PREVIEW: Stacked Truck and XFINITY entry lists kick off hot Nashville weekend
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| PHOTO: @forthepeople |
by Brock Beard
LASTCAR.info Editor-In-Chief
Friday, June 24, 2022 (8:00 P.M. ET, FS1)
TRUCKS Race 14 of 23
Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville Superspeedway
2021 Last-Place Finisher: William Byron
ENTRY LIST
There are 41 drivers entered for 36 spots, meaning five will fail to qualify, making Nashville’s entry list the largest for the Truck Series since 42 arrived in this year’s Daytona opener. UPDATE: As of Thursday afternoon, make that 42 with the return of Jennifer Jo Cobb.
MISSING: #3-Jordan Anderson Racing
Jordan Anderson’s team will focus exclusively on Myatt Snider’s XFINITY Series effort this week, and have not brought back the #3 with which Dylan Westbrook finished 17th in Knoxville.
MISSING: #6-Norm Benning Racing
Also not making the trip is Norm Benning, who was shut out of both his dirt track attempts in 2022. A tight condition in the first heat of the night left him out of the main event in Knoxville.
RETURNING: #10-Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing
Welcome back Jennifer Jo Cobb, who we haven't seen since Daytona, where she failed to qualify, and hasn't raced since last fall at Martinsville, where she finished 36th. Cobb was not on the preliminary entey list but will now run her familiar #10 with W Nashville as sponsor.
RETURNING: #14-Trey Hutchens Racing
Trey Hutchens is back with his #14 Chevrolet for the first time since he withdrew from the field at Charlotte, seeking his first start since his 29th-place performance in Kansas. Following his 2021 crash in Charlotte, Hutchens made his return to the circuit in this race last year, finishing 33rd place, 4 laps down.
DRIVER CHANGE: #17-David Gilliland Racing
Defending race winner Ryan Preece takes over for last week’s winner Todd Gilliland, carrying Hunt Brothers Pizza as sponsor once more. This week, Preece will pull a double-header with the XFINITY Series and B.J. McLeod’s #5 team (see below).
DRIVER CHANGE: #20-Young’s Motorsports
Randy Young did not have a driver listed to run the #20 this week after Thad Moffitt’s return in Knoxville yielded a 31st-place finish. By Wednesday, the team confirmed that Stefan Parsons – most recently the last-minute substitute at G2G Racing in Sonoma – will take the wheel of the Chevrolet. This would be the fifth different Truck Series team for which Parsons has driven in just seven series starts.
DRIVER CHANGE: #22-AM Racing
As brand-new father Austin Wayne Self prepares for his return to the Truck Series in Mid-Ohio, this week’s substitute will be Max Gutierrez, who made his Truck debut earlier this year in Charlotte driving AM Racing’s second entry, the #37, to a 26th-place finish. Gutierrez takes the place of Brett Moffitt, who took 32nd in Knoxville.
NEW TEAM: #26-Rackley-W.A.R.
DRIVER CHANGE: #30-On Point Motorsports
One year after entering a #27 entry for William Byron, which finished last, the Rackley effort again fields a second truck, this time the #26 for Tate Fogleman. Dickies, Realtree, and Camospace join Fogleman as sponsors. Absent from both Sonoma and Knoxville, Fogleman is again not in the #30, which this week goes to a returning Camden Murphy with ROWDY Energy as sponsor. Murphy hasn’t made a Truck Series start since last year’s COTA inaugural, where he ran 19th for Spencer Davis’ team. This would be Murphy’s first attempt at Nashville.
RETURNING: #32-Bret Holmes Racing
Bret Holmes returns to action for only the fifth time this season, his first since Texas, where he ran 15th in his #32 Chevrolet. Golden Eagle Syrup is the listed sponsor for Holmes, whose season-best run remains his 8thplace showing at Las Vegas.
DRIVER CHANGE: #33-Reaume Brothers Racing
Both Reaume entries did not have drivers listed on the preliminary entry list. Driving the flagship #33 this week in place of Brayton Laster, who finished 27th, is a returning Chris Hacker. Hacker drives a vibrant blue-and-gold paint scheme for law firm Morgan & Morgan, and also will run a Toyota with the current nose. This would be “Hackerman’s” third start of the season and first since Texas, where he ran 31st with the same team.
DRIVER CHANGE: #43-Reaume Brothers Racing
Teamed with Hacker is fourth-generation driver Nick Leitz, a 26-year-old late model racer from Chesapeake, Virginia, who seeks to make his NASCAR national series debut. Leitz takes the place of 30th-place Knoxville finisher Devon Rouse, and carries sponsorship from Precision Measurements, Inc. on his Chevrolet.
DRIVER CHANGE: #46-G2G Racing
G2G Racing brings both its entries to the track for the first time since Sonoma. Running the #46, which enjoyed a solid run early at Knoxville before Bryson Mitchell had mechanical issues, is a returning Chase Janes. Janes made his series debut earlier this year at Martinsville, where he finished 25th in the Reaume Brothers’ #33. Waste Connection Services is the listed sponsor of Janes’ Toyota.
RETURNING: #47-G2G Racing
Running the second G2G truck this week is Kaden Honeycutt, who likewise made his series debut earlier this year at Martinsville, that time while in G2G’s primary #46. A crash midway through the race left him a distant 34th in the running order. The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation is the listed sponsor.
DRIVER CHANGE: #51-Kyle Busch Motorsports
Corey Heim rejoins KBM for the first time since his second win of the season in Gateway, taking the place of 11th-place Knoxville finisher Buddy Kofoid.
MISSING: #53-Sparks Motorsports
Braden Mitchell is not entered after the new Sparks Motorsports effort failed to qualify in its first attempt at Knoxville.
DRIVER CHANGE: #62-Halmar Friesen Racing
Todd Bodine’s 799th NASCAR start is set to unfold in Nashville, where he ran five times in XFINITY and nine times in Trucks, the latter yielding a win from the pole for Germain Racing in 2010. Bodine, who most recently finished 20th in Sonoma, takes the place of Jessica Friesen, whose Turn 3 flip and subsequent return to the race went completely unnoticed by the FS1 broadcast.
RETURNING: #75-Henderson Motorsports
Parker Kligerman rejoins the Truck Series garage for the first time since his 7th-place showing in Sonoma, eyeing his fourth consecutive top-ten finish in as many starts. Kligerman finished 17th in this race last year, but finished 10th and 5th in his two previous starts in 2011.
RETURNING: #84-Cook Racing Technologies
Clay Greenfield and the Cook Racing Technologies team are back for the first time since the Daytona opener, looking to rebound from his DNQ in February. Greenfield made two Truck Series starts at Nashville in 2010 and 2011 with a best finish of 23rd in the former.
RETURNING: #90-Terry Carroll Motorsports
Still seeking his Truck Series debut is Justin S. Carroll, who was rained out of the field at Martinsville, then fell short of timing into the race at Gateway. Carroll’s Automotive is the sponsor of his family-pre-are d #90 Toyota.
DRIVER CHANGE: #02-Young’s Motorsports
Jesse Little’s #02 Catchin’ Deers Chevrolet carries a familiar green-and-gold paint scheme, reminiscent of Jesse’s father Chad’s many Cup and XFINITY Series entries sponsored by John Deere. This would be Little’s first Truck Series start since Gateway, where he ran 20th, and takes place of 26th-place Knoxville finisher Kaz Grala.
CUP INVADERS: None
Saturday, June 25, 2022 (3:30 P.M. ET, USA)
XFINITY Race 15 of 33
Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville Superspeedway
2021 Last-Place Finisher: Stefan Parsons
ENTRY LIST
After a two-week hiatus, the XFINITY Series is back in action with 41 drivers entered for 38 spots, meaning three will be sent home after qualifying.
DRIVER CHANGE: #5-B.J. McLeod Motorsports
The aforementioned Ryan Preece returns to the XFINITY Series for the first time since his 5th-place showing in Charlotte, taking the place of 13th-place Portland finisher Scott Heckert. United Rentals is Preece’s sponsor.
DRIVER SWAP: #6-JD Motorsports
DRIVER CHANGE: #47-Mike Harmon Racing
Brennan Poole is back behind the wheel of Mike Harmon’s #47 Chevrolet for the first time since Charlotte, where brake problems left him 35th. He takes the place of Ryan Vargas, 23rd in Portland, who reunites with JD Motorsports’ #6 team, which ran 36th after a mid-race wreck with Gray Gaulding driving. Gaulding is not entered this week.
DRIVER SWAP: #13-Motorsports Business Management
DRIVER CHANGE: #66-Motorsports Business Management
Coming into this weekend, Natalie Decker has been entered in four XFINITY Series races and qualified for just one – Martinsville, where multiple brake issues left her in 35th place. Her most recent attempt came at Dover, where she was entered in the MBM’s #13, then swapped out for Chad Finchum. This time, Decker is entered in MBM’s flagship #66, moving regular driver J.J. Yeley to the #13 in place of Matt Jaskol. Jaskol finished 18th in Portland behind Yeley, who finished a strong 8th.
DRIVER CHANGE: #18-Joe Gibbs Racing
Trevor Bayne rejoins JGR for the first time since Charlotte, where he ran 9th, and brings his sponsor Devotion Nutrition. He takes the place of Connor Mosack, who finished 28th after a late-race wreck in Portland.
DRIVER CHANGE: #26-Sam Hunt Racing
Jeffrey Earnhardt is another driver rejoining the XFINITY Series for the first time since Charlotte. Earnhardt’s latest start saw him finish a season-worst 37th after an early crash. This week, he takes the place of 27th-place Portland finisher Parker Chase in Sam Hunt’s #26 Toyota.
RETURNING: #28-RSS Racing
Parker Retzlaff rejoins the XFINITY circuit for the first time since Dover, where he continued his impressive streak of three consecutive finishes of 17th or better in just four career starts. Unlike his previous runs, Retzlaff will this time have to qualify RSS Racing’s part-time third entry, the #28 FUNKAWAY Ford. This entry hasn’t attempted a race since Charlotte, and hasn’t qualified for one since Martinsville.
DRIVER CHANGE: #34-Jesse Iwuji Motorsports
Following a bizarre incident in Portland, where Jesse Iwuji spun Ty Gibbs out of the lead under caution, Kyle Weatherman is back behind the wheel of the #34 Chevrolet for the first time since Charlotte, where he ran 36th. All four of Weatherman’s previous starts for JIM saw him finish under power, including a 12th-place showing in Darlington.
DRIVER CHANGE: #38-RSS Racing
Kyle Sieg seeks his ninth start of the year and first since Darlington, this time driving the #38 Night Owl Ford in place of Portland underdog Darren Dilley, who finished 37th. Kyle’s best finish of the year remains his 16th-place performance in Las Vegas.
DRIVER CHANGE: #44-Alpha Prime Racing
The last time Ryan Ellis started a XFINITY Series race, he equaled his season-best 13th from Las Vegas with another in Charlotte. He again steers Alpha Prime’s #44 entry this week following Andy Lally’s 17th-place run in Portland, where he led three laps in the rain. Renascent Demolition is Ellis’ sponsor as he seeks his first Nashville start.
DRIVER CHANGE: #48-Big Machine Racing
At Sonoma, Jade Buford remained hopeful that he would rejoin the Big Machine team later this season, knowing he’d helped his cause with a late bid for the win in Portland, where he led four laps and finished 14th. But it’s back to the Cup Series full-timers taking his place as Tyler Reddick, the Charlotte winner, runs the Big Machine Racing Lady A Chevrolet.
RETURNING: #77-Bassett Racing
Dillon Bassett will take his turn trying to get he and brother Ronnie, Jr.’s #77 team into its first XFINITY Series race since last year’s COTA event with Cup regular Austin Dillon. The team will again be sponsored by both Jerry Hunt and Honest Amish in what will be their sixth attempt of the season – Dillon with two DNQs to Ronnie’s three.
DRIVER CHANGE: #91-DGM Racing
After Mason Filippi’s 25th-place run in Portland, Mason Massey regains his seat in the #91 LOS MAGOS Chevrolet for the first time since his 18th-place run in Texas, which was his third-best finish of the year.
RETURNING: #99-B.J. McLeod Motorsports
Matt Mills will drive his third different B.J. McLeod entry of 2022, following a pair of attempts in the part-time #55 with the rest in his familiar #5, driven this week by Ryan Preece (see above). Mills finished 25th in this race last year.
DRIVER CHANGE: #08-SS-Green Light Racing
David Starr rejoins the Bobby Dotter team for the first time since his home race in Texas, where he finished 21st, and the DNQ at Charlotte that followed. He steps in for “road ringer” Spencer Pumpelly, whose afternoon in the Portland rain yielded a 29th-place finish following a late wreck. UPDATE: On Friday, Starr elected to step aside this week due to illness. B.J. McLeod will run in his place, pulling double-duty with Cup.
CUP INVADERS: #48-Tyler Reddick
Sunday, June 26, 2022 (5:00 P.M. ET, NBC)
CUP Race 17 of 36
Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway
2021 Last-Place Finisher: Chase Elliott
ENTRY LIST
Despite the stacked entry lists for both the Truck Series and XFINITY this week, the Cup Series presents only their 36 Chartered entries for the third race in a row, and the sixth time in the last seven races. The result is the 16th short field in 17 races this year, excluding only the Daytona 500.
DRIVER CHANGE: #15-Rick Ware Racing
Pulling double-duty with the XFINITY Series is J.J. Yeley, who will make his seventh Cup start of the year and first since Kansas, where he ran 31st with this same RWR team. Yeley replaces “road ringer” Joey Hand, 20th in Sonoma, who will return in the following race at Road America.
DRIVER CHANGE: #78-Live Fast Motorsports
B.J. McLeod is back aboard his #78 for the first time since his 30th-place effort at Gateway, taking the place of Sonoma “road ringer” Scott Heckert, who ran 33rd. Motorsport Games XBOX is the listed sponsor of McLeod’s Ford.
TODAY IN LASTCAR HISTORY (June 23, 1990): Dave Mader III scored the 1st last-place finish of his NASCAR Busch Grand National Series career in the Firecracker 200 at the Volusia County Speedway when his #56 Speedway Motorsports Buick was involved in a crash with Rick Mast and Davey Johnson on the opening lap. This was only the sixth series start of Mader’s Busch Series career.
