NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series

Next Race: TSport 200

The Place: Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park

Track Length: .686 Mile Asphalt Oval

The Date: Friday, July 19

The Time: 8:30 p.m. ET

The Purse: $672,492

TV: FS1, 8:30 p.m. ET

Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Distance: 137.2 miles (200 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 60),

Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 120), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 200)

TSport 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park Entry List for Tonight’s Race

1. #1 – William Sawalich
2. #02 – Mason Massey
3. #2 – Nick Sanchez
4. #04 – Marco Andretti
5. #5 – Dean Thompson
6. #7 – Sammy Smith
7. #9 – Grant Enfinger
8. #11 – Corey Heim
9. #13 – Jake Garcia
10. #15 – Tanner Gray
11. #16 – Johnny Sauter
12. #17 – Taylor Gray
13. #18 – Tyler Ankrum
14. #19 – Christian Eckes
15. #22 – Tyler Tomassi
16. #25 – Ty Dillon
17. #32 – Bret Holmes
18. #33 – Lawless Alan
19. #38 – Layne Riggs
20. #41 – Bayley Currey
21. #42 – Matt Mills
22. #43 – Daniel Dye
23. #44 – Conor Daly
24. #45 – Ross Chastain
25. #46 – Thad Moffitt
26. #52 – Stewart Friesen
27. #56 – Timmy Hill
28. #66 – Luke Fenhaus
29. #71 – Rajah Caruth
30. #76 – Spencer Boyd
31. #77 – Chase Purdy
32. #88 – Matt Crafton
33. #91 – Jack Woods
34. #98 – Ty Majeski
35. #99 – Ben Rhodes

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series

Racing under the lights at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (LOIRP)

After a stellar weekend in the Pocono Mountains, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series heads to Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park for the TSport 200 on Friday, July 19 at 8:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

This historic track houses a 0.686-mile paved oval located in Clermont, Indiana. Since the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series’ inception in 1995, this famed short track has hosted 19 series races. In that span, there have been 14 different pole winners and 14 different race winners.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Ron Hornaday Jr. leads the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in wins at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park with four victories (1997, 2007, 2009, 2010).

The inaugural CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at LOIRP was won by Mike Skinner, piloting the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Skinner went on to win the series championship that same year.

Below are the drivers who have engraved their names in the LOIRP Truck Series record books:

• Race record: Greg Biffle 88.704 mph (08/05/1999)
• Qualifying record: Joe Ruttman 111.843 mph (08/03/2000)
• Most races: Dennis Setzer (14)
• Most poles: Terry Cook, Joe Ruttman, and Mike Skinner (2)
• Most wins: Ron Hornaday Jr. (4)
• Most top fives: Ron Hornaday Jr. (9)
• Most top 10s: Matt Crafton (10)
• Laps led: Ron Hornaday Jr. (505)

Cometic Gasket Pole Qualifying will surely be key for the competitors who hope to secure one of the six remaining Playoff spots with a win this weekend. Only twice has the winner come from a starting position outside of the top five. In 2011, Timothy Peters started in 16th and Johnny Benson Jr. started eighth in 2008. The pole winner has gone on to win five of the 19 races. In addition, the winner has started on the front row nine separate times – most recently was Ty Majeski (2023).

Practice will begin Friday, July 19 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1 followed by Cometic Gasket Pole Qualifying at 4:05 p.m. ET.

LOIRP Is The Place To Be: Surplus of talent to keep an eye on

While only two previous winners are entered this weekend at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, there are plenty of drivers to keep an eye on this weekend.

Ty Majeski: Although the driver of the No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford has faced some struggles this season, he is in contention to make the Playoffs. The Seymour, Wisconsin native has made two starts at the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. The most recent winner at LOIRP has racked up one win (2023), one top-five and one top-10 finish as well as led 250 laps.

Grant Enfinger: Coming off a runner-up finish last weekend, the veteran behind the wheel of the No. 9 CR7 Motorsports Chevrolet is looking to continue that momentum. The Fairhope, Alabama native has made two starts at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park recording one win (2022), one top five and one top-10. Last year, the 39-year-old finished 12th.

Christian Eckes: The Middletown, New York native has made two starts Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park posting one top-five and one top-10 finish as well as led three laps. Last year, Eckes finished seventh at the Indianapolis short track.

Corey Heim: Undergoing his best season yet with a total of five wins, the driver behind the wheel of the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota is on the hunt to become the first driver to win multiple Regular Season Championships in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The Marietta, Georgia native has posted one top five and two top 10s in just two starts at the 0.686-mile track as well as led 18 laps. The 22-year-old finished eighth last year.

William Sawalich: The part-time driver of the No. 1 TRICON Garage Toyota will be on double duty this weekend kicking off his activities in the ARCA Menards Series. Although it will be a challenge, the Eden Prairie, Minnesota native hopes the extra track time will give him some sort of advantage Friday night. The 17-year-old has only made one CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park where he finished sixth (2023). In the ARCA Menards Series race last year, Sawalich finished fourth at the famed oval.

Luke Fenhaus: The youngest winner of the Slinger Nationals and current ARCA Menards Series driver will make his third start in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series behind the wheel of the No. 66 ThorSport Racing Toyota. As a phenomenal short-track racer, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park is right in Fenhaus’ wheelhouse. Although the Wausau, Wisconsin native has never made a CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, he has made one start in the ARCA Menard Series where he finished second. The 20-year-old’s previous short-track experience makes him one to keep an on eye on this weekend.

Regular Season Title Watch: Eckes continues to lead point standings with two to go

McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Christian Eckes continues his breakout year and currently holds the driver points lead in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series with two races left in the regular season.

The 23-year-old is currently 32 points up on Corey Heim in second as the series heads to Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park for the TSport 200 on Friday, July 19 at 8:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

If Eckes can hold on and win the Regular Season Championship, he will get an additional 15 Playoff points to take with him into the postseason and will become the eighth different driver to win the regular season title: joining Christopher Bell (2017), Johnny Sauter (2018), Grant Enfinger (2019), Austin Hill (2020), John H. Nemechek (2021), Zane Smith (2022) and Corey Heim (2023).

The Middletown, New York native has accumulated three wins, eighth top-five, and 13 top-10 finishes this season. He also leads the series in laps led this season with 625.

Additionally, the Regular Season Championship could be clinched this weekend. Eckes is currently 32 points up on Corey Heim in second and 113 points on Nick Sanchez in third.

Regular Season Championship Clinch Scenarios:

Eckes (or whoever’s first in points) needs to be up by the corresponding number after the race to clinch:

Indianapolis – 60 or 61 points, depending on tie-break

Richmond – 0 or 1 point, depending on tie-break

CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs picture begins to take shape with two to go

With only two races in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series regular season remaining, time is literally running out and the race is getting tight to secure the final six Playoff spots.

Four drivers have earned their spot in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs by virtue of their wins – Christian Eckes, Corey Heim, Nick Sanchez and Rajah Caruth – leaving six spots in the 10-driver Playoff field still available.

Following Pocono Raceway, Tanner Gray is ranked 11th in the Playoff outlook, just one point back from Daniel Dye in the 10th and final postseason transfer spot on points.

Just behind Gray is Stewart Friesen in 12th, four points back from the postseason cutoff, and three-time Truck Series champion Matt Crafton is 13th, -47 points back from Dye. Since the introduction of the Playoffs in the series in 2016, Matt Crafton has not missed the Playoffs, and he leads the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in postseason appearances with eight consecutive (2016-2023). The 48-year-old has finished ninth at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in last two appearances at the track (2022-23).

CRAFTSMAN Truck Clinch Scenarios for Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park

The time to clinch is near, and with that in mind let’s take look at the clinch scenarios the drivers and teams are facing heading into this weekend at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Already Clinched

The following four drivers have clinched a spot in the 10-driver postseason field: Christian Eckes, Corey Heim, Nicholas Sanchez, Rajah Caruth.

Can Clinch Via Points

If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the Playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being 56 points above the sixth winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among Ty Majeski, Tyler Ankrum, Grant Enfinger, Taylor Gray or Ben Rhodes.

• Ty Majeski: Would clinch regardless of finish
• Tyler Ankrum: Could only clinch with help
• Grant Enfinger: Could only clinch with help
• Taylor Gray: Could only clinch with help
• Ben Rhodes: Could only clinch with help

If there is a new winner from Daniel Dye or another winless driver lower in the standings but still eligible to advance to the playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being 56 points above the fifth winless driver in the standings.

• Ty Majeski: Would clinch with 3 points
• Tyler Ankrum: Could only clinch with help
• Grant Enfinger: Could only clinch with help
• Taylor Gray: Could only clinch with help

Can Clinch Via Win

The following drivers would clinch on their win alone:

• Ty Majeski, Tyler Ankrum, Grant Enfinger, Taylor Gray, Ben Rhodes, Daniel Dye, Tanner Gray, Stewart Friesen, Matt Crafton, Chase Purdy, Jake Garcia, Dean Thompson, Layne Riggs, Bayley Currey, Ty Dillon, Bret Holmes, Matt Mills, Timmy Hill, Mason Massey, Lawless Alan, Spencer Boyd

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Etc.

Richard Petty named Grand Marshal for the Clean Harbors 250 at Richmond Raceway – Richmond Raceway announced this week that American icon, NASCAR Hall of Famer, Seven-Time Cup Series Champion and the winningest driver in NASCAR history “The King” Richard Petty will serve as the Grand Marshal for the Clean Harbors 250 on Saturday, Aug. 10. Amid the Petty Family’s 75th year in NASCAR, Petty will say the most famous words in motorsports prior to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Regular Season Finale.

“An event as significant as this deserves to have one of the most prominent figures in sports history give the command to start engines,” said Richmond Raceway President Lori Collier Waran. “We’re thrilled and honored to have “The King” Richard Petty serve as the Grand Marshal for the Clean Harbors 250 in what should be an electrifying race under the lights.”

As the most successful driver the sport has ever seen, Petty’s legendary 35-year career sets the standard for greatness across all motorsports. The Level Cross, N.C. native has the most NASCAR Cup Series wins (200), most poles (123), most wins in a season (27), most Daytona 500 wins (seven), most consecutive wins (10), most starts (1,185), and tied for the most championships with Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson (seven).

Petty’s astounding accomplishments led him to be inducted into the inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010 and named as one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers. Additionally, he has been elected to the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame, International Motorsports Hall of Fame, North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame, the North Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame and serves as Chairman of the North Carolina Motorsports Association.

The Petty legacy will be well-represented on-track in Saturday’s Clean Harbors 250, with Richard Petty’s grandson Thad Moffitt driving the No. 46 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet.

Ross Chastain returns to lineup for final CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race – Cup Series regular Ross Chastain will make his fifth and final slated CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start of 2024 behind the wheel of the No. 45 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet.

The 32-year-old has made 111 starts in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, posting five wins, four poles, 24 top-five finishes and 50 top 10 finishes in his career. Since his series debut in 2011, Chastain has led 945 laps.

The Alva, Florida native won earlier this season at Darlington and hopes to get to Victory Lane at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. Chastain has only made one previous start at the 0.686-mile oval where he finished 10th.

COURTESY NASCAR COMMUNICATIONS