After a wild race at Talladega Super Speedway last weekend the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to Martinsville Speedway.
The paperclip as it is known as is the short track that can eat trucks up quickly and with the championship points as close as they are the top four are separated by 16 points.
The biggest charger in the points has been Ron Hornaday. In fact, Hornaday or a Kevin Harvick Inc. truck has won seven of the last nine events; including last weeks race at Talladega where veteran Mike Wallace won.
James Buescher is just three points behind series leader Austin Dillon. We know his story this season missed Phoenix early in the year but he has barreled his way into contention with consistence every week.
His worse finish since Martinsville in the spring was a 21st and that was just at Las Vegas two weeks ago. Buescher’s numbers at Martinsville doesn’t make him a favorite this weekend. He just needs survive and come out with the truck in one piece and a solid finish.
Buescher’s average finish at the Virginia track is 17.3, his best finish 11th twice both in 2009.
Todd Bodine didn’t think he would have a ride to finish out the season. As the defending series champ, his hopes of a repeat were quickly dashed as they struggled early on.
A merger with Randy Moss Motorsports, has seen Bodine move from outside the top 10 in points to sixth and just 59 points off the leader.
Hopes of a title repeat are long over but his numbers here are solid, 11.2 average finish and an average start of 13.3.
Bodine theoretically could catch Timothy Peters in the standings they are separated by just 17 points.
Peters has had his success at Martinsville Speedway in the past, he won here in 2009.Even though his average finish is 15th don’t be fooled, he has run well here even if the results don’t show it.
Unlike last weekend picking a winner will be far easier but we have to take into account there are some Nationwide series and Cup series ringers running. Denny Hamlin will drive the Kyle Busch Motorsports #18 truck, Elliott Sadler will be in the #24 truck, and also Kevin Harvick will be back in the familiar #2 truck that Hornaday has been running.
Still, I think a series regular will win this weekend as they have seemed to have found their rhythm in the last couple months out running Busch and Harvick.
I like Hornaday for the win this weekend. I picked him last week and he finished second but he pushed Wallace to the win. Hornaday has all the momentum right now and if Dillon or Buescher struggle at all and Hornaday wins, that points lead will be far smaller heading into Texas.
Drivers to watch: Hamlin, Harvick and watch out for Johnny Sauter. He won here in the spring and will be looking for a rebound after a rough weekend at Talladega.
The Kroger 200 is Saturday at 2pm on SPEED.
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