Up to Speed: 37 Kind Days 250 at Kansas Preview

BySeth Eggert, Staff Writer

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regulars have won three of the five races so far in the 2018 season. For the sixth race of the season, the series visits 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway. Teams using the NT1 Spec Engine versus those using OEM engines, the return of Kyle Busch and Darrell ‘Bubba’ Wallace, Jr., and stage racing are just some of the storylines heading into the sixth race of the season at Kansas.

Coverage for the 37 Kind Days 250 is scheduled to start Friday night at 8:30 p.m. ET. Kansas has been on the Truck Series schedule since the 2001 season and has never been the sixth race on the schedule. In 17 races at the 1.5-mile Tri-Oval, 15 drivers have claimed victory. The last three races at Kansas have produced three different winners.

The last time the Truck Series visited Kansas Speedway, Kyle Busch earned the victory in dramatic fashion. Busch took the lead after Ben Rhodes suffered an engine failure while attempting to hold off the 2015 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion. He went on to beat Johnny Sauter to the line by 2.622 seconds. Five drivers that finished in the top-10 that day are entered in Friday night’s race. Matt Crafton, Busch and Sauter are the only former winners entered in the race.

By the Numbers

What:37 Kind Days 250, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race Six

Where: Kansas Speedway – Kansas City, Kansas (Opened: 2001)

TV/Radio:Fox Sports 1, 8:30 p.m. ET / MRN and SiriusXM Channel 90

Track Size: 1.5-Mile Tri-Oval

Banking: 17-20 degrees in turns, 9-11 degrees on the frontstretch, and five degrees on the backstretch.

Race Length: 167 Laps, 250 Miles (Three Stages, 40/80/167)

2017 Race Winner:Kyle Busch – No. 51 Cessna / Beechcraft Toyota Tundra (Started 10^th, 97 laps led).

Track Qualifying Record: Erik Jones (30.101 seconds, 179.396 mph – 5/8/2015).

Storylines Heading into the 37 Kind Days 250:

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

• Kyle Busch returns in the No. 4 Cessna Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports.
• John Hunter Nemechek returns in the No. 8 Fleetwing / D.A.B. Construction Chevrolet Silverado for NEMCO Motorsports.
• Robby Lyons returns to the No. 15 Chevrolet Silverado for Premium Motorsports.
• Brett Moffitt will have Central Plains Cement Company as the primary sponsor of his No. 16 Toyota Tundra for Hattori Racing Enterprises.
• Darrell ‘Bubba’ Wallace, Jr. will make his first start of the season in the No. 20 Andy’s Frozen Custard Chevrolet Silverado for Young’s Motorsports.
• Josh Reaume returns in the No. 33 Colonial Countertops Chevrolet Silverado for Reaume Brothers Racing.
• Brandon Jones will make his first Truck Series start of the season in the No. 51 Lyons Industries / Menards Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports.
• Bo Le Mastus returns to the No. 54 Crosley Brands David Gilliland Racing – CROSLEY Group Toyota Tundra.
• Kevin Donahue returns in the No. 63 Chevrolet Silverado for MB Motorsports.
• Joe Nemechek will be in the No. 87 Chevrolet Silverado for NEMCO Motorsports.

Weekend Schedule (All Times Eastern)

Friday, May 11

• NCWTS Practice 1 (9:35 a.m. – 10:25 a.m. on Fox Sports 1)
• NCWTS Practice 2 (11:35 a.m. – 12:35 p.m. on Fox Sports 1)
• NCWTS Qualifying (5:00 p.m. on Fox Sports 1)
• NCWTS 37 Kind Days 250 (8:30 p.m. – 167 laps, 250 miles – on Fox Sports 1, SiriusXM Channel 90, and the Motor Racing Network)