NCWTS – Phoenix Lucas Oil 150 Preview

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series goes to Phoenix Raceway this week for the final race in the Round of 6, the Lucas Oil 150 (8:30pm ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).  This 150-lap race around the 1.022-mile track will set the field of contenders for the Championship 4 Round at Homestead next week. 

Defending series champion Johnny Sauter locked his spot into the Championship 4 Round last week with his win at Texas.  He will be looking to add to his momentum, and possibly his trophy case, Friday night in Phoenix.  The other five contenders still alive in the playoffs, Christopher Bell, Matt Crafton, Austin Cindric, Ben Rhodes and John Hunter Nemechek, still have some work to do to advance.  Here is a brief overview of each drivers’ prospects to make it into the Championship 4 Round at Homestead:

Johnny Sauter – 1 Win this round, 3131 Points:  Sauter is locked into the Championship 4 Round by his win last week at Texas.  He will defend last year’s championship at Homestead next week.

Christopher Bell – 0 Wins this round, 3135 Points:  Christopher will clinch a spot in the Championship 4 Round with a win or by earning six points if there is a new winner.  If Sauter were to win again this week, Bell would only need one point to advance.

Matt Crafton – 0 Wins this round, 3104 Points:  Crafton would advance by earning 32 points if Sauter wins, getting 37 points if there is a new winner, or by winning the race himself.

Austin Cindric – 0 Wins this round, 3085 Points:  If he were to win the race, Cindric would advance to the Championship 4 Round.  If not, Austin would advance with 50 more points as long as Sauter does not win.  IF Sauter does win, then Cindric would need help to advance on points.  He is currently five points above the cut line.

Ben Rhodes – 0 Wins this round, 3080 Points:  To clinch on points, Ben would need for there to be a new winner this round and he would also need help.  Rhodes would automatically advance if he were to win.  He currently sits five points below the cut line.

John Hunter Nemechek – 0 Wins this round, 3046 Points:  It would be a long shot, but John Hunter could advance on points if there were a winner other than Johnny Sauter and if he received a lot of help from the other drivers.  As with all the other contenders, Nemechek would automatically advance with a win Friday night.

There have been 16 different winners in the 26 NCWTS races held over the series’ history at Phoenix Raceway.  Six times those winners came from the pole, with Erik Jones being the last to do so (11/7/2014).  The race record was set by Kevin Harvick on 11/8/2002 (108.014 mph).  Joe Ruttman is the oldest winner at Phoenix.  He was 55 years, 4 months old when he won the race held on 3/18/2000.  The youngest winner ever is Erik Jones.  When he won on 11/8/2013, Erik was aged 17 years, 5 months.

The qualifying record was set at Phoenix by William Byron on 11/11/2016 (138.254 mph).  Erik Jones (18 years, 5 months) is Phoenix’s youngest ever pole winner with his run on 11/7/2014.   With his qualifying attempt on 3/18/200, Joe Ruttman became the oldest pole winner (55 years, 4 months).

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series runs the Lucas Oil 150 on Friday, November 10 at 8:30pm ET.  (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

Shane Burton
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