be the only NASCAR team based in Ohio (Sandusky), but Kyle Busch Motorsports is also having a mini homecoming of sorts when the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio for the 1-800-CAR-CASH Mud Summer Classic.
Matt Tifft, a Hinckley, Ohio resident will start in the No. 51 Toyota Tundra. On the season, Tifft claims two top-10 finishes in five starts.
Tifft’s No. 51 team truck chief Chris “Showie” Showalter is a native of Amherst, Ohio. Considered the “iron man” of the NCWTS, he has been a member of a truck team for every race in the circuit’s 22-year history. In order to make it to every event, he has survived a couple of near misses. During the 2004 season, he had ACL surgery on Tuesday and was at the track on Thursday. In 2013, he passed a kidney stone the morning of the race at Bristol Motor Speedway and still was able to make it to the track that day.
Hauler driver of the No. 51 Brian “Bubba” Carr hails from Celina, Ohio, 20 miles north of Eldora Speedway. He also serves as the gas man on the over-the-wall crew.
Sources: NASCAR PR