NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series News & Notes – Bristol Motor Speedway

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Next Race: Weather Guard Truck Race
The Place: Bristol Motor Speedway
Track Length: 0.533 Mile Concrete Oval
The Date: Friday, April 11
The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
The Purse: $782,900
TV: FS1, 7:30 p.m. ET
Radio: NRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 133.25 miles (250 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 65),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 130), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 250)

Where To Watch NASCAR This Week:

Friday, April 11

NCTS Practice & Kennametal Pole Qualifying (FS2 at 3:30 p.m. ET)

NCTS Race: Weather Guard Truck Race (FS1, NRN, SiriusXM at 7:30 p.m. ET)

Saturday, April 12

NXS Practice & Kennametal Pole Qualifying (The CW App at 11:30 a.m. ET)

NCS Practice & Busch Light Pole Qualifying (Amazon Prime, PRN, SiriusXM at 2 p.m. ET)

NXS Race: SciAps 300 (The CW, PRN, SiriusXM at 5 p.m. ET)

Sunday, April 13

NCS Race: Food City 500 (FS1, PRN, SiriusXM at 3 p.m. ET)

Bristol Storylines and Insights:

This weekend will be the 29th running of a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway (1995-2025).
McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Daniel Hemric won the first race of the 2025 Triple Truck Challenge at Martinsville Speedway taking home the $50K bonus. If he wins at Bristol and Rockingham, he can win up to $500k in bonus prize money.
Each Triple Truck Challenge Event will award a $50,000 bonus to the highest finishing eligible driver. If a driver wins two of the three Triple Truck Challenge awards, that race winner will receive an additional $50,000 bonus for a total of $150,000.
If an eligible driver wins all three of the Triple Truck Challenge awards that race winner will receive an additional $300,000 bonus for a total of $500,000.
Bristol Motor Speedway is the second of seven short track races in 2025 for the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.
There have been 12 different winners in the last 12 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Different organizations have won the last six Bristol races.
Five of the last 12 Bristol races were won by drivers getting their first Truck win, three of the last six.
Four of the last six Bristol winners got their first win of the season.
Four former CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Bristol race winners are active this season: Corey Heim-1, Ty Majeski-1, Layne Riggs-1, Chandler Smith-1.
Corey Heim has won double the races of any other driver since the start of 2024. Heim leads the Truck Series with two wins this season (Daytona, Las Vegas).
Corey Heim leads the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series driver standings following Martinsville by 20 points over last year’s champion Ty Majeski in second place.
Corey Heim has led 278 laps this season, three times more than the next driver (Kyle Busch-80), and 229 more than any other series regular. Heim is the only driver to lead laps all five Truck Series races this season.
Five different drivers have finished runner-up in the first five races of the 2025 Truck Series season.
Two drivers have finished inside the top-five in three of the first five races of 2025: Corey Heim and Tyler Ankrum.
Chandler Smith leads all Truck Series drivers in top-10 finishes this season with five in the first five races.
Four drivers have finished every lap of all five of the Truck Series races this season (100% laps completed): Chandler Smith, Daniel Hemric, Tanner Gray and Ty Majeski.
There have been 88 lead changes in the ﬁrst five CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races, the most through five races in series history.
A stage winner has not won the race at Bristol since 2019.
The stage 2 winner finished second in the last three Bristol races.
Tyler Ankrum finished top-10 in the last eight short track races, his last finish outside the top-10 at a short track was Bristol Fall 2023.
The last 19 races ended at the scheduled distance, the second longest streak without overtime, the record is 20 races.
McAnally Hilgemann Racing has won four of the last eight short track races.
Daniel Hemric is the oldest first time truck winner since Martin Truex Jr. at Bristol Dirt in 2021. He is the oldest first time winner on a paved track since Michael Waltrip heroically won at Daytona in 2011 with a damaged truck.
Kyle Larson is running all three NASCAR races at Bristol, Kyle Busch is the only driver to sweep all three races in a weekend, Bristol 2010 and 2017. Larson won two of the three races at Miami earlier this year, dominated the NXS but lost on an overtime restart.

Shigeaki Hattori, Hattori Racing Enterprises Owner

Passed away Saturday, April 5th at age 61 in a car accident.
10 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts as a driver.
14 career wins as a CRAFTSMAN Truck Series owner.
Won 2018 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck championship with driver Brett Moffitt and crew chief Scott Zipadelli.

Triple Truck Challenge Rundown:

2025 Triple Truck Challenge features three races: Martinsville (March 28^th – Daniel Hemric won), Bristol (April 11th) and Rockingham (April 18th).
All Truck Series drivers are eligible; however, the Triple Truck Challenge will not be open to NASCAR Xﬁnity Series or NASCAR Cup Series regulars who participate in the races.
The highest finishing full-time CRAFTSMAN Truck Series driver of the race will receive a $50k bonus.
If a driver wins the Triple Truck Challenge in two of the three events, they are awarded the $50,000 bonus for the second win an additional $50,000 bringing the total prize winnings to $150,000.
If a driver wins the Triple Truck Challenge in all three designated events, they are awarded the $50,000 bonus for the third win an additional $300,000 bringing the total prize winnings to $500,000.
Since its inception into the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2019, the Triple Truck Challenge has awarded $1,000,000 in bonus prize money.
Daniel Hemric won his first Triple Truck Challenge bonus of his career at Martinsville. Hemric became the 16th different driver to win a Triple Truck Challenge bonus.

Former Triple Truck Challenge Winners:

2019 Winners: Texas: Greg Biﬄe ($50k), Iowa: Brett Moﬃtt ($50k), Gateway: Ross Chastain ($50k).
2020 Winners: Daytona RC and Gateway: Sheldon Creed ($150k), Dover: Zane Smith ($50k).
2021 Winners: Darlington: Sheldon Creed ($50k), COTA: Todd Gilliland ($50k), Charlotte: John H. Nemechek ($50k).
2022 Winners: Gateway: Corey Heim ($50K), Nashville: Ryan Preece ($50K), Mid-Ohio: Parker Kligerman ($50K).
2023 Winners: Charlotte: Ben Rhodes ($50K), Gateway: Grant Enﬁnger ($50K), Nashville: Carson Hocevar ($50K).
2024 Winners: Charlotte: Nick Sanchez ($50K), Gateway: Corey Heim ($50K), Nashville: Christian Eckes ($50K)
2025 Winners: Martinsville: Daniel Hemric ($50k).

NASCAR & Bristol, Etc.

Historical & Significant Events at Bristol Motor Speedway:

Groundbreaking for Bristol International Speedway, as Bristol Motor Speedway was originally known, took place in 1960.
The track was built by Bowling operator Larry Carrier, Kingsport businessman Carl Moore and construction company owner R.G. Pope and the track measured an exact half-mile.
The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway was on July 30, 1961, and the inaugural event was won by Jack Smith with relief from Johnny Allen. Smith had a three lap lead when Allen took over and Allen built the lead to as many as six laps.
Also in 1961, the NFL’s Washington Redskins took on the Philadelphia Eagles in a pre-season game at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Eagles won, 17-10.
In 1969 the track was dug up and reshaped and the banking significantly increased. Starting in July 1969 the track was measured at .533 miles.
Financial problems led to sale of the track after the 1976 season to Nashville accountant and attorney Gary Baker and his partner Lanny Hester.
All of the NASCAR Cup Series races at Bristol have been scheduled for 500 laps, except for both races in 1976 and the second in 1977, which were 400 laps each.
The name changed to Bristol International Raceway in 1978.
The first night race was held in the fall of 1978.
In 1982 and in 1985 the track underwent ownership changes. In 1982 California businessman Warner Hodgdon began buying into teams and tracks. In 1982 he bought out Hester and in 1983 Baker’s half. In 1985 Hodgdon declared bankruptcy. Larry Carrier stepped in to run the track.
The surface was changed from asphalt to concrete in 1992, becoming the first track on the schedule to be completely surfaced in concrete.
Larry Carrier led the track for 10 years until he sold it to Speedway Motorsports for a reported $26 million in 1996. The track had a capacity of 71,000 and the Night Race was one of the Series premier events, called the ‘Toughest Ticket in Racing’.
The track name changed again, this time to Bristol Motor Speedway in May of 1996.
The track was resurfaced between races in 2007, and the turns were ground down in 2012 to eliminate part of the progressive banking.
In 2016, Bristol enjoyed its “Biggest Year Yet” hosting the Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol, where border rivals Virginia Tech and the University of Tennessee played a college football game in front of an NCAA-record crowd of 156,990.
In 2016, a special country music concert was held, featuring a trio of successful local acts. The Honda Ridgeline Bristol Tailgate featured Kenny Chesney, The Band Perry and Old Dominion in front of a crowd of more than 40,000.
The week following the Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol, Bristol Motor Speedway held a second game in 2016, the Food City Bucs at Bristol presented by Food City. The local favorite East Tennessee State University Buccaneers upset rival Western Carolina University 34-31 in a thrilling come-from-behind victory.
In 2020, Bristol Motor Speedway hosted the NASCAR Cup Series Open and All-Star Race for the first-time.
In total, there have been 125 NASCAR Cup Series points-paying races at Bristol Motor Speedway since the first race in 1961, two races each season until 2021 when the track replaced their spring date with the Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt track (2021-2023).
The 2024 season is the first season since 2021 that both Bristol races will be run on the concrete surface. From 2021-2023 the spring Bristol race was run a dirt surface.
In 2025, Bristol Motor Speedway will host the first Major League Baseball game in Tennessee history inside its infield. On Aug. 2, 2025, the Atlanta Braves will play the Cincinnati Reds in an official regular season game during the MLB Speedway Classic.

Latest Track Storylines at Bristol Motor Speedway:

Rodney Atkins, a successful country music artist from East Tennessee, will perform at the pre-race concert for the Food City 500 NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 13. Atkins will perform on the infield stage at Bristol Motor Speedway at 12:45 p.m., leading into the popular driver introductions, with the NASCAR Cup Series race starting at 3 p.m. ET.
Atkins, who hails from Knoxville and was raised in Cumberland Gap, is a prominent figure in country music with eight top-five singles, over 14 million records sold, and 4 billion global streams.
Announced this week by officials from Food City and Bristol Motor Speedway, the Voice of the Vols Bob Kesling, Big Red Machine captain Johnny Bench and Vol Network Executive Steve Early have been named dignitaries for the tradition-rich Food City 500 on Sunday.
Kesling and Bench will serve as co-Grand Marshals for the NASCAR Cup Series race that will take the green flag on Sunday, April 13 at 3 p.m. ET at iconic Bristol Motor Speedway. They will give the command simultaneously for drivers to start their engines as the field of cars are lined up on pit road ready to begin the race.
It was also announced that Early, Vol Network Vice President and General Manager, was named Honorary Starter for the race. He will climb into the flag stand and wave the green flag at the start of the race.
To help race fans enjoy this weekend’s Food City 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway, track officials are making the 80-page commemorative souvenir program available for free in both printed and digital formats.
The souvenir program will once again be available in the reformatted Broadway Play “Playbill” style size that is more convenient for fans to carry the program with them while they are at the track. A limited number of printed programs will be available to guests to pick up at a variety of locations on property during the event, including at BMS Guest Services locations, BMS souvenir stands, BMS operated camp grounds and BMS ticket booths, while supplies last.

NASCAR & Bristol, Etc.

Historical & Significant Events at Bristol Motor Speedway:

Groundbreaking for Bristol International Speedway, as Bristol Motor Speedway was originally known, took place in 1960.
The track was built by Bowling operator Larry Carrier, Kingsport businessman Carl Moore and construction company owner R.G. Pope and the track measured an exact half-mile.
The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway was on July 30, 1961, and the inaugural event was won by Jack Smith with relief from Johnny Allen. Smith had a three lap lead when Allen took over and Allen built the lead to as many as six laps.
Also in 1961, the NFL’s Washington Redskins took on the Philadelphia Eagles in a pre-season game at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Eagles won, 17-10.
In 1969 the track was dug up and reshaped and the banking significantly increased. Starting in July 1969 the track was measured at .533 miles.
Financial problems led to sale of the track after the 1976 season to Nashville accountant and attorney Gary Baker and his partner Lanny Hester.
All of the NASCAR Cup Series races at Bristol have been scheduled for 500 laps, except for both races in 1976 and the second in 1977, which were 400 laps each.
The name changed to Bristol International Raceway in 1978.
The first night race was held in the fall of 1978.
In 1982 and in 1985 the track underwent ownership changes. In 1982 California businessman Warner Hodgdon began buying into teams and tracks. In 1982 he bought out Hester and in 1983 Baker’s half. In 1985 Hodgdon declared bankruptcy. Larry Carrier stepped in to run the track.
The surface was changed from asphalt to concrete in 1992, becoming the first track on the schedule to be completely surfaced in concrete.
Larry Carrier led the track for 10 years until he sold it to Speedway Motorsports for a reported $26 million in 1996. The track had a capacity of 71,000 and the Night Race was one of the Series premier events, called the ‘Toughest Ticket in Racing’.
The track name changed again, this time to Bristol Motor Speedway in May of 1996.
The track was resurfaced between races in 2007, and the turns were ground down in 2012 to eliminate part of the progressive banking.
In 2016, Bristol enjoyed its “Biggest Year Yet” hosting the Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol, where border rivals Virginia Tech and the University of Tennessee played a college football game in front of an NCAA-record crowd of 156,990.
In 2016, a special country music concert was held, featuring a trio of successful local acts. The Honda Ridgeline Bristol Tailgate featured Kenny Chesney, The Band Perry and Old Dominion in front of a crowd of more than 40,000.
The week following the Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol, Bristol Motor Speedway held a second game in 2016, the Food City Bucs at Bristol presented by Food City. The local favorite East Tennessee State University Buccaneers upset rival Western Carolina University 34-31 in a thrilling come-from-behind victory.
In 2020, Bristol Motor Speedway hosted the NASCAR Cup Series Open and All-Star Race for the first-time.
In total, there have been 125 NASCAR Cup Series points-paying races at Bristol Motor Speedway since the first race in 1961, two races each season until 2021 when the track replaced their spring date with the Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt track (2021-2023).
The 2024 season is the first season since 2021 that both Bristol races will be run on the concrete surface. From 2021-2023 the spring Bristol race was run a dirt surface.
In 2025, Bristol Motor Speedway will host the first Major League Baseball game in Tennessee history inside its infield. On Aug. 2, 2025, the Atlanta Braves will play the Cincinnati Reds in an official regular season game during the MLB Speedway Classic.

Latest Track Storylines at Bristol Motor Speedway:

Rodney Atkins, a successful country music artist from East Tennessee, will perform at the pre-race concert for the Food City 500 NASCAR Cup Series at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 13. Atkins will perform on the infield stage at Bristol Motor Speedway at 12:45 p.m., leading into the popular driver introductions, with the NASCAR Cup Series race starting at 3 p.m. ET.
Atkins, who hails from Knoxville and was raised in Cumberland Gap, is a prominent figure in country music with eight top-five singles, over 14 million records sold, and 4 billion global streams.
Announced this week by officials from Food City and Bristol Motor Speedway, the Voice of the Vols Bob Kesling, Big Red Machine captain Johnny Bench and Vol Network Executive Steve Early have been named dignitaries for the tradition-rich Food City 500 on Sunday.
Kesling and Bench will serve as co-Grand Marshals for the NASCAR Cup Series race that will take the green flag on Sunday, April 13 at 3 p.m. ET at iconic Bristol Motor Speedway. They will give the command simultaneously for drivers to start their engines as the field of cars are lined up on pit road ready to begin the race.
It was also announced that Early, Vol Network Vice President and General Manager, was named Honorary Starter for the race. He will climb into the flag stand and wave the green flag at the start of the race.
To help race fans enjoy this weekend’s Food City 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway, track officials are making the 80-page commemorative souvenir program available for free in both printed and digital formats.
The souvenir program will once again be available in the reformatted Broadway Play “Playbill” style size that is more convenient for fans to carry the program with them while they are at the track. A limited number of printed programs will be available to guests to pick up at a variety of locations on property during the event, including at BMS Guest Services locations, BMS souvenir stands, BMS operated camp grounds and BMS ticket booths, while supplies last.