For the first time this season the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has a weekend all to themselves. With the NASCAR Sprint Cup series and NASCAR Nationwide series enjoying their first off weekend of the season, the CWTS heads to Darlington Raceway Saturday night.
This weekend we could see the first CWTS regular find victory lane.
Current series leader Matt Crafton has run well this season he has finished in the top 10 in both races run.
At Phoenix International Raceway he ran in the top five for much of the race. Still, he has yet to lead a lap and hasn’t really contended for a win this season.
At Darlington, last season he ran very well in his first race at the track. He started 15th but finished sixth on the day.
Crafton to me is the one to beat in this series for the title. He has been close before but the new system favors consistency and Crafton is just that; consistent.
This weekend is a milestone for Crafton as he will start his 250th consecutive race at Darlington.
Another driver that I am watching is Todd Bodine. The defending series champion hasn’t exactly gotten off to the start he had hoped. After being involved in two wrecks at Daytona, Bodine finished 14th at PIR.
He is currently 12th in the standings and will be looking to get his first top 10 of the season.
Bodine won the race there last season and he led 47 laps and his lowest running position was eighth.
Bodine needs to just find that consistency that won him the title in 2010. He will be a threat for the win this weekend and don’t be surprised if he ends up in victory lane.
Darlington is a tricky track for all these drivers. It is shaped like an egg and teams struggle hooking up the handling on both ends of the track.
The driver that comes the closest to that perfect setup is usually hard to beat. Also, these guys will only have limited amount of chances to make adjustments.
When crew chiefs are setting up the truck to be adjustable in the beginning of the race; but not so adjustable that you are so far off for the final stop.
My drivers to watch this weekend are Elliot Sadler, Crafton and Austin Dillon.
The Too Tough Too Tame 200 is Saturday, 5ET on Speed.
photo;autoracing.speedtv.com
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