Previewing the NASCAR CWTS UNOH 200 at Bristol

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Writer

13 races into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season five series regulars have scored a victory (Christopher Bell four times, John Hunter Nemechek twice, Johnny Sauter, Matt Crafton, and Kaz Grala once). Bell has an 37-point lead over Sauter heading into the 14th race of the season. The Truck Series regulars will have their hands full once again in Saturday’s race as Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series regular Kyle Busch will be in the field.

The last time the Truck Series visited Bristol Motor Speedway, Ben Kennedy took home the victory in thrilling fashion. Kennedy took the lead on the final restart and held off Brett Moffitt by 0.274 seconds to take the victory. Daniel Hemric. William Byron, and Sauter rounded out the top five that day. Sauter is the only driver who finished in the top-five last year entered in Wednesday’s race.

Busch is the only former winner at Bristol in the Truck Series entered in the UNOH 200. Busch won four times, 2008-2010 and 2013. In the last six Bristol races for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, there have been six different winners.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series regular Busch is entered in the field along with NASCAR Xfinity Series regulars Brandon Jones and J.J. Yeley.

Truck Series Championship

A total of 11 drivers have Playoff points. Bell has 24 Playoff Points, Nemechek has 11, with Sauter having 10, Crafton has seven, Grala has five, while Chase Briscoe, Noah Gragson, Ben Rhodes, Ryan Truex, and Stewart Friesen have one each.

Friesen, Gragson, and Truex are the only drivers with Playoff Points behind the cutoff.

Rhodes currently holds the cutoff for the Playoffs with Ryan Truex five-points ahead. Grant Enfinger is 14-points outside the cutoff. Gragson is 44-points behind Rhodes.

At Michigan, the first stage ends on lap 55, the second stage on lap 110, and the final stage on lap 200.

What to Watch For in the UNOH 200

There are several storylines going into this weekend’s race to watch for:

• Austin Hill returns to the No. 02 Ford F-150 for Young’s Motorsports.
• Ryan Truex will have Food City as the primary sponsor of his No. 16 Hattori Racing Enterprises Toyota Tundra.
• Chris Windom returns in the No. 36 Baldwin Brothers Chevrolet Silverado for the Mittler Brothers.
• Austin Wayne Self will be in the No. 44 Don’t Mess With Texas / AM Technical Solutions Chevrolet Silverado for Faith Motorsports and AM Racing.
• Kyle Busch will be in the No. 46 Banfield Pet Hospital Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports
• Harrison Burton will be in the No. 51 DEX Imaging Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports.
• Landon Huffman will make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut in the No. 63 Chevrolet Silverado for the Mittler Brothers.
• Clay Greenfield returns in the No. 68 Titan Paint Sprayers Chevrolet Silverado for Gary Mann.
• Camden Murphy will be in the No. 83 Pulse Transportation / National Arthritis Foundation for Copp Motorsports
• Brandon Jones returns to the in the No. 99 HTPG Refrigeration Products Chevrolet Silverado for MDM Motorsports.

Where and When to Watch (All Times Eastern)

Practice 1: Wednesday, August 16, 9:00 a.m., on Fox Sports 1.

Practice 2: Wednesday, August 16, 11:00 a.m., Fox Sports 1.

Qualifying: Wednesday, August 16, 4:35 p.m., on Fox Sports 1.

Race: Wednesday, August 16, 8:30 p.m. on Fox Sports 1, SiriusXM Channel 90, and the Motor Racing Network.