The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series concluded the Playoffs Round of 8 at Homestead-Miami Speedway last weekend, locking in the four drivers that will compete to take home the title and be named the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion.
With another win by ThorSport Racing’s Ty Majeski last Saturday in the Baptist Health 200 at Homestead-Miami, the remaining spots were filled on points. The three drivers joining Majeski at Phoenix Raceway will be Front Row Motorsports’ Zane Smith, Kyle Busch Motorsports’ Chandler Smith and ThorSport Racing’s Ben Rhodes.
All four drivers have given the one-mile Arizona track a go at least once so let’s dive into how these four drivers have done in their Camping World Truck Series careers to get them to this point.
Ty Majeski (No. 66 ThorSport Racing Toyota) heads to Phoenix Raceway next week to make his first career appearance in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs Championship 4 Round. Majeski is looking to become the third different driver to win a Camping World Truck Series title for ThorSport Racing joining Matt Crafton’s three (2013, 2014, 2019) and Ben Rhodes’ one (2021). Below are Majeski’s stats heading into Phoenix next weekend.
2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Season Stats:
- Two wins (Bristol, Homestead)
- 10 top fives, 15 top 10s, three poles
- 306 laps led
- Average start – 7.8
- Average finish – 9.6
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Career (2019 – Present):
- 42 starts, two wins, 10 top fives, 20 top 10s
- 306 laps led
- Average start – 11.4
- Average finish – 13.4
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoff Stats (2022):
- Two Playoff wins (Bristol and Homestead-Miami)
- Six starts, three top fives and five top 10s
Phoenix Raceway Stats:
- One start, 11th-place finish
Crew Chief Joe Shear Jr.:
Joe Shear Jr. has crew chief experience dating back to 1995 and has made a mark in all three NASCAR national series. He first began as a crew chief in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 1998, and since has made 330 total series starts winning the 2016 championship with driver Johnny Sauter. Plus, over the last 18 years in those 330 starts, he has posted 26 wins, 108 top fives, 174 top 10s and 14 poles.
This is his first full time season with Majeski, but he did have a one-off race with him during the 2021 season as well. The duo have combined to put up two wins, 10 top fives and 15 top 10s in 23 series starts.
Zane Smith (No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford) heads to Phoenix Raceway next weekend hoping the third-time is ‘the charm’ as he will be competing in the Championship 4 Round for the third consecutive season, the previous two have resulted in runner-up finishes in the championship standings. Smith is hoping to deliver Front Row Motorsports its first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title. Below are Smith’s stats heading into Phoenix next weekend.
2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Season Stats:
- Three wins (Daytona, COTA, Kansas)
- 13 top fives, 18 top 10s
- 415 laps led
- Average start – 10.1
- Average finish – 8.0
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Career (2018 – Present):
- 68 starts, six wins, 24 top fives, 46 top 10s
- 922 laps led
- Average start – 8.7
- Average finish – 10.4
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoff Stats (2020 – 2022):
- One Playoff win (Martinsville, 2021)
- 20 starts, nine top fives, 13 top 10s
Phoenix Raceway Stats:
- Two starts, two top fives, two top 10s
- 48 laps led
- Average start – 7.5
- Average finish – 3.5
Crew Chief Chris Lawson:
Chris Lawson has five years of experience in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and is in his first full-time season with driver Zane Smith and his third with No. 38 Front Row Motorsports team.
In his 81 career starts as a crew chief in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Lawson has led two drivers to wins (Todd Gilliland, COTA 2021 and Zane Smith, Daytona, COTA 2022, Kansas). His teams have also finished in the top-five 26 times and the top-10 45 times.
Ben Rhodes (No. 99 ThorSport Racing Toyota) the defending series champion will have his chance at becoming just the second driver in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series history to win back-to-back championships; joining his other ThorSport Racing teammate Matt Crafton (2013, 2014). This is just the second-time he has qualified for the Championship 4 Round in the series. Below are Rhodes’ stats heading into Phoenix next weekend.
2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Season Stats:
- One win (Bristol Dirt)
- Seven top fives, 12 top 10s
- 263 laps led
- Average start – 11.2
- Average finish – 12.1
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Career (2014- Present):
- 163 starts, six wins, 48 top fives, 88 top 10s, five poles
- 1,098 laps led
- Average start – 9.0
- Average finish – 11.6
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoff Stats (2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022):
- One Playoff win (Las Vegas, 2020)
- 34 starts, 11 top fives, 18 top 10s, two poles
Phoenix Raceway Stats:
- Seven starts, three top fives, four top 10s
- 48 laps led
- Average start – 5.1
- Average finish – 9.3
Crew Chief Rich Lushes:
Rich Lushes got his first start as crew chief in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2016 when he ran one race with driver Ryan Truex. Lushes then ran a full-time season with Myatt Snider in 2018 before joining Rhodes and the No. 99 ThorSport Racing team full-time in 2021. In the first full season together, Rhodes and Lushes won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title and are now looking to go back-to-back.
In his five years in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series as a crew chief, Lushes has made 70 starts posting three wins, 18 top fives and 36 top 10s.
Chandler Smith (No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota) heads to Phoenix next weekend with a mountain of confidence because he won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season finale last season, but was eliminated from the Playoffs in the Round of 8. This season, for the first-time in Truck Series career he has a shot at the title. Below are Smith’s stats heading into Phoenix next weekend.
2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Season Stats:
- Three wins (Las Vegas, Pocono, Richmond)
- Eight top fives, 15 top 10s
- 440 laps led
- Average start – 7.3
- Average finish – 9.0
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Career (2019 – Present):
- 60 starts, five wins, 22 top fives, 33 top 10s, one pole (2021)
- 746 laps led
- Average start – 8.9
- Average finish – 12.8
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoff Stats (2021 – 2022):
- Three Playoff wins (Bristol, Phoenix – 2021 & Richmond – 2022)
- 13 starts, four top fives and eight top 10s
Phoenix Raceway Stats:
- Three starts, one win (2021), three top fives, three top 10s
- 40 laps led
- Average start – 9.3
- Average finish – 2.3
Crew Chief Danny Stockman Jr.:
Danny Stockman Jr. has made his way around NASCAR, having experience in all three national series. He first joined the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2010 leading driver Austin Dillon. The duo would win the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship in 2011. Stockman also led Dillon to a NASCAR Xfinity Series title in 2013. Stockman joined Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2020 working with several drivers on the No. 51 team. Then he switched to No. 18 team in 2021 and has worked fulltime with Chandler Smith ever since.
In Stockman’s 115 Camping World Truck Series starts as a crew chief, he has posted 13 wins, 41 top fives, 66 top 10s and 14 poles.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
- Next Race: Lucas Oil 150
- The Place: Phoenix Raceway
- The Date: Friday, November 4
- The Time: 10 p.m. ET
- The Purse: $817,025
- TV: FS1, 9 p.m. ET
- Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
- Distance: 150 miles (150 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 45),
- Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 150)
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Etc.
Daniel Dye to compete full-time in the Truck Series with GMS Racing in 2023 – Daniel Dye, who joined GMS Racing in 2021 to run a part-time schedule in the ARCA Menards Series East, will be making the transition to full-time racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2023. He will be behind the wheel of the No. 43.
The eighteen-year-old will be competing for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors.
“I am really thankful for the opportunity to drive the No. 43 Chevrolet Silverado RST for GMS Racing in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2023,” said Dye. “GMS Racing, their partners and staff, are the best in the business, and to drive their Chevy trucks next season is something that I have dreamed of for a long time. I’m counting down the days to coming back here at Daytona to race under the lights.”
