Friday, August 21, 2020

TRUCKS Race 13 of 23

KDI Office Technology 200 at Dover

2019 Last-Place Finisher (May): Norm Benning

ENTRY LIST

There are 35 entries for 40 spots in Friday’s Truck Series race, down three entries from the Daytona road course event.

MISSING: #8-NEMCO Motorsports

The NEMCO team isn’t entered this week after Mike Skeen finished a quiet 23rd in his return to the series.

MISSING: #9-CR7 Motorsports

MISSING: #30-On Point Motorsports

MISSING: #04-Roper Racing

Perhaps most significantly, this weekend’s action in Dover will mark the first time in 2020 that each of these three teams are not entered. Of the group, On Point’s #30 finished best on the Daytona road course with Scott Lagasse, Jr. taking 9th place ahead of Cory Roper’s #04 in 26th and Codie Rohrbaugh’s #9 in 29th.

DRIVER CHANGE: #24-GMS Racing

Sam Mayer returns to the Truck Series for the first time since his three-race debut with GMS Racing last fall, where he ran 21st at Bristol, 28th at Martinsville, where he led 33 laps, and 19th at Phoenix. At Dover, he takes the place of Kris Wright, who finished 25th in his series debut last week in Daytona. All Weather Armour is Mayer’s listed sponsor.

WITHDREW: #28-FDNY Racing

It’s been a difficult few days for Bryan Dauzat, who last week in the ARCA race never completed a lap after his only car was destroyed in a practice crash. He was entered in Friday’s race, and slated to start 35th in the field of 36, but that changed by Wednesday as the team withdrew.

DRIVER CHANGE: #33-Reaume Brothers Racing

Bryant Barnhill returns for his third series start of the season and first since Kentucky, where he ran 33rd. He again drives for Josh Reaume, this time in place of 57-year-old Bryan Collyer, who ran a solid 18th in his first-ever NASCAR start last Sunday.

MISSING: #42-Niece Motorsports

Al Niece has not entered the #42 this week, a truck that spun and stalled with Mark Smith behind the wheel before brake issues ultimately left Smith 36th of the 38 starters.

DRIVER CHANGE: #44-Niece Motorsports

Just days after driving in relief of J.J. Yeley in Sunday’s Cup Series race, Bayley Currey will return to the Truck Series in place of Natalie Decker, driving the #44 Chevrolet. Currey will run double-duty along with his full-season XFINITY ride with Mike Harmon Racing.

DRIVER CHANGE: #49-CMI Motorsports

DRIVER SWAP: #56-Hill Motorsports

For the first time, brothers Timmy and Tyler Hill will race against each other in a Truck Series race. Tyler Hill takes the place of Roger Reuse, who was unable to start the Truck Series race in Daytona after clutch issues during the pace laps. Timmy will take Tyler’s place in the #56 the brothers both own, running a black paint scheme this week. Timmy will also run all three series this weekend, participating in all five events (see below).

DRIVER CHANGE: #51-Kyle Busch Motorsports

Chandler Smith makes only his third Truck Series start this year and first since his pole position in Michigan, taking the place of Alex Tagliani, who ran 22nd in Daytona.

RETURNING: #55-Boyd Long Motorsports

Despite Dawson Cram’s earlier tweet that he had parted ways with Boyd Long’s team, driver and team are again entered in this Friday’s race, where Cram will start from the last position.

DRIVER CHANGE: #68-Clay Greenfield Racing

Following the team’s withdrawal from Daytona that led to Roger Reuse running the XFINITY Series instead, Clay Greenfield returns to the driver’s seat this week.

DRIVER CHANGE: #00-Reaume Brothers Racing

J.J. Yeley makes his first Truck Series start since last summer at Bristol, and will again race for the Reaume Brothers. This time, he takes the controls of the #00, replacing Bobby Kennedy, who had to be relieved by Josh Reaume during last Sunday’s race.

CUP INVADERS: None

Saturday, August 22, 2020 (12:30 P.M. Eastern)

XFINITY Race 20 of 33

Drydene 200 Race 1 at Dover

2019 Last-Place Finisher (May): Josh Bilicki

ENTRY LIST

There are 36 drivers entered for 40 spots, down two entries from the Daytona road course. This will begin a challenging pair of double-headers for both the XFINITY Series and the Cup Series on Saturday and Sunday.

DRIVER SWAP: #0-JD Motorsports

DRIVER CHANGE: #15-JD Motorsports

Colby Howard returns to the XFINITY Series for the first time since Texas, where he ran 23rd. He drives the #15, taking the place of Jeffrey Earnhardt, who returns to Johnny Davis’ #0 in place of Mike Wallace, who isn’t entered after a 25th-place run in Daytona.

DRIVER CHANGE: #8-JR Motorsports

Jeb Burton and the State Water Heaters sponsorship are back on the #8 this week, the pair last entered in the Texas race where Burton finished 6th. He takes the place of Daniel Hemric, who wrecked out early at Daytona, but will hand the wheel back to Hemric for the second round of the Dover double-header (see below).

DRIVER CHANGE: #13-Motorsports Business Management

Chad Fichum returns to the #13 in which he was originally entered for last week’s Daytona race before Bobby Reuse took his place. Garrison Homes is the listed sponsor for Finchum’s #13 Toyota.

DRIVER CHANGE: #21-Richard Childress Racing

Earl Bamber ran strong at Daytona before he twice found trouble on the road course, cutting short his NASCAR debut. This week, Anthony Alfredo returns to the driver’s seat for his 11th series start and first since Texas. ADS / Footing First are his listed sponsors for the #21 Chevrolet.

MISSING: #26-Sam Hunt Racing

Brandon Gdovic is not entered after a late-race crash left them a disappointing 28th in Daytona.

DRIVER CHANGE: #36-DGM Racing

Korbin Forrister is set to make his fifth XFINITY Series start and first since September 23, 2017 at Kentucky, where he ran 33rd. This week, he drives for Mario Gosselin, taking the place of Preston Pardus, whose top-ten streak ended at two after he was collected in a crash at Daytona. Nursing Home Heroes is Forrister’s listed sponsor.

TEAM UPDATE: #47-Mike Harmon Racing

As of this writing, Mike Harmon's team is still searching for the truck, trailer, and car that Kyle Weatherman raced last week in Daytona after they were reported stolen Sunday in Kingsland, Georgia. Just yesterday, sponsor Repairables.com doubled the $5,000 reward. Rick Ware, Josh Reaume, and Johnny Davis have also offered help to MHR as they prepare both cars for this weekend. Full details in this article.

DRIVER CHANGE: #66-Motorsports Business Management

Timmy Hill returns to MBM’s #66 in place of road racer Harold Crooms, who fell out with brake issues and finished 35th in Daytona. Both Hill and teammate Stephen Leicht in the #61 are listed with the same sponsorship from Jani-King.

DRIVER CHANGE: #78-B.J. McLeod Motorsports

Vinnie Miller returns to the XFINITY Series after taking the Daytona week off, and is back in the #78 for the first time since Kansas. He takes the place of Scott Heckert, who flirted with a strong finish before late issues left him 19th. Glasskinz is listed as Miller’s sponsor.

DRIVER CHANGE: #99-B.J. McLeod Motorsports

Rich Mar Florist, which sponsored Garrett Smithley earlier this year (including in the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series) is the listed sponsor for Stefan Parsons, who returns to the #99 in place of Josh Bilicki, 12th in Daytona. Rich Mar will also sponsor Spencer Boyd in the Truck Series race on Friday. Parsons has four previous XFINITY starts this year, most recently a season-best 18th in Texas.

DRIVER CHANGE: #02-Our Motorsports

Andy Lally turned heads with back-to-back 5th-place finishes in a Mark Martin throwback on the road courses. This week, Brett Moffitt will do the same in a throwback scheme to Jimmie Johnson’s “red vest” paint scheme on his #02 Chevrolet.

DRIVER CHANGE: #07-SS-Green Light Racing

David Starr jumps aboard the #07 for the first time since Kansas, where he ran 24th, taking the place of road racer Jade Buford, who ran 16th last week in Daytona. ATS and Jacob Construction are the listed sponsors.

CUP INVADERS: None

Saturday, August 22, 2020 (4:00 P.M. Eastern)

CUP Race 24 of 36

Drydene 311 Race 1 at Dover

2019 Last-Place Finisher (May, 400 miles): B.J. McLeod

ENTRY LIST

There are 40 teams entered for as many spots, the first full field since Kansas, and the 13th in 24 races this season.

DRIVER CHANGE: #3-Richard Childress Racing

Austin Dillon is expected to return from his one-week hiatus following a positive COVID-19 test, an incident which led to Kaz Grala’s impressive 7th-place finish in his series debut. Dow / Behr Ultra Scuff Defense is the listed sponsor for Dillon’s return.

RETURNING: #7-Tommy Baldwin Racing

DRIVER SWAP: #53-Rick Ware Racing

Garrett Smithley hops from Rick Ware’s #53 to the returning #7 fielded by Tommy Baldwin, Jr. This leaves open the #53 for Josh Bilicki, who isn’t running XFINITY this week as he takes a turn in the Insurance King / The Wounded Blue Chevrolet.

DRIVER CHANGE: #51-Rick Ware Racing

Joey Gase drives the #51 for the first time since Loudon, and makes his first Cup start since his own turn in the TBR #7 in the first race of the Michigan double-header earlier this month. Gase is listed as driving a Ford this week. He takes the place of James Davison, who isn’t entered following a 30th-place run in Daytona.

MISSING: #62-Beard Motorsports

Brendan Gaughan will not run in Dover after his last-place finish due to transmission issues on the tight Daytona road course. Gaughan is expected to return next week on the Daytona oval, which will be the penultimate round of his retirement season.

DRIVER CHANGE: #77-Spire Motorsports

Reed Sorenson is back in the Cup Series for the first time since his filming duties in the “Fake Steak” #74 at Michigan, taking the place of Stanton Barrett in the #77 Chevrolet. Barrett struggled with brake issues and at least two off-course excursions en route to a 38th-place finish.

RETURNING: #78-B.J. McLeod Motorsports

In addition to his XFINITY Series duties as both driver and owner, B.J. McLeod fields his own Cup car for the first time since Kansas. After his last-place finish in the spring Cup race here last year, he rebounded with a 29th-place run in the fall, his best in four starts at the track.

Sunday, August 23, 2020 (1:00 P.M. Eastern)

XFINITY Race 21 of 33

Drydene 200 Race 2 at Dover

2019 Last-Place Finisher (October): Harrison Burton

ENTRY LIST

Unfortunately scheduled at the same time as the 104th Indianapolis 500, this second round of the XFINITY Series double-header will see the same 36 teams entered with just one driver change.

DRIVER CHANGE: #8-JR Motorsports

As indicated above, Daniel Hemric and his Poppy Bank sponsorship will return to the #8 team, looking to rebound from their disastrous outing in Daytona.

CUP INVADERS: None

Sunday, August 23, 2020 (4:00 P.M. Eastern)

CUP Race 25 of 36

Drydene 311 Race 2 at Dover

2019 Last-Place Finisher (October, 400 miles): Chase Elliott

ENTRY LIST

The same 40 teams are entered for the second round at Dover with no yet reported driver or team changes. The only changes are a crew chief swap for the #7 team (Tommy Baldwin, Jr. in place of Patrick Donahue) and a few primary sponsor changes: #9 Chase Elliott (Mountain Dew / Team Rubicon on Saturday; NAPA Auto Parts on Sunday), #17-Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. (Fastenal; SunnyD), #19-Martin Truex, Jr. (SiriusXM; Bass Pro Shops), #20-Erik Jones (DeWalt Atomic; Reser’s Fine Foods), #21-Matt DiBenedetto (Menards / Monster Energy; Menards / Richmond), and #43-Bubba Wallace (Columbia; Doordash).

TODAY IN LASTCAR HISTORY (August 20, 1955): Fred Johnson picked up the first last-place finish of his NASCAR Cup Series career in a 100-lap race on the one-mile paved Raleigh (North Carolina) Speedway. Johnson started 17th in the 29-car field driving a 1955 Cadillac fielded by Jim Lowe and Carl Beckham, a #56 sponsored by B & L Motors, a dealership near the North Wilkesboro Speedway. Johnson lasted just 27 laps before a burned piston ended his day. This was the second and final last-place finish for Cadillac in NASCAR history. The other occurrence was just six days earlier, when Gwyn Staley’s run with the same team resulted in a bearing issue after 3 laps of the Mid-South 250 at the Memphis-Arkansas (Arkansas) Speedway. Incidentally, this same team fielded a 1955 Oldsmobile for one Junior Johnson, who scored his first five career wins with the team.