Ford Eco-Boost 200 Qualifying Report

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series qualifying for the Ford Eco-Boost 200 rolled off at 3:30 p.m. ET this afternoon. The session would set the field for tonight’s Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Starting position, and pit selection, would be sure to play a part in determining the 2017 series champion when contenders Christopher Bell, Johnny Sauter, Austin Cindric and Matt Crafton hit the track later tonight. The qualifying session would see drivers making single truck runs in two rounds. Positions 13 – 32 would be set in round one. Round two would set the top-12 positions.

Round one would offer some excitement. Matt Crafton recorded a time that looked to be borderline on making the cut to round two. Crafton recorded a lap of 32.627 sec. As more drivers made attempts, his time would edge closer and closer to dropping from the top-12.

With three trucks left to make attempts, Christopher Bell made his way onto the track. Crafton sat in 10th. Unbelievably, Bell (32.666 sec.) laid down a lap slower than Crafton’s. With two drivers to go, this would lock Crafton into the top-12 and would suddenly put Bell in position to drop out.

Kaz Grala and Johnny Sauter were the final two qualifiers in round one. Both topped Bell’s time, with Sauter recording the fastest time in the round. Christopher Bell would be forced to start the Championship 4 race from the 13th starting spot.

Advancing to round two: Sauter, Austin Cindric, Chase Briscoe, Ben Rhodes, Grala, Noah Gragson, Justin Haley, Grant Enfinger, Ryan Truex, Myatt Snider, Stewart Friesen, Crafton.

Starting positions 13 – 32, in order: Bell, John Hunter Nemechek, Regan Smith, Cody Coughlin, Timothy Peters, Austin Wayne Self, Dalton Sargeant, T.J. Bell, Chris Windom, Jordan Anderson, Robby Lyons, Wendell Chavous, Camden Murphy, Josh Reaume, Norm Benning, Joe Nemechek, Mike Senica, Bayley Currey, Ray Ciccarelli, Jennifer Jo Cobb

Drivers would qualify from slowest in round one to fastest, which would put Matt Crafton out first. His lap in round two was slightly faster than his lap from round one and would keep him in the bottom half of the top-12. Stuart Friesen would slot in front of Crafton and then Myatt Snider’s attempt would place him behind the No. 88.

Grant Enfinger would grab the top spot and hold it through several others’ attempts. Enfinger would be knocked from the top by Ben Rhodes who ran an excellent lap that looked as though it might land him the pole position. Rhodes grasp on the top spot would be short lived, however.

Chase Briscoe would qualify next. His lap would be good enough to shoot him to the top spot. Austin Cindric would make a good run, but not good enough to take the first position away from Briscoe. Austin would slide into the third spot.

Johnny Sauter would be the last driver to make a qualifying attempt in the NCWTS 2017 season. Sauter would suffer from a push coming out of turn two and could not recover enough time to take the pole. He would qualify 11th.

Chase Briscoe would take the pole for the evening’s Ford Eco-Boost 200. It is the fourth pole of Chase’s career, all of them coming in 2017.

The Championship 4 driver qualifying results – Christopher Bell – 13th, Johnny Sauter – 11th, Austin Cindric – Third, Matt Crafton – Eighth

Positions 1 – 12, in order: Briscoe, Rhodes, Cindric, Enfinger, Noah Gragson, Ryan Truex, Justin Haley, Crafton, Stewart Friesen, Kaz Grala, Sauter, Myatt Snider

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series runs the Ford Eco-Boost 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway tonight, Friday, Nov. 17 (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

 

Shane Burton
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