Truck Race at Iowa Speedway Postponed Until Sunday

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer

Saturday’s M&Ms 200 at Iowa Speedway in Newton has been postponed due to rain and has been rescheduled to Sunday June 16 at Noon ET, airing live on FS1.

Rain and lightning delays have plagued several on-track activities for the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, including qualifying being cancelled.

As a result, the starting lineup was set by team owner points. This meant 16-year-old Chandler Smith, who won Friday’s ARCA Menards Series race at Madison International Speedway, will start on the pole in the No. 51 Safelite AutoGlass Toyota Tundra.

Smith said he’s anxious of making his Truck Series debut, describing his Kyle Busch Motorsports entry being good and simply living the dream of competing in motorsports at such a young age.

“Rudy (Fugle) and those the guys have been working their tail off and I have a really good Toyota Tundra,” said Smith. “Most 16-year-olds can’t say what I’m doing right now. I’m definitely living the dream and I’m really beyond blessed where I’m at.”

Smith commented that he credits his entire team, led by Fugle, for bringing a competitive truck to Iowa and expects all parties to deliver if a shot at a race win is possible.

“They got the experience. I’m learning and doing a little better. We got the speed out there. The truck has a really good balance. I just have to capitalize all race and do good on pit road. If we can put it all in one good package, hopefully we can sit in victory lane.”

The No. 51 truck is the most recent winning truck after Greg Biffle brought it home to victory lane at Texas Motor Speedway last Friday. Biffle isn’t eligible to go two-for-two in the Triple Truck Challenge after not being entered on the initial entry deadline.

Qualifying wasn’t the only event affected by weather as opening Xfinity Series practice, led by Harrison Burton, was rain-shortened and final practice being completely washed out.

Sunday’s CircuitCity.com 250 will not only mark Burton’s second-ever Xfinity Series start, but his first-ever double duty attempt on the national tour.

The current Truck Series rookie points leader will roll off 10th in the Truck race.

The postponement of the 200-lap race won’t have much of an impact for Xfinity Series qualifying as it’s scheduled to begin at 2:05pm EST (live on FS2), with the green flag set to drop at 5:30pm EST (live on FS1).