Dillon picks up first series win at Iowa: Pole-sitter, #3-Austin Dillon dominated the race, leading over 180 laps on the day to pick up the win for the Lucas Oil 200 at Iowa Speedway. A green-white-checkered finish saw Dillon take the outside line and on the restart hold on to the lead, with no real challenge from 2nd place finisher #13-Johnny Sauter. This is Dillon's first Camping World Truck Series win. The top four in the driver points standings all had a tough day at Iowa. Bodine, Almirola, & Hornaday sustained significant damage from incidents on the track, while Peters retired early with a blown motor, making the points race even tighter going into Gateway. Rounding out the top ten were; #88-Matt Crafton, #2-Ken Schrader, #31-James Buescher, #60-Stacy Compton, #5-Mike Skinner, #62-Greg Pursley, #4-Ricky Carmichael, #81-David Starr. There were 5 lead changes among 4 drivers with 7 cautions for 42 laps. Complete race results are posted on the Iowa Race Page.(Official)(7-12-2010)

Post-Race Fast Facts
Race Winner: Austin Dillon
Age: 20
Team: No. 3 - Bass Pro Shops/Remington/Tracker Boats Chevrolet
Owner: Andy Hillenburg
Crew Chief: Gary Stockman, Jr
*Austin Dillon won the Lucas Oil 200 presented by SPEED on Mediacom, his first victory in 12 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
*This is his first victory and fifth top-10 finish in 2010. He is the series' second youngest winning driver and third youngest winner at age 20 years two months 37 days. Kyle Busch remains the youngest series winner at 20 years 0 months 18 days.
*This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in two races at Iowa Speedway. He made his series debut at Iowa Speedway last September.
*Johnny Sauter (second) posted his second top-10 finish in two races at Iowa Speedway. It is his fourth top-10 finish in 2010.
*Matt Crafton (third) posted his second top-10 finish in two races at Iowa Speedway.
*Austin Dillon (first) was the highest finishing rookie/
*Todd Bodine leads the point standings by 88 points over Aric Almirola.
(NASCAR PR)(7-11-2010)

Race Awards:
21Means21 Pole Award:Austin Dillon, #3 135.263 mph
Featherlite Most Improved Driver: Matt Crafton, #88 24 Places
Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the Race: Austin Dillon, #3
Mobil 1 Command Performance Driver of the Race: Johnny Sauter, #13
O'Reilly Auto Parts Position Improvement Award: David Starr, #81 13 places
Raybestos Rookie of the Race: Austin Dillon, #3
Sunoco Diamond Performance: Austin Dillon, #3
WIX Filters Lap Leader: Austin Dillon, #3 187 Laps
(NASCAR PR)(7-11-2010)

Lucky Dog Awards - Who got a lap back on each caution at Iowa: (and finish)
Caution 1: #81-David Starr, 10th
Caution 2: #21-Chris Eggleston, 14th
Caution 3: #39-Ryan Sieg, 11th
Caution 4: #12-Mario Gosselin, 12th
Caution 5: #18-Brian Ickler, 13th
Caution 6: #18-Brian Ickler, 13th
Caution 7: #18-Brian Ickler, 13th
(NASCAR PR)(3-6-2010)

Driver Point Standings following race #10:
1) #30-Todd Bodine, 1555
2) #51-Aric Almirola, 1467 - 88
3) #33-Ron Hornaday Jr., 1364 -191
4) #17-Timothy Peters, 1360 -195
5) #13-Johnny Sauter, 1354 - 201
6) #5-Mike Skinner, 1322 - 233
7) #3-Austin Dillon, 1288 - 267
8) #81-David Starr, 1266 - 289
9) #88-Matt Crafton, 1263 - 292
10) #4-Ricky Carmichael, 1245 - 310
Complete driver point standings following the Lucas Oil 200 at Iowa Speedway are posted on the Iowa Driver Points Page.(Official)(7-12-2010)

Owner point standings: following the Lucas Oil 200 at Iowa Speedway are posted on the Iowa Owner Standings Page.(Official)(7-12-2010)

Dillon wins Iowa pole: Rookie Austin Dillon driving the #3-Bass Pro Shops/Remington/Tracker Boats Chevrolet, was once again the fastest qualifier with a top speed of 135.263 mph to win the pole for the Lucas Oil 200 at Iowa Speedway. This is Dillon's third pole in as many races. #51-Aric Almirola will start from the outside pole. Rounding out the top ten were; #60-Stacy Compton, #18-Brian Ickler, #13-Johnny Sauter, #62-Greg Pursley, #39-Ryan Sieg, #17-Timothy Peters, #30-Todd Bodine, #88-Matt Crafton. DNQ; #89-Chris Lafferty. Complete starting lineup is posted on the Iowa Lineup Page.(7-10-2010)

Post-Qualifying Fast Facts:
21 Means 21 Pole Winner: Austin Dillon
Age: 20
Team: No. 3 - Bass Pro Shops/Remington/Tracker Boats Chevrolet
Owner: Andy Hillenburg
Crew Chief: Gary Stockman, Jr
*Austin Dillon won the 21 Means 21 Pole Award for the Lucas Oil 200 presented by SPEED on Mediacom with a lap of 23.288 seconds, 135.263 mph.
*This is his third pole in 12 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races. He is the first Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender to win three consecutive poles. He and 2000 Rookie of the Year Kurt Busch were tied with two.
*This is his third pole and seventh top-10 start in 2010.
*This is his first pole in two races at Iowa Speedway.
*Aric Almirola (second) posted his ninth top-10 start of 2010 and his second in two races at Iowa Speedway.
*Stacy Compton (third) posted his first top-10 start at Iowa Speedway. It is his second in six races this season.
*Austin Dillon (first) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Sat, July 10, 2010 @ 07:43 PM Central

Ickler leads final practice at Iowa: #18-Brian Ickler was quickest in the final practice session for the Lucas Oil 200 at Iowa Speedway with a top speed of 133.373 mph. Rounding out the top ten were; #3-Austin Dillon, #13-Johnny Sauter, #88-Matt Crafton, #51-Aric Almirola, #7-Justin Lofton, #60-Stacy Compton, #30-Todd Bodine, #33-Ron Hornaday Jr., #5-Mike Skinner. There were 36 trucks on track for the final session. Final practice speeds are posted on the Iowa Practice Speeds Page.(7-10-2010)

Bodine leads first practice session at Iowa: #30-Todd Bodine was the fastest on track with a top speed of 131.453 mph to lead the opening practice session for the Lucas Oil 200 at Iowa Speedway. Rounding out the top ten were; #3-Austin Dillon, #13-Johnny Sauter, #88-Matt Crafton, #2-Ken Schrader, #18-Brian Ickler, #33-Ron Hornaday Jr., #60-Stacy Compton, #7-Justin Lofton, #17-Timothy Peters. #4-Ricky Carmichael spun early in practice, but no contact made and wound up 20th overall. There were 31 trucks on track for the first session. Complete practice speeds are posted on the Iowa Practice Speeds Page.(7-10-2010)

Official Entry List: There are 37 trucks listed on the final Entry List for the Lucas Oil 200 presented by SPEED on Mediacom at Iowa Speedway. Complete entry list is posted on the Iowa Entry Page.(7-10-2010)

Preliminary Entry List: There are 38 trucks listed on the Preliminary Entry List for the Lucas Oil 200 at Iowa Speedway. Complete entry list is posted on the Iowa Entry Page.(7-5-2010)
Some Notes:
#01-Carl Long, driver, KomaDrinks.com Chevy
#2-Ken Schrader, Premier Chevy Dealers Chevy
#5-Mike Skinner, PC*Miler as sponsor, RMM Toyota
#21-Chris Eggleston, driver, ASI Limited Dodge
#33-Ron Hornaday Jr., Karl Chevrolet as sponsor, KHI Chevy
#82-Paddy Rodenbeck, 2nd 2010 attempt; Rodenbeck Racing Chevy
#86-Jamie Dick, 2nd 2010 start; Viva Auto Group Chevy(7-5-2010)
UPDATE:
#48-Chad McCumbee added as driver; Rockingham Speedway/FT-11 Degreaser Chevy(7-6-2010)
UPDATE 2:
#16-Michael Guerity, Rick Ware Racing Chevy, withdrawn(7-8-2010)

Truck Series News & Notes - Iowa Speedway

NCWTS Returns To Action After Three Weekends Off
Former Owner Inducted Into West Coast Hall Of Fame
Starr To Make 250th Start At Iowa Speedway

Recent Break In Schedule About More Than Iowa
As the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series kicked off the final 10 races leading up to the Chase for the Sprint Cup and the NASCAR Nationwide Series debuted its new car, it would have been easy to assume the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams were relaxing and enjoying the three open weekends on their schedule gearing up for the Lucas Oil 200 presented by SPEED on Mediacom at Iowa Speedway. In reality, the teams have been feverishly working and preparing for the upcoming nine-race stretch on the horizon. 
"Having three weeks off has been a good and a bad thing,"said Butch Hylton, crew chief of the #2 KHI Chevrolet. "It's good because it gives you time to do a lot of testing. We have gone to the seven post and wind tunnel a few times and we've had the chance to learn a lot. It's a bad thing because you sort of get used to having extra time and making everything very precise not thinking that in just a few more days we will literally be gone for two weeks with the Iowa/Gateway schedule then busting it for eight more weeks just trying to make everything the best it can be."

The nine-week-long race stretch in the 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule is the longest of the season and the longest the series has run higher than six consecutive weeks in recent years.

For some teams, the break came at just the right time."The off weekends came at a perfect time for the #31 Wolf Pack Rentals team,"said Michael Shelton, crew chief of the #31 Turner Motorsports Chevrolet. "The guys in the shop worked really hard to get our inventory back up and get some more Chevrolet Silverados built before the stretch. Our goal was to have ourselves in a good position heading into Iowa and I think we did that. Hopefully, we continue to run in the top five after this break like we did before."
And several teams used the time off to work on the whole package.

"We have built a few new trucks, one of which the #33 team is taking to Iowa,"said Doug George, who calls the shots for the #33 KHI Chevrolet. "We have been doing a lot of planning since several members of the #33 team will not be coming home between Iowa and Gateway. It's been a lot of logistical planning and thinking ahead."George added, "When you have such a long stretch and only a few trucks to choose from, you sort of have to get a game plan on how you are going to handle things: Which truck is going where and how it's going to get there and how the sponsor decals are going to get on it." 
The NCWTS will race the same amount of events in the next month-and-a-half than it has in the first five months of the season.

Maybe from the outside looking in the break in the schedule came just in time for a summer vacation to the beach, but as you can see, the wrenches have been busy in the shops – gearing up for a long road to Homestead in November. And with a championship battle separated by only 55 points, you can guarantee the next nine weeks are crucial to the frontrunners.

Second Visit To Iowa Full Of Veterans And Young Guns Abound
"After three open weekends on our series schedule, our teams are excited to be back racing and headed to the Midwest – home to some of the most energetic NASCAR Camping World Truck Series fans. "Last year's visit to Iowa Speedway will always be remembered because it was our first visit to the .875-mile oval and I am thankful to be heading back to such a great market for our series.

"Look for defending race winner Mike Skinner (#5 International Trucks/Monaco RV Toyota) to be a factor come Sunday. Though Skinner is winless so far this season, Iowa is the perfect track for him to break through. Don't forget he did lead 180 laps last year en route to victory.

"Rookie contender Austin Dillon (#3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) made his first NCWTS start at Iowa last season and came home in 12th place. Dillon has already scored two top-five finishes in the first nine races this season. Don't be surprised if you see him in the running for his first career win.
"Series veteran David Starr (#81 Zachary Toyota) will make his 250th start this weekend in Iowa. I always enjoy getting to see our drivers achieve career milestones.

"And this season you cannot count out current standings leader Todd Bodine (#30 Germain Toyota), who has eight top-five finishes in the first nine races. Iowa was not a kind place to Bodine last season, who recorded a 19th-place finish, but look for him to rebound during his second visit. "
- Wayne Auton, Series Director

Jim Smith Now Proud Member Of West Coast Hall Of Fame
James "Jim"Smith, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series' 2005 championship owner and one of four off-road figures whose racing dreams culminated in the creation of the truck series, was formally inducted into the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame in July 2 ceremonies in Azusa, Calif.  Smith's Ultra Motorsports competed in 273 consecutive races between 1995 and 2006 and won 36 times – most victories by a non-NASCAR Sprint Cup-affiliated team in the series. Ted Musgrave won the 2005 title driving Smith's Dodge truck. Musgrave is one of eight different drivers who won races with Ultra Motorsports.  Smith and his three fellow owners, unhappy they couldn't get a television package for their off-road racing activities, approached Bill France Jr. in 1994 with the idea of racing pickup trucks under the NASCAR banner on asphalt tracks. The series became NASCAR's third national circuit the following year.

The series quickly became a feeder for West Coast talent, producing such stars as Mike Bliss, Kurt and Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Ron Hornaday Jr. "Most importantly, Jim's vision created an opportunity for countless individuals and companies to become involved in NASCAR at a top level,"said NASCAR senior manager of communications Owen A. Kearns, who inducted Smith as a member of the Hall's board of directors. "Literally thousands of racing jobs have been created and continue to be filled thanks to a vision that came to Jim and his fellow off-roaders sitting around a Baja (California) campfire, enjoying a few cold ones."Smith, one of 11 inducted as this year's West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame class, said, "To be here in this room, in front of past inductees, means a great deal to me. These are the people I've looked up to my entire life."  Also inducted was former series competitor Mike Chase, a past NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion and current stock specialist with Penske Racing's NASCAR Nationwide Series team.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Raybestos Rookie of the Year Standings
Driver      Points
1. Austin Dillon, 95
2. Justin Lofton, 86
3. Brett Butler, 71
4. Jennifer Jo Cobb, 71
5. Chris Eggleston, 24
6. Landon Cassill, 7

Loop Data Shows More Than Just A Milestone Waiting For Starr In Iowa
David Starr heads to the second race at Iowa Speedway with two factors worth celebrating – momentum and a milestone.  This weekend at Iowa, Starr will run his 250th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, and considering his finishes of late, it could be a start to remember.
"I've been very fortunate and blessed that I have been racing at this level for this long," said Starr, who made his first series start in 1998. "To make it to 250 is very cool, but what I really want to do is make at least 250 more starts after that. Racing is something that I've wanted to do since I was a little boy, so to have the opportunities that I have had and to be making a living racing cars and trucks is a dream come true for me."

Starr has finished in the top 10 in four of the last five races. The five-race stretch has vaulted him seven spots up the series standings, from 15th after race #4 at Nashville to his current eighth-place position.  During the five-race string, Starr had an average finish of 9.8, a Driver Rating of 82.7, an Average Running Position of 11.6 and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 78%. Over Starr's first 249 starts, he has tallied four wins, 45 top fives, 102 top 10s and five poles. Seven times, Starr has run an entire year. Six of those, he finished in the top 10 in points.  A strong run at Iowa, which begins a stretch of 10 consecutive weeks of racing, would help cement his top-10 spot.  Now all he needs to do is avoid the same trouble he suffered in the inaugural Iowa race last season. Starr wrecked, ending his day after just 108 of 200 laps. He finished 26th. But there were signs of optimism. He spent 38 of those laps running among the top 15, with a top running position of 10th.

NCWTS, ETC
Most Popular Driver
Online voting is underway for the 2010 Most Popular Driver of the Year Award in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Last year, Ricky Carmichael was voted by the fans as the series' Most Popular Driver, his first time to receive the honor. The link to the Most Popular Driver ballot will be hosted on NASCAR.com. Fans also may write in their favorite driver if he / she is not among the nominees for a specific series. Fans can send an e-mail to fanfeedback@nascar.com and submit their write-in vote. Fans may vote or submit a write-in candidate once per day and are encouraged to vote throughout the season. Voting continues until Nov. 12. Results will be announced at the combined awards banquet for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the NASCAR Nationwide Series on Monday, Nov. 22 at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel.

Welcome Home
A trip to Iowa is a trip home for Red Horse Racing's Cory White who is from Vinton, Iowa. White is the longest standing employee at RHR. He was hired in 2004 and serves as a mechanic and tire carrier on race day.

Ken Schrader (#2 KHI Chevrolet) and Brian Ickler (#18 KMB Chevrolet) return to the series at Iowa as their owners compete not too far away at Chicagoland Speedway. It will be Schrader's fourth start this season and third with KHI. He has scored two top-10 finishes in his last two starts. Ickler will make his third start for Kyle Busch Motorsports. He has finished in the top five in his previous two outings with the team.Getting Back Up To SPEED
Krista Voda, SPEED Channel's host of NCWTS Setup and pit road reporter, grew up just three hours from Iowa Speedway in Clinton. She has covered NASCAR for nine years and has been a part of SPEED's coverage of the NCWTS for five. "Because there aren't any major league professional teams in the state of Iowa, the sports and sports venues that are there, are supported and loved like no other,"said Voda about her home state fans.

Up Next: Gateway
Gateway International Raceway is the second race on the schedule of the nine-race summer stretch. It will be the series' 13th visit to the Midwest track. Four active drivers have victories at the 1.25-mile oval. David Starr (#81Toyota), Ron Hornaday Jr. (#33 KHI Chevrolet), Todd Bodine (#30 Toyota) and defending race winner Mike Skinner (#5 Toyota) all have one victory at Gateway. Former series competitor Ted Musgrave is the only repeat winner at the track, but no driver has ever scored back-to-back wins. Both Bodine (2006) and Musgrave (2005) won at Gateway in their championship season.
One of the most memorable victories to date was Starr's in 2004. The race went over the scheduled distance by 14 laps due to the green-white-checkered flag finish rule. Starr only led one lap of the race, the last one.(NASCAR PR)(7-5-2010)

Truck Series News & Notes - Open Week, June 28, 2010

Steve Turner Enjoying Ownership Role Of NCWTS Team
Hornaday Jr. Honored With ESPY Nomination
Series Drivers Keep Busy During Recent Break In Schedule

Turner Motorsports Owner Likes What He Sees In NCWTS
Steve Turner has found a home in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. One of several newcomers to the series in 2010, Turner has quickly acclimated to the mammoth jump from owning dirt late models in Texas to being part of one of NASCAR's most competitive series."While coming into the series with two full-time trucks was quite the undertaking, we've had a lot of good people and partners supporting us, which is helpful,"said Turner, a native Texan, who fielded dirt late models and Bandolero cars for his daughters before testing the NASCAR Camping World Truck waters in 2009. "We have received a tremendous amount of help from other teams like Kevin Harvick Inc., which has made it easier for us to enter the sport."

Turner Motorsports has adapted quickly to NASCAR. The pinnacle in the season's first nine races was a double top-five finish at Dover International Speedway where James Buescher (No. 31 Wolf Pack Rentals Chevrolet) was second and Ricky Carmichael (No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet) fourth. Carmichael stands ninth in NASCAR Camping World Truck points while Buescher, who didn't join the team as a full-time driver until May, is 18th despite missing three races. "Investing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series was something that fit with where Turner Motorsports wants to establish itself now and in the future,"said Turner. "I've had my hands in racing for a major part of my life and I enjoy the competition and being able to help develop young drivers who are early in their careers, like James and Ricky."

Turner also likes the series' 25-race schedule. "Since we don't race every week, financially it is easier compared to Nationwide and Sprint Cup, but managing where you spend your money is a big part of what you have to do,"he said.  But Turner just plain enjoys the series from a competitive standpoint.  "A lot of the fans have said that they enjoy watching the trucks race because the drivers race every lap like it is the last,"he said. "That is something that we can use when trying to sell sponsorships. Our series is healthy and I think you can see that by the truck counts that we have had so far this season. The economy is starting to improve and businesses will need to showcase their products, opening a lot of doors for sponsorship opportunities."

Bottom line, though, Turner wants to be seen as a winner. "My hope is that we can prove that new teams can come into the series and run up front,"he said. So far, Turner Motorsports is doing that.

Skinner Headed To England For Goodwood Festival of Speed
Mike Skinner (#5 International Truck/Monaco RV Toyota) will compete in the Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend for the second time. The veteran series driver will compete in West Sussex, England against numerous drivers from nationally-recognized motorsports ranks. He is only one of two NASCAR drivers that will represent the sport on the 1.16-mile course. Skinner, who has won for five consecutive seasons, has five top-10 finishes this season and is currently in sixth position in the series standings.

Hornaday Jr. Only NCWTS Driver To Ever Be Nominated For An ESPY
Defending series champion Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 33 KHI Chevrolet) received a special call last week notifying him he was a 2010 ESPY nominee for Best Driver – an honor no other NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competitor has received. Hornaday Jr. joins NASCAR Sprint Cup regulars Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson along with IndyCar Series driver Dario Franchitti and NHRA legend Tony Schumacher in the prestigious category.
"I was really shocked when I got the call,"said Hornaday, who won his fourth series championship last season. "This is a pretty cool thing. I am really honored to be nominated with drivers like Jimmie (Johnson), Kyle (Busch), Dario Franchitti and Tony Schumacher. All of those guys are great drivers and I am honored that they would even consider me."

Ricky Carmichael (No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet), former teammate to Hornaday Jr. and three-time ESPY nominee in the Best Action Sport Athlete category, was ecstatic when he heard the news. "What a great honor for Ron (Hornaday Jr.),"said Carmichael. "He has set the bar so high for all of us in the sport and deserves to be recognized for his great accomplishments, especially after last season. I had the opportunity to attend the ESPYs on three different occasions and it is still one of the highlights of my motocross career.

Series regular David Starr (No. 81 Zachary Toyota) echoed Carmichael on his congratulations for the series champ. "That is really exciting for Ron (Hornaday Jr.),"said Starr, who currently sits eighth in the series standings. "He is one of the top competitors each week for our team and one of the top racers in our sport. With all the various motorsports and drivers that could have been selected, it's great for our series that a NCWTS driver is included." Hornaday Jr. has 45 wins and 25 poles on his resume in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and leads the series for most championships, with four.

NCWTS Etc.
Cobb To Make NNS Debut This Weekend
Jennifer Jo Cobb (No. 10 DrivenMale.com Ford) will make her NASCAR Nationwide Series debut this weekend at Daytona in the No. 27 Baker Curb Racing entry. She will become the first female to compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series new car. "This is a huge step for our team,"said Cobb. "I am thrilled to be partnering with Baker Curb Racing. Their experience will be an asset to our team. We look forward to working with them as we continue to grow and develop as an organization."

KHI: Giving Back To Those Less Fortunate
Kevin Harvick Inc. employees are spending their open week on the schedule giving back to those in need at the Victory Junction Gang Camp. The team will spend the day boating and fishing with Spina Bifida stricken children. The No. 2 KHI pit crew will perform live pit stops for the campers. Team owner Kevin Harvick encourages his teams to give back. "DeLana and I have been a part of Victory Junction before there were any buildings or campers. We continue to be inspired by Kyle and Pattie (Petty). It's important to us to be able to give back, not only through donations, but to be able to spend time with the campers as well.

Wallace In No. 15 BBM Entry At Iowa Nationwide Series regular Steven Wallace (No. 15 Billy Ballew Motorsports Toyota), will make his third truck series start at Iowa Speedway in two weeks for Billy Ballew Motorsports. He finished fourth in March at Atlanta Motor Speedway in a BBM entry. 
Wallace's father, racing legend Rusty Wallace, was the chief designer of Iowa Speedway during its conseption.

Carmichael Back To The Booth
Ricky Carmichael (No. 4 Chevrolet) heads back to his motocross roots this weekend at Red Bud MX in Buchanan, Mich. He will be on site to help consult Team Suzuki rider Ryan Dungey before stepping into the TV booth to call the live broadcast of the race for NBC.

Almirola Still On Standby For Johnson
NCWTS Michigan winner Aric Almirola (No. 51 Graceway Pharmaceuticals Toyota) continues to standby for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular Jimmie Johnson, whose wife is about to give birth to their first child. Almirola practiced the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet during happy hour at New Hampshire this past weeked. Almirola will make the trip with the team to Daytona this weekend.

Up Next: Iowa Speedway
Last year's running of the Lucas Oil 200 marked the series first visit to Iowa Speedway. Mike Skinner was victorious in the 200 lap event. From the outside looking in not much as changed for the upcoming race on July 11 –the title sponsor and the number of  laps completed all stayed the same. However, the summer heat could be a deciding factor in the outcome of the event. The 2009 series stop at Iowa was in September, but this year's stop will happen in the middle of July.(NASCAR PR)(6-28-2010)

Truck Series News & Notes - Open Week, June 21, 2010

Summer Coming At A Good Time For Ron Hornaday Jr.
Almirola Carrying Billy Ballew Motorsports Banner Strongly
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Drivers Stay Busy During Open Weeks

Summer Stretch Proven Successful for Hornaday
Once the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series resumes action after three open weekends, four guys will be gunning for bragging rights heading into the series' 10-week long stretch beginning at Iowa Speedway in July and ending at Kentucky Speedway in September.

Currently, Todd Bodine (#30 Germain Racing Toyota) leads the way with a 55 point lead over Aric Almirola (#51. Graceway Pharmaceuticals Toyota). Timothy Peters (#17 Red Horse Racing Toyota) is quietly in third only 165 points back. Together the trio combines for only one victory at the 10 upcoming tracks on the circuit. The nod goes to Bodine who scored his ninth NCWTS win at Gateway International Raceway during his 2006 championship season.

The sleeper of the bunch could be defending champion Ron Hornaday Jr. (#33 Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet) who is just 170 points out of the lead. Traditionally, Hornaday owns the summer stretch. Yes, he is winless so far in 2010, but last summer he won five straight races last season during the months of June, July and August. Good news for the other competitors is two of the race tracks (Memphis & Milwaukee) he won on are no longer on the schedule. Bad news is he has 12 combined wins on the next 10 tracks the series visits.

First third of the season Bodine and Almirola have proven to be the ones to beat and have the momentum heading into Iowa in three weeks. Hornaday, on the other hand, has been mired back in the series standings due to two finishes outside the top 25 in the series' first two events.

If Hornaday Jr. can make a run at his prestigious fifth series title — a feat no one has yet to achieve — chances are it will happen in the next 10 races. But first he will have to beat Bodine who has finished in the top five for six straight races.

Almirola, Billy Ballew Motorsports Running Strong In 2010
Aric Almirola had big shoes to fill when he took over the reins of the #51 Toyota fielded by Billy Ballew Motorsports at the beginning of the season. Its previous driver — Kyle Busch — got 13 of his 18 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victories behind the wheel of that particular race truck before embarking on owning Kyle Busch Motorsports.

Nine races into the 2010 season it is safe to say the shoes fit. Almirola has two victories, seven top-10 finishes and sits second in the series standings. His worse finishes of the season have been 12th-place finishes at Daytona in February and Texas last month. “I remember when everyone in the media center was surprised I ran third in Atlanta,” said Almirola during his post-victory press conference at Michigan International Speedway.  “Not taking anything away from Kyle, but everyone keeps asking the same questions. Kyle is the pronominal race car driver. But it's a team sport. The guys at our race shop build great trucks. That is where it starts.”

Team owner, Billy Ballew, never questioned Almirola's ability to replace Busch in the vehicle. “When Aric drove the #15 Toyota last year and I think he finished second five or six times,” said Ballew.  “There was never a question or debate. When Kyle was going his direction, we were fortunate enough to have Graceway Pharmaceuticals come on as a sponsor and Toyota. There was never anything to discuss, it was a given.”  Almirola — who has won two of the last four races — is poised to add another victory to his resume. He has four top-five and 10 top-10 finishes combined at the next 10 tracks on the schedule.

Championship Could Be Determined In Next 10 Races
The upcoming marathon 10-race stretch might be where the championship is won or lost for Ron Hornaday Jr. He has three drivers to leapfrog in his eventual goal of taking the points lead: Todd Bodine, Aric Almirola and Timothy Peters. 

The 10 races feature a varied slate of unique tracks. They're short: ORP, Iowa, Gateway, Bristol. They're long: Nashville, Chicagoland, Kentucky. They're in between: New Hampshire. And they're new: Pocono and Darlington (the series has raced there, but not since 2004).
           
A versatile driver will likely come out of that stretch on top. All signs point to Hornaday.  Consider this: Hornaday has 12 wins at those tracks. Bodine has one. Almirola and Peters are winless at the 10 venues.
The overall Loop Data statistics – taken since 2005, so it does not include Darlington – are even more telling. They make Hornaday's 170-point deficit to points leader Bodine look miniscule.  At the upcoming tracks, Hornaday has a Driver Rating of 115.4, an Average Running Position of 6.8, 549 Fastest Laps Run, a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 87.6% and a Pass Differential (passes minus times passed) of plus-137 in 33 races.
           
Bodine's stats are strong, but fall short of Hornaday's. His numbers at the upcoming track: a Driver Rating of 98.2 and an Average Running Position of 9.5.
           
In 24 races at the upcoming 10 tracks, Peters has a Driver Rating of 75.8, with an Average Running Position of 17.5. Almirola has a rating of 79.7 and an Average Running Position of 14.8 in his 18 races at the upcoming 10 tracks.

Series Regulars Stay Busy During Open Weekends
Austin Dillon (#3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet) will make his seventh NASCAR Nationwide Series start this weekend at New Hampshire. Dillon will pilot the #21 Richard Childress Racing entry. His NCWTS crew chief, Danny Stockman, will call the shots for the rookie.
                                   
 Aric Almirola has been tabbed as the fill-in driver for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competitor Jimmie Johnson if he should have to miss a race due to the birth of his daughter. Almirola tested with the Hendrick Motorsports team last week and will start traveling with the team this weekend at New Hampshire.
                                   
Narain Karthikeyan (#60 Chevrolet) returned home to India during the recent break in the schedule to visit with family and friends.
                                   
NC State University has launched a new program — Lean Performance U — to local businesses. The two-day program uses elements of a NASCAR pit crew for team building.
                                   
Ricky Carmichael (#4 Monster Energy Chevrolet) and Austin Dillon are both visiting series tracks this week promoting upcoming events on the schedule. Dillon heads to Iowa Speedway on Tuesday and Carmichael will visit Talladega Superspeedway later this week.

NASCAR Raybestos Rookie of the Year Standings
Driver   Points
1. Austin Dillon, 112 
2. Justin Lofton, 96
3. Jennifer Jo Cobb, 80            
4. Brett Butler, 79                     
5. Chris Eggleston, 24
6. Landon Cassill, 7

Up Next: Iowa
On Sunday, July 11, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to Iowa Speedway for the second time in series history.  The .875-mile Newton, Iowa, track was conquered last season by Mike Skinner (#5 International Trucks / Monaco RV Toyota) who is still searching for his first victory in 2010. Come race day all eyes will be on Raybestos rookie Austin Dillon (#3 Chevrolet), who is fresh off two straight pole awards and top-five finishes following Michigan.
                                   
Dillon has one NASCAR Nationwide Series start and two NASCAR K&N Pro Series East starts at Iowa. He has one pole (2008) and two top-10 finishes at the speedway in the East Series division.(NASCAR PR)(6-21-2010)

Truck Series News & Notes - Open Week, June 14, 2010

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Drivers Share Thoughts On Father's Day
Loop Data Confirms Aric Almirola's Rise To Serious Championship Contender
Three Multiple Winners So Far As 2010 Season Completes First Third Of Schedule

Father's Day A Special Observance For NASCAR Families
Father's Day is a special holiday — and even more so in NASCAR, where many drivers, crew members and officials were introduced to the sport by their fathers and grandfathers.
This Father's Day weekend is different for NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competitors because it's the first time in many years there's no race scheduled.

Some, like David Starr (No. 81 Randy Moss Motorsports Toyota), will have the opportunity to spend Father's Day with their fathers. For Starr, it will be a generational observance: father Jimmy and Starr's son, 15-month-old David Jr.
"Last year, David Jr. was very young. This year, he is a little older and understands it a little more," said Starr. "We're going to have a lot of fun together and I'm very excited."
Others won't be able to spend the day with fathers — because either father or son will be working.
"Unfortunately, I will be racing midgets in Kokomo (Ind.)," said Brad Sweet (No. 90 Toyota), who splits his time between NASCAR Camping World Trucks and the U.S. Auto Club open wheel circuits. "My dad, Don, was very involved with all my go-karts growing up and got me in my sprint car.
"I just remember him working late nights ‘cause he built my cars from scratch. The best moment for me was him being able to watch my first truck race."

Austin Dillon (No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Chevrolet) is on the opposite side of the fence. Dillon will be in Myrtle Beach, Fla., supporting brother Ty's racing efforts. Father Mike Dillon — and grandfather Richard Childress — will be with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in Sonoma, Calif.
"When we were at Daytona and I was in the draft for the first time during practice, he came up over the radio every now and then to push me and make me do things that I might otherwise hesitate on," said the 20-year-old Dillon of his father, director of competition at Richard Childress Racing and a veteran of more than 150 NASCAR Nationwide Series races. "If anybody knows my dad, they know that he's pretty wild to hang out with. He's a good guy and he has helped me a bunch. Between me and my grandfather, we try to keep him calmed down but he wants the best for both of us."
Ricky Carmichael (No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet) and his father, known as "Big Rick," were inseparable throughout the younger Carmichael's Supercross career. His father was his mechanic from 1985 through 1996 and had a 100% success rate — meaning he never made a mistake or had a part break.
Chase Austin (No. 46 Walgreens Dodge) remembers his father's first race car — a dirt mini stock. "I'd go with him to Thunderhill Speedway in Mayetta, Kan., to watch. Of course, most of the time I'd end up in the dirt racing my Hot Wheels and playing with the other kids, but those were special times."
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Director Wayne Auton is among those whose fathers have passed. Robert "Hoot" Auton was a longtime NASCAR Sprint Cup Series official whose sons, Wayne and Buster, have followed in his footsteps.
"I was asked last week if there was one person you could have dinner with again today who had passed on and who would it be," said Auton. "Well, I pick two. My father and my grandfather."

Charting The Progress Of Aric Almirola
One day, Aric Almirola (No. 51 Zyclara/Graceway Pharmaceuticals Toyota) might look back at 2010, and know this was the season that made his career.
He finally was given a chance to display his talent, and has taken full advantage of it.
Though running NASCAR national series races since 2005, only once has Almirola competed in a full season (2006 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series).
With Kyle Busch starting his own team this season, the No. 51 Billy Ballew Motorsports Toyota seat opened up. Almirola slid in seamlessly.
Through nine races, Almirola has two wins, three top fives and seven top 10s, and is second in points.

His Loop Data statistics far surpass previous years. This season, Almirola has a Driver Rating of 101.6, an Average Running Position of 8.7, 40 Fastest Laps Run, a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 85.5% and a Pass Differential (passes minus times passed) of plus-38.
Consider his previous season:
2005: Almirola ran four races with an average finish of 20.5, a Driver Rating of 72.2 and an Average Running Position of 20.2.
2006: In a full season, Almirola finished 18th in the points. His Driver Rating was 71.2 and had just 25 Fastest Laps Run.
2007: In just three races, he had a Driver Rating of 52.4 and an Average Running Position of 23.2.
2008: He only ran one race, at Texas, finishing 17th with a Driver Rating of 58.7.
2009: Running 16 races, Almirola had an average finish of 8.9, a Driver Rating of 94.9 and an Average Running Position of 9.5.

One day, Aric Almirola (No. 51 Zyclara/Graceway Pharmaceuticals Toyota) might look back at 2010, and know this was the season that made his career.
He finally was given a chance to display his talent, and has taken full advantage of it.
Though running NASCAR national series races since 2005, only once has Almirola competed in a full season (2006 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series).
With Kyle Busch starting his own team this season, the No. 51 Billy Ballew Motorsports Toyota seat opened up. Almirola slid in seamlessly.
Through nine races, Almirola has two wins, three top fives and seven top 10s, and is second in points.
His Loop Data statistics far surpass previous years. This season, Almirola has a Driver Rating of 101.6, an Average Running Position of 8.7, 40 Fastest Laps Run, a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 85.5% and a Pass Differential (passes minus times passed) of plus-38.
Consider his previous season:
2005: Almirola ran four races with an average finish of 20.5, a Driver Rating of 72.2 and an Average Running Position of 20.2.
2006: In a full season, Almirola finished 18th in the points. His Driver Rating was 71.2 and had just 25 Fastest Laps Run.
2007: In just three races, he had a Driver Rating of 52.4 and an Average Running Position of 23.2.
2008: He only ran one race, at Texas, finishing 17th with a Driver Rating of 58.7.
2009: Running 16 races, Almirola had an average finish of 8.9, a Driver Rating of 94.9 and an Average Running Position of 9.5.

Surprises Abound As 2010 Season Passes One-Third Mark
Todd Bodine leads the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series points standings after nine races. That's no surprise since Bodine is the 2006 series champion and with 18 victories, stands fourth (with Dennis Setzer) on the all-time wins list.
But "business as usual" stops there.

Pre-season favorite and four-time champion Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 33 Longhorn Chevrolet) hasn't won — the longest he's gone in a full-time season without a victory.
Hornaday, although fourth in points, is 170 points behind Bodine.
Youngsters and newcomers have made their mark. Aric Almirola, 26, became the season's third multiple winner in Michigan and holds the runner-up spot 55 markers behind Bodine.

Timothy Peters (No. 17 Red Horse Racing Toyota) won the season opener at Daytona and continues to hold the No. 3 spot in points.

Jason White (No. 23 GunBroker.com/www.rmef.org Ford) won the Keystone Light Pole at Daytona. White was literally nowhere in pre-season rankings but guess what? He is seventh in points coming off a pair of top-10 finishes as the schedule pauses.

Newcomers Nelson Piquet Jr. (No. 15 Qualcomm/ArcSight Toyota) and Narain Karthikeyan (No. 60 Safe Auto Insurance Chevrolet) have showed Formula One does translate into NASCAR competition.

Austin Dillon, 20, won poles in consecutive races.

Johnny Sauter, the 2009 Raybestos Rookie of the Year continues to impress with a hard-fought victory at Kansas Speedway.

The race for the series owners' championship currently is "pick em:" Ninety-three points covers Bob Germain's No. 30, Kyle Busch's No. 18 and the No. 2 of DeLana Harvick.

NCWTS Etc.
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series takes the next three weekends off before embarking on a run of 10 consecutive races. The last time the series ran 10 races without a break was 1999.
Kyle Busch (No. 18 Toyota) expressed frustration after finishing third in a three-way scrum that decided Michigan's VFW 200 — the NASCAR Sprint Cup star beaten by NASCAR Camping World Truck regulars Aric Almirola and Todd Bodine (No. 30 Germain.com Toyota). Bodine took the opportunity to tweak his rival. "A lot of guys in this sport have lost sight of that fact of why we're here and why we do this. It's a shame that some people can't go back out there and enjoy it," he said. The two aren't likely to race head-to-head again until late July.
Austin Dillon extended his Raybestos Rookie of the Year lead with a fifth-place finish in the VFW 200. Johnny Sauter was the most recent Raybestos contender to score back-to-back, top-five finishes. In fact, 2009 rookie of the year Sauter had five straight: Chicagoland, Iowa, Gateway, New Hampshire and Las Vegas.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Raybesto Rookie of The Year Standings
Driver Points
1. Austin Dillon, 112
2. Justin Lofton, 96
3. Jennifer Jo Cobb, 80
4. Brett Butler, 79
5. Chris Eggleston, 24
6. Landon Cassill, 7

Up Next: Iowa
Iowa Speedway joined the NASCAR national series family in 2009. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series followed the NASCAR Nationwide Series to the .875-mile Newton, Iowa facility. The 175-mile event marked the first time the series had competed in the state of Iowa. facility with veteran Mike Skinner won the Lucas Oil 200 presented by SPEED on Mediacom from a pole position start. This year's race will be held on Sunday, July 11 following a four-week break in the schedule
(NASCAR PR)(6-14-2010)