Heading into Kansas Speedway for the Toyota Tundra 250 Friday, May 12, below is the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series overview of the drivers currently in playoff contention:
Christopher Bell: Bell has been the class of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series field so far in 2017. In three races, Bell has one win (Atlanta), two stage wins and has led 201 laps. In his last two races (Atlanta and Martinsville), the Kyle Busch Motorsports driver has led 95 laps or more in each race. With his win at Atlanta, Bell has virtually earned a 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoff berth.
Kaz Grala: Through three races in 2017, Grala leads the battle in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings. Grala captured his first-career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory at Daytona. The win currently places Grala into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs in his Sunoco Rookie season. The GMS Racing driver has back-to-back top-15 finishes and has led 14 laps this season.
Johnny Sauter: The reigning NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion has not skipped a beat in 2017. Through three races, Sauter leads the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in stage wins with three and subsequently has three playoff points. Sauter has led 114 laps so far this season and has back-to-back top-three finishes.
Matt Crafton: Two-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Matt Crafton has had a strong start to the 2017 season. Crafton has finished 14th or better in all three races this season and finished a season-best second at Atlanta. He’s led three laps this season and owns an average finish of 8.3.
Timothy Peters: Peters, a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship 4 contender a year ago, is right back into the playoff mix through three races this season. He has back-to-back top-10 finishes after a 17th-place showing at Daytona.
Ben Rhodes: In his second full-time season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series racing with ThorSport Racing, Rhodes is sitting pretty through three races. He’s finished top-20 or better in each race so far this season and led 20 laps at Daytona. He’s averaging a finish of 12.0 this season.
Chase Briscoe: Briscoe (-7) is currently third in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings, behind Christopher Bell and Noah Gragson (-5). The Brad Keselowski Racing driver has three top-25 finishes through three races, including a season-best finish of third at Daytona.
Grant Enfinger: ThorSport Racing’s newest driver, rookie Grant Enfinger, has had a solid start to the season in his No. 98 Toyota Tundra. Enfinger has three consecutive finishes of 17th or better and has led four laps this season. He currently sits fourth (-9) in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings.
With three week to go for the next CWTS race, the race teams have a long R&R period before the heart of the season gets ready to commence. This long break gives all the teams to opportunity to get their inventory stocked up and ready to attack!
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!