The first five races of the 2024 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season have passed the eye-test producing intense side-by-side, action-packed competition, and the stats are in to back it up.
This season is just the fourth time since the inception of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 1995 that the series has started a season with five different race winners and five different pole winners through the first five events of a season – joining the 1996, 2005 and 2012 seasons.
The 2024 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season has seen 23 different drivers lead laps producing an average of eight different lap leaders per race, which is tied with 2005 for the second-most average lap leaders through the first five races in series history, behind only the 2022 season with 8.4 lap leaders per race. Christian Eckes, driver of the No. 19 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet, has led the most laps this season with 173.
The CRAFTSMAN Truck Series first five races have also generated an average of 16.20 lead changes per race, which is the series record for the most average lead changes through the first five races of season in series history (1995-2024). The previous record was 15.20 set in 2022.
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Next Race: Long John Silver’s 200
The Place: Martinsville Speedway
The Date: Friday, April 5
The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
The Purse: $746,572
TV: FS1, 6:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 105.2 miles (200 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 50),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 100), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 200)
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series goes night racing at ‘The Paper Clip’
After a week off to regroup and go over some short track strategy, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series returns to competition with the Long John Silver’s 200 at Martinsville Speedway on Friday, April 5 at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
There have been 46 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races at Martinsville, producing 33 different winners and 30 different pole winners. Nine races have been won from the pole or first starting position, most recently by Chase Elliott in 2017.
Here’s a look at the drivers who have etched their names in the half-mile track’s record books:
- Race record: Jimmy Hensley 74.282 mph (4/17/1999)
- Qualifying record: Joey Logano, 97.088 mph (3/28/2015)
- Most poles: Jack Sprague (4)
- Most wins: Johnny Sauter (4)
- Most top fives: Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter (11)
- Most top 10s: Matt Crafton (23)
- Laps led: Kyle Busch (627)
- Laps Completed: Matt Crafton (8,736)
Friday’s Long John Silver’s 200 will be broken up into three stages. The first two stages will be 50 laps each and the final stage will be 100 laps for a race total of 200 laps (105.2 miles). Practice will begin Friday, April 5 at 3:05 p.m. ET on FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio followed by Cometic Gasket Pole Qualifying at 3:40 p.m. ET.
Hot streak: 10 different winners in last 10 races at Martinsville
Martinsville Speedway continues to uphold its race winner streak with 10 different NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series winners in the last 10 races at the historic track. The streak is currently second to Bristol Motor Speedway (8/21/2014 – 03/16/2024) for the longest active streak in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.
The different winners streak began in 2017 when Chase Elliott took the checkered flag in the spring race, followed by Noah Gragson in the fall, John Hunter Nemechek (2018 spring), Johnny Sauter (2018 fall), Kyle Busch (2019 spring), Todd Gilliland (2019 fall), Grant Enfinger (2020), Zane Smith (2021), William Byron (2022), and most recently, Corey Heim (2023).
Only two previous winners are entered in Friday’s under-the-lights 200-lap tilt. Let’s take a look at how they have fared overfall at Martinsville:
Grant Enfinger: The veteran driver from Alabama has yet to crack the top-five this season with his new team but has two top-10 finishes under his belt. The driver of the No. 9 CR7 Chevrolet has made 11 starts at Martinsville Speedway and posted one win (2020), three top fives, and five top 10s. In addition, he’s led 56 laps at the paper-clip shaped track.
Corey Heim: The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series’ most recent winner is on course for another breakout year. In two starts, the driver of the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota has posted one win (2023), one top five, and one top 10. The Marietta, Georgia native has also led 82 laps.
As the series returns to the half-mile track this weekend, all eyes will be on the two stars to see if they will make another trip to Victory Lane.
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Etc.
Supercars star Cam Waters to make NASCAR debut at Martinsville – Eleven-time Supercars winner, Cam Waters, departed Australia bound for the USA to make his NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut at Martinsville Speedway piloting the No. 66 ThorSport Racing Ford.
The Mildura, Victoria (AUS) native has started nearly 250 Supercars races during his career. He has been the championship runner-up twice and has three podiums in the series’ crown jewel event — the Bathurst 1000.
Waters has had a long-time ambition to race in the states. Following the footsteps of Shane van Gisbergen and Brodie Kostecki, the 29-year-old will become the third Supercars driver who has ventured into NASCAR in the past year. Waters has also been a long-time NASCAR fan so he understands the racing can be quite aggressive at times.
“I’ve watched about 50 races, so I’ve kind of picked that up myself,” Waters said. “I spoke to Shane about how he’s obviously tackled the races and then obviously all the ThorSport drivers have given me a few tips with how truck races go down. They say it gets pretty wild at times so hold on. But the way I want to treat it is, you know, just finish the race, keep the truck clean and learn as much as I can.”
CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Upcoming Milestones – Several drivers in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will be making milestone starts in the upcoming races this season.
Matt Crafton is expected to make his 550th career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at Martinsville Speedway. Crafton leads the Truck Series in starts, all of which are consecutive. Crafton leads the series in starts and consecutive starts.
Tanner Gray is expected to make his 100th career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at Martinsville Speedway.
Bayley Currey is expected to make his 50th career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at Martinsville Speedway.
Christian Eckes is expected to make his 100th career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at Darlington Raceway.
Ty Majeski is expected to make his 75th career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at Darlington Raceway.
Corey Heim is expected to make his 50th career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at Darlington Raceway.
