With another thrilling weekend in the books, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will return to competition with the SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday, April 12 at 8:30 p.m. ET (FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
There have been 49 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races at Texas, producing 27 different winners and 31 different pole winners. Seven races have been won from the pole or first starting position, most recently by John Hunter Nemechek in 2021.
Here’s a look at the drivers who have etched their names in the 1.5-mile track’s record books:
- Race record: Erik Jones 158.002 mph (11/06/2015)
- Qualifying record: Johnny Sauter 188.758 mph (11/02/2018)
- Most races: Matt Crafton (43)
- Most poles: Mike Skinner (5)
- Most wins: Todd Bodine (6)
- Most top fives: Matt Crafton (17)
- Most top 10s: Matt Crafton (30)
- Laps led: Ron Hornaday Jr. (685)
Friday’s SpeedyCash.com 250 will be broken up into three stages. The first two stages will be 40 laps each and the final stage will be 87 laps for a race total of 167 laps (250.5 miles). Practice will begin Friday, April 12 at 4:05 p.m. ET on FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio followed by qualifying at 4:35 p.m. ET.
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Next Race: SpeedyCash.com 250
The Place: Texas Motor Speedway
The Date: Friday, April 12
The Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
The Purse: $794,039
TV: FS1, 7:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 250.5 miles (167 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 40),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 80), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 167)
Victory Lane’s bigger in Texas
Two previous winners are entered in this weekend’s SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway, but they’re not the only drivers who have had consistently great performances in the Lone Star State.
Kyle Busch: The winningest driver in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will run his fourth race on his select-tour behind the wheel of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet this weekend. In Busch’s 14 starts at the 1.5-mile track, he’s posted five wins (2009, 2010, 2014, 2019, 2020), 10 top fives, 10 top 10s, and has led 525 laps. The 38-year old’s win in 2020 was the last time the veteran raced at Texas in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.
Stewart Friesen: In 11 starts, the driver of the No. 52 Halmar Friesen Racing Toyota has posted one win (2022), one pole (2018), five top-five, and six top-10 finishes. He’s also led 90 laps. The 40-year old’s win in 2022 was his third in his NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series career. Last season, Friesen finished third at the 1.5-mile track.
Matt Crafton: The long-time NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series driver owns a vast majority of the records at Texas Motor Speedway – most top fives (17), top 10s (30), lead lap finishes (33), and laps completed (6,625). The driver of the No. 88 ThorSport Ford finished among the top-10 consecutively from 2011-2018. Last season, he finished 13th.
Grant Enfinger: The veteran behind the wheel of the No. 9 CR7 Chevrolet has yet to crack the top five this season, but that could change this weekend at Texas. In 11 starts at the 1.5-mile track, Enfinger’s posted one pole (2019), five top fives, seven top 10s, and has led 60 laps.
Christian Eckes establishes early season dominance
The first six races of the 2024 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season have produced intense, action-packed competition, and Christian Eckes has remained one to watch each week.
The driver of the No. 19 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet has quickly become the ‘Short Track King’ with two wins under his belt at Bristol and Martinsville. Not only that, but Eckes is one of only a handful of drivers who have consistently ran in the top 10 each week – the only exception being at Atlanta (32nd) due to brake failure. The 23-year old has also led the most laps this season with 306.
Although ThorSport Racing’s Ty Majeski leads the points standings with 248 points, Eckes has been continuously chipping away at the lead each week, sitting back in fourth (-11). Among the four drivers currently locked into the Playoffs, the Middletown, New York native has collected the most Playoff points (13).
In four starts at Texas Motor Speedway, Eckes has posted two top fives, two top 10s, and 90 laps led. Notably, both top-five finishes have been runners-up. Last season, Eckes finished 15th. If the breakout star can find his way into Victory Lane again this weekend, he will become the first driver to win back-to-back this season.
Majeski jumps to Truck standings lead with Texas in his sights
ThorSport Racing’s Ty Majeski has catapulted himself into the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series points lead following his runner-up finish at Martinsville Speedway.
Majeski currently is seven points ahead of TRICON Garage’s Corey Heim in second and seven points ahead of McAnally Hilgemann Racings Tyler Ankrum in third.
Majeski will look to hold on to the standings lead at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. The 29-year old from Seymour, Wisconsin has made three CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at Texas posting two top-five finishes. His average finish at the 1.5-mile track is 8.0 – third best among active drivers.
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Etc.
CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Upcoming Milestones – Several drivers in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will be making milestone starts in the upcoming races this season.
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.
Breaking Through: Six drivers have won their first Truck Series race at Texas – In the 49 previous CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races at Texas, six drivers have won their first career race at the 1.5-mile speedway; most recently last season when Carson Hocevar, driving for Niece Motorsports, earned his first victory in the series.
The six drivers to win their first Truck race at Texas are Carson Hocevar (4/1/2023), Jeb Burton (6/7/2013), Clint Bowyer (11/3/2006), Brendan Gaughan (6/7/2002), Travis Kvapil (10/5/2001), and Bryan Reffner (10/13/2000).
