After kicking back for the last 30 days, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams returns to the track with a special stand alone event at the Kansas Speedway in Sunday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 250. The race marks the first time the series has ran on a Sunday in five years.
Often the opening act for their NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series counterparts, I’ve always said that the truck series deserves more stand alone events on their annual schedule. They have clearly proven over the years that they can get the job done all by themselves by filling seats and thoroughly entertaining the fans who sit in them.
THE STORY BREAKDOWN
There’s a few interesting seat changes for the race in Kansas. First off, Kevin Harvick will not be running his own Chevrolet Truck, for Kevin Harvick Inc, due to commitments in Richmond-Virginia in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series. NASCAR veteran Kenny Schrader will drive KHI’s #2 E Z Go Chevrolet in Sunday’s race.
Also absent, for the same reason, will be Kyle Busch. His protege driver Brian Ickler will drive the Toyota Tundra-Kyle Busch Motorsports entry at Kansas.
2008 series champion Johnny Benson will be returning to drive the #15 Red Top Auction Toyota for Billy Ballew Motorsports.
Series veteran Rick Crawford will be in Sunday’s race but noticeably absent will be his familiar #14 Ford which is temporarily parked due to sponsorship woes. Crawford will be driving the #76 Superseal Ford for team owner Ray Hackett.
Adding an international flavor to the event will be India’s Narain Karthikeyan who returns to make his second series start in the #60 Safe Auto Insurance Chevrolet for team owner Jeffrey Wyler.
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Two time series champion Mike Skinner is really looking forward to Sunday’s race at the Kansas Speedway because it has special meaning. Skinner is the defending race champion from last year. That trip to victory lane was also the first win for Randy Moss Motorsports. Skinner and company will be bringing a brand new Toyota Tundra that was specially constructed just for the Kansas Speedway race.
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Four time series champion Ron Hornaday Jr will also be glad to see the Kansas Speedway this weekend. It’s no secret that his 2010 season got off to a horrible start. Two crashes in the first two races left him with an average finish ratio of 30.5 and 34th in the points standings. He completely turned things around in the series’ last two races with a second and third, average finish ratio of 2.5, and is now sixth in the standings. Hornaday hopes that the Kansas event will move him even closer to the top of the standings. He won the Kansas Speedway race in 2008.
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The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ rookie battle is also very interesting not to mention tight. There are only nine points separating the top four drivers in the Raybestos Brakes Rookie Of The Year standings. Austin Dillon, #3 Bass Pro Shops-Tracker Boats, from Richard Childress Racing leads the rookie standings with 43 points but only has a four point advantage over Justin Lofton, driver of the #7 Visit Pit.Com Toyota for owner Tom Deloach. Seven points back in third is Brett Butler driver of the #47 Fuel Doctor USA Chevrolet owned by Bobby Dotter. In fourth, and nine points from the top, is Jennifer Jo Cobb driver of the #10 Mark One Electric Ford for Tom Mitchell.
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From the NASCAR good guy file comes word that Kevin Harvick Inc will be lending their support to Jaret’s Angels during the Kansas Speedway weekend. Celebrating their tenth anniversary, Jaret’s Angels is a family and friends support group for 11 year old Jaret Arneson who was diagnosed with type one diabetes, more commonly known as juvenile diabetes, at the age of two. Over the past ten years the organization has helped raise over $100,000 which was in turn donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Also from the NASCAR good guy file Thor Motorsports drivers Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter will be visiting the Kansas City Ronald McDonald House on Friday. The organization, created by McDonalds Restaurants, assists seriously ill children and their families during their time of need.
Making the day even more special will be the fact that the NASCAR Foundation, Sprint and Turner Construction teamed up to build the facility a playground named in honor Tom Murphy, the Sprint Vice President who tragically passed away following an accident one year ago. Thor Motorsports donated two tons of colored Fun Sand, one of their long time sponsors, for the new playground.
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THE RACE BREAKDOWN
The O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 is 167 laps/250 miles around the Kansas Speedway’s 1.5 mile oval.
The race has 40 entries vying for the 36 starting berths. 15 of those entries are on the go or go home list meaning they are not guaranteed a starting berth and must make the race based on qualifying speed because they are outside of the top 25 in owner’s points.
It will interesting to see if Sunday’s race turns up the first ever repeat winner at the Kansas Speedway. Nine previous events has sent nine different winners to victory lane there.
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