For the Camping World Truck Series they usually don’t see Phoenix till the end of the season. In a schedule change that has them heading west early after a very exciting and emotional race at Daytona International Speedway.
A few drivers will be looking to rebound after a rough start to the season. Defending series champion Todd Bodine is one of them. Bodine was caught up in the first big wreck that included 14 cars. He was able to make some repairs and continue only to get swept up in the big one number two.
Bodine now sits 18th in the standings and will be looking to make his climb back to the top of the standings.
At Phoenix International Raceway, Bodine has only led 57 laps and that was in 2005. He does however have an average start of 8.5 but a average finish of 6.3.
It is early in the season but we saw what happened to Ron Hornaday in 2010 after a Daytona wreck. They never really recovered and were a non factor in the title.
For Jennifer Jo Cobb she is coming off her best career finish at DIS and she did it in record breaking style. Cobb is the first woman ever to score a top 10 finish in any of the three touring divisions at DIS.
Her sixth place finish bettered her 14th place finish at Darlington. In one career start at PIR, Cobb started 29th and finished 23rd last fall. Cobb has shown steady improvement in her trucks.
Don’t be surprised if Cobb scores another top 10 finish this weekend. This new points system makes bad finishes loom much larger.
The gaps are much closer now and it may take longer to climb out a large hole. This makes the race this weekend very important.
Guys like Bodine, Ron Hornaday and others who are looking to contend for the title can’t afford another dismal showing. Also, next time these guys come back it will be new pavement for them.
PIR is undergoing a repaving project that will be finished for the NASCAR Sprint Cup series Chase race in November.
Who to watch this weekend: Hornaday and Kevin Harvick Inc. They have run well at PIR in the past. Hornaday needs a solid finish this weekend to gain some points. KHI had a rough race at DIS as only Elliott Sadler finished the race.
Austin Dillon didn’t exactly get the finish he was looking for at DIS but can he make it two poles in a row? Dillon who set rookie records in 2010 with five poles will be looking to add to those numbers this weekend.
The Lucas Oil 150 is Friday night at 8 ET on SPEED.
opinions expressed here are soley of the writer.
Photo: usatoday.com
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