Storylines: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Bristol Wednesday Night

TheRace: UNOH 200
The Place: Bristol Motor Speedway
The Date: Wednesday, August 16
The Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
TV: FS1, 8 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 106.6 miles (200 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on lap 55), Stage 2 (Ends on lap 110), Final Stage (Ends on lap 200)

Bubba Breaks Through At Michigan

Darrell Wallace Jr. appeared in his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race since 2014 this past weekend at Michigan… and won.

Wallace Jr. took the checkered flag in his No. 99 Maestro’s Classic Chevrolet at Michigan International Speedway – winning the LTi Printing 200. The victory was Wallace’s sixth career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win and first since his last start in the series – at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2014.

The triumphant victory also served as the first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win for MDM Motorsports.

Wallace, who was overcome with emotion after the win, said this was such a big moment for not only himself, but everyone involved with his team and family.

“It’s huge. To go through everything, everybody goes trials and tribulations for a reason. Sometimes, you have a lot more downs than ups in this sport, and the ones that can come out on top and carry themselves through those hard times, will be the ones that capitalize. I try to carry a positive outlook on everything that’d I’ve done.”

You can listen to the rest of the post-race NASCAR Camping World Truck Series media availability with Wallace here.

Truex Scores Back-To-Back Top-Five Finishes

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs contender Ryan Truex scored his second consecutive top five after finishing fourth at Michigan International Speedway.

Truex’s top-five finish leaped him ahead of ThorSport Racing driver Ben Rhodes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoff standings.

With three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races before the playoffs begin, Truex currently sits seventh in the playoffs standings behind Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Chase Briscoe, who is sixth. Rhodes now sits eighth in the standings.

He will need to continue his streak of top finishes if he wants to make the 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoffs. Truex sits 19 points above the post-season cutoff line.

It’s Bristol, Baby!

Following the LTi Printing 200 at Michigan International Speedway, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will go mid-week racing at Bristol Motor Speedway this week. The trucks will hit the track Wednesday, August 16 for the UNOH 200 (8:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at the Last Great Coliseum.

Ben Kennedy is the defending NASCAR Camping World Truck Series winner at Bristol Motor Speedway, while Johnny Sauter (fifth), Christopher Bell (seventh) and John Hunter Nemechek (eighth) all finished inside the top-10.

A Look Back At Bristol: Christopher Bell

In last season’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway, 2016 Sunoco Rookie contender Christopher Bell made his mark at the 0.533-mile track.

Bell led a race-high 101 laps – which remains a career-high in laps led for the Kyle Busch Motorsports driver. He would go on to finish the race with a seventh-place finish after starting the race fifth.

Bell’s 101 laps led at Bristol already rank him third amongst active NASCAR national series drivers that have made starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Bristol. Kyle Busch is first with 435 laps led and Timothy Peters is second with 349 laps led there.

Bell has come close to beating his career-high in laps led this season. He led 99 laps on his way to his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win this season at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Since Atlanta, Bell has led over 90 laps three times; he led 96 laps at Martinsville Speedway, 92 laps at Texas Motor Speedway and 99 laps at Iowa Speedway.

Bell will be looking for his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win at Bristol. He’s had a stout 2017 campaign – winning four times and finishing inside the top five eight times.

Bristol Motor Speedway Quick Facts

As the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to Bristol Motor Speedway Wednesday, August 16 (8:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), below are some series quick facts at the 0.533-mile track:

• Races: 19
• Pole Winners: 15
• Youngest Pole Winner: Chase Elliott (08/21/2013 – 17 years, 8 months, 24 days)
• Oldest Pole Winner: Ken Schrader (08/25/2004 – 49 years, 2 months, 27 days)
• Race Winners: 15
• Youngest Winner: Ryan Blaney (08/19/2015 – 21 years, 4 months, 19 days)
• Oldest Winner: Joe Ruttman (06/23/1995 – 50 years, 7 months, 26 days)
• Races Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): 4
• Races Won from Pole (or 1st Starting Position): Kyle Busch (08/18/2010)
• Race Record: Brad Keselowski 91.919 mph (08/21/2014)
• Qualifying Record: Tyler Reddick 128.917 mph (08/17/2016)

First Timers At Bristol

There are four Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders making their track debut at Bristol Motor Speedway in Wednesday’s UNOH 200 (8:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). They include: Chase Briscoe, Cody Coughlin, Grant Enfinger and Noah Gragson.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Sunoco Rookie contenders who have made starts at Bristol Motor Speedway include Wendell Chavous, Austin Cindric, Stewart Friesen, Kaz Grala and Justin Haley.

In 19 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races at Bristol Motor Speedway, two active Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers, Chase Elliott (08/21/2013) and Ryan Newman (08/19/2009), won their first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series poles at Bristol. Other drivers to win their first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series poles at Bristol include Cale Gale (08/22/2012) and Ken Schrader (08/25/2004).

Current NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Ben Kennedy (08/17/2016) and 2012 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski are the only two drivers to win their first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Bristol.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Etc.

Kyle Busch Bringing It At Bristol: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Busch will run the No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota in the UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway this week. Busch has brought his best at Bristol in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – winning three consecutive races at the Last Great Coliseum from 2008-10. Busch won his fourth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Bristol in 2013.

From The Booth To Bristol: NASCAR on NBC analyst Parker Kligerman will make his fifth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start this season in the No. 75 Toyota Tundra for Charles Henderson at Bristol Motor Speedway. Kligerman has two top-10 finishes this season and three career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at Bristol, with finishes of 20th (2016), second (2012) and 10th (2011).

Brandon Jones Returns To Trucks At Bristol: NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Brandon Jones will make his fifth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start this season in the No. 99 Chevrolet for Matthew Miller at Bristol Motor Speedway. Jones has improved in each NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start this season, as he has finishes of 31st (Charlotte), sixth (Dover), third (Iowa) and second (Kentucky).

NASCAR Next Driver Burton Slated For Bristol Start: NASCAR Next driver Harrison Burton is set to make his fifth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start this season in the No. 51 Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Burton has finished top 15 or better in all four starts this season, and has a season-best finish of 11th at Iowa Speedway.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Owner Standings Update: Kyle Busch Motorsports’ No. 4 Toyota Tundra retains a 37-point lead over GMS Racing’s No. 21 Chevrolet Silverado in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owner standings after 13 races this season. ThorSport Racing’s No. 88 Toyota Tundra (-62), Brad Keselowski Racing’s No. 29 Ford F-150 (-63) and Kyle Busch Motorsports’ No. 51 Toyota Tundra (-133) round out the top five.

source – NASCAR communications