NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News & Notes – Off Week

Up Next: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at Knoxville Raceway in two weeks

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will be taking this Independence Day weekend off but will be returning to action the following weekend in the Corn Belt 150 Presented by Premier Chevy Dealers at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa on Friday, July 9 at 9 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio in the series’ debut at the famously historic dirt track.

Next Race: Corn Belt 150 Presented by Premier Chevy Dealers

The Place: Knoxville Raceway

The Date: Friday, July 9

The Time: 9 p.m. ET

TV: FS1, 8 p.m. ET

Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Distance: 75 miles (150 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 40),

Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 150)

Knoxville Raceway is a half-mile dirt oval with eight degrees of banking in the four turns. The width of the track varies from 60 to 80 feet and the surface is comprised of black Iowa soil. Over the years Knoxville Raceway has been aptly nicknamed the ‘Sprint Car Capitol of the World’. The track was constructed in the 1800s on the Marion County Fairgrounds and was originally a horse racing track.

Knoxville Raceway will be the second dirt track the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will compete on this season joining the Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt track. Much like that weekend in Bristol, the series will once again compete in a special format that will include Qualifying Races. Full details of the rules and procedures will be included in next week’s News & Notes package.

The tentative weekend schedule for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Knoxville Raceway is as follows:

Thursday, July 8

Random Qualifying Draw (6 p.m. ET)

Final NCWTS Practice (7:05 p.m. – 8:25 p.m. ET)

Friday, July 9

1st Qualifying Race (7 p.m. ET)

2nd Qualifying Race (7:15 p.m. ET)

3rd Qualifying Race (7:30 p.m. ET)

4th Qualifying Race (7:45 p.m. ET)

NCWTS Race (9 p.m. ET)

 

Kyle Busch Motorsports, John H. Nemechek are setting up for a strong run in the postseason

One thing has been made very clear this season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and that is Kyle Busch Motorsports has brought John Hunter Nemechek back to the series for wins and sadly for the competition they are doing just that – winning.

Last weekend at Pocono Raceway, John Hunter Nemechek scored his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season leading fifth victory of 2021 – a new single season career-high for Nemechek. In total, Nemechek has amassed five wins (Las Vegas, Richmond, Charlotte, Texas and Pocono), eight top fives and 11 top 10s in 12 starts.

Nemechek also leads the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver standings following Pocono Raceway by 86 points over second place Ben Rhodes. With only two races left Nemechek looks poised to lockup the Regular Season Championship as well which will grant him an additional 15 Playoffs points to add to his already series leading 34 Playoff points bringing his total to 49 to start the postseason if he doesn’t collect anymore at Knoxville and Watkins Glen. Nemechek can clinch the Regular Season Championship with 34 points or by being 60 points above the second-place driver in the standings following Knoxville.

Since the inception of the Playoffs in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2016, no Playoff driver has accumulated more than 42 Playoff points heading into the postseason. Nemechek is on path to surpass that record this season.

The 2016 Playoffs began with the No. 1 seed William Byron entering the postseason with 15 Playoff points. The 2017 Playoffs began with the No. 1 seed Christopher Bell entering the postseason with 40 Playoff points. The 2018 Playoffs began with the No. 1 seed Johnny Sauter entering the postseason with 42 Playoff points. The 2019 Playoffs began with the No. 1 seed Brett Moffitt entering the postseason with 22 Playoff points. The 2020 Playoffs began with the No. 1 seed Sheldon Creed entering the postseason with 26 Playoff points.

Also working in Nemechek’s favor, is four of the five No. 1 seeds entering the Playoffs earned a spot in their respective season’s Championship 4 Rounds, with the lone exception being William Byron. But of the five No. 1 seeds, only two took home the series title – Christopher Bell (2017) and last season’s champion Sheldon Creed.

Two vastly different tracks left to close out the Camping World Trucks’ regular season

When it comes to the last two tracks on the schedule the differences between the two couldn’t be vaster.

Next weekend the series heads to Knoxville, Iowa for the Truck debut at Knoxville Raceway in the Corn Belt 150 Presented by Premier Chevy Dealers at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa on Friday, July 9 at 9 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Knoxville Speedway is a half-mile dirt track with eight degrees of banking in the turns. The track is largely known for its Sprint Car races and will be unlike any other dirt track the series has competed on.

Then nearly a month later following the Olympic break, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will head north to Watkins Glen International located just outside Watkins Glen, New York for the race on August 7 at 12:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. To wrap up the regular season the competitors will be tasked with navigating the multi-elevational, seven turn road course. It will be sixth time Truck Series has competed at the 2.45-mile course and the first time in 20 years (last race was on June 24, 2000).

Playoff Bubble: Two chances remain to win and get into the Playoffs

With just two races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular season, it’s time to start talking clinch scenarios and identify the drivers locked in and those still fighting to get in to the 2021 Playoffs.

 

Already Clinched

The following five drivers have clinched a spot in the 10-driver postseason NASCAR Camping World Truck Series field: John Hunter Nemechek, Ben Rhodes, Austin Hill, Todd Gilliland, Sheldon Creed. Hill is the first driver to clinch a spot solely on points, the other four have won already this season.

Can clinch via points

If there is a new winner, the following drivers could clinch by being 56 points above the fifth winless driver in the standings – Zane Smith: Would clinch with 18 points; Matt Crafton: Would clinch with 53 points; Stewart Friesen: Could only clinch with help.

If there is a repeat winner, the following drivers could clinch by being 56 points above the sixth winless driver in the standings. They would also clinch if there was a new winner among (drivers) and being 56 points above the 5th winless driver in the standings – Zane Smith: Would clinch regardless of finish; Matt Crafton: Would clinch with 33 points; Stewart Friesen: Could only clinch with help; Carson Hocevar: Could only clinch with help

Can clinch via win

The following drivers would clinch on their win alone – Zane Smith, Matt Crafton, Stewart Friesen, Carson Hocevar, Chandler Smith, Johnny Sauter, Tyler Ankrum, Austin Wayne Self, Derek Kraus, Ryan Truex.

The following drivers could clinch with a win and clinching a Top 20 position – Hailie Deegan: Would clinch with 41 points; Tanner Gray: Would clinch with 59 points; Chase Purdy: Could only clinch with help.

Additionally, John Hunter Nemechek could clinch the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Regular Season Championship with 34 points or by being 60 points above the second-place driver in the standings following Knoxville.

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