Up to Speed: World of Westgate 200 at Las Vegas Preview

By Seth Eggert, Staff Writer

For the 18^th race of the season, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads out west to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for their second visit this season. Teams using the NT1 Spec Engine versus those using OEM engines, stage racing, and the Playoffs are just some of the storylines heading into the 18^th race of the season at Las Vegas.

Coverage for the World of Westgate 200 is scheduled to start Friday at 9:00 p.m. ET. Las Vegas Motor Speedway has been on the Truck Series schedule since the track opened in 1996. The 1.5-mile Tri-Oval has hosted the 18^th race of the Truck Series season since 2015. In 22 races at the 1.5-mile track, 20 different drivers have visited victory lane. The last 12 Las Vegas races have produced 12 different winners.

Truck Series regulars have won 13 of the 17 races so far in the 2018 season.

The last time the Truck Series visited Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch earned the victory in dramatic fashion. Busch held off Series regular Brett Moffitt with some help from lapped traffic.

Contact between Moffitt and Michel Disdier left the Atlanta winner third. Busch beat Johnny Sauter to the line by 0.437 seconds. Eight drivers that finished in the top-10 that day are entered in Sunday’s race. Ben Rhodes and Sauter are the only former winners entered in the race.

By the Numbers

What: World of Westgate 200, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race 18

Where: Las Vegas Motor Speedway– Las Vegas, Nevada (Opened: 1996)

TV/Radio: Fox Sports 1, 9:00 p.m. ET / MRN and SiriusXM Channel 90

Track Size: 1.5-Mile Tri-Oval

Banking: 12-20 degrees in the turns.

Race Length: 134 Laps, 201 Miles (Three Stages, 40/80/134)

2017 Race Winner: Ben Rhodes – No. 27 Safelite Auto Glass Toyota Tundra (Started sixth, 20 laps led).

Track Qualifying Record: Mike Skinner (30.326 seconds, 179.065 mph – 2006).

The Playoff Picture:

Las Vegas marks the second race of the 2018 Playoffs for the Truck Series. After the events at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, Justin Haley is locked into the Round of Six. Johnny Sauter holds a six-point lead over Brett Moffitt, and a 34-point lead over the Playoff cutoff, held by Stewart Friesen. Noah Gragson is 11-points behind with Haley 16 and Matt Crafton 34-points behind.

While Friesen is currently in the cutoff position, he is just one point ahead of Ben Rhodes. Grant Enfinger is 12-points behind the cutoff.

Storylines Heading into the World of Westgate 200:

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

• Todd Gilliland will have JBL / SiriusXM as the primary sponsor of his No. 4 Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports.
• John Hunter Nemechek returns in the No. 8 Berry’s Manufacturing Chevrolet Silverado for NEMCO Motorsports.
• Bo LeMastus returns in the No. 17 Crosley Brands Toyota Tundra for DGR-CROSLEY.
• Tanner Thorson returns to the No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado for Young’s Motorsports.
• Timothy Peters returns to the No. 25 Kingman Chevrolet Silverado for GMS Racing.
• Austin Theriault will make his first Series start since 2016 in the No. 30 Toyota Tundra for On Point Motorsports.
• Riley Herbst returns in the No. 46 Advance Auto Parts Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports.
• Ross Chastain returns in the No. 49 Chevrolet Silverado for Premium Motorsports.
• Brandon Jones returns in the No. 51 Delta Faucet / Menards Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports.
• Chris Eggleston will be in the No. 54 H2O Fire Protection Toyota Tundra for DGR – CROSLEY Group.
• Jesse Little returns in the No. 97 Ford F-150 for JJL Motorsports.

Weekend Schedule (All Times Eastern)

Thursday, September 13

• NCWTS Practice 1 (5:05 p.m. – 5:55 p.m.)
• NCWTS Practice 2 (7:05 p.m. – 7:55 p.m.)

Friday, September 14

• NCWTS Qualifying (6:00 p.m.)
• NCWTS World of Westgate 200 (9:00 p.m. – 134 laps, 201 miles – on Fox Sports 1, SiriusXM Channel 90, and the Motor Racing Network)