2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Preview: Gateway
Brenden Martin previews the 2022 Toyota 200 at World Wide Technology Raceway just across from St. Louis, Missouri in Madison, Illinois where Rajah Caruth makes his truck series debut.
The NASCAR schedule has split up with the truck and Cup Series heading to the 1.25 mile World Wide Technology Raceway while the Xfinity Series makes the long trip to Oregon for Portland International Raceway, a road course.
The trucks will go around the asymmetrical WWT Raceway in Madison, Illinois, just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri, to open the weekend of racing.
Last season, The Toyota 200 presented by CK Power was the first race of the truck series playoffs. 2020 Truck Series Champion Sheldon Creed won his second of three races last season to advance to the Round of 8.
Creed also won the race in 2020 en route to his championship.
This season, WWT Raceway is the 11th race on the truck schedule and the sixth-to-last race before the playoffs begin at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on July 29.
Now that Creed has moved to the Xfinity Series with Richard Childress Racing, the field is as open as ever to see a winner that needs a good finish to improve their playoff chances. A driver at risk to fall out of playoff contention who has had recent success at WWT Raceway is ThorSport Racing No. 88 Matt Crafton.
The three-time Truck Series Champion finished second in last year’s race behind Creed. Crafton currently holds the final spot in the playoffs, sitting 10th in points. He sits 25 points above the cutline ahead of David Gilliland Racing No. 15 Tanner Gray.
Crafton hasn’t won a race since July 25, 2020, in the e.p.t. 200 at Kansas Speedway nearly two years ago. Crafton is known for having consistently strong finishes. He won the 2019 championship without winning a race and advanced to the Championship 4 last season under the same circumstances.
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Crafton point his way into the playoffs, but he’ll need to hold off Gray, who starts three spots behind him in 14th.
Speaking of David Gilliland Racing, a driver that is in greater need of a good result is No. 1 Hailie Deegan. The second-year truck driver has underperformed after her rookie year in 2021. Sitting 27th in points, Deegan comes into WWT Raceway with an average finish of 24.7, nearly four positions behind from last year.
Deegan has one career top-10 finish in the truck series which came last year at WWT Raceway when she finished seventh. This year’s Toyota 200 could be the race that turns Deegan’s season around, but she will need to cut through the field as she did last year. Deegan qualified 26th but will start from the rear due to unapproved adjustments.
The No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado has seen a handful of big-name drivers take its wheel this season, largely from the Hendrick Motorsports camp. Alex Bowman drove the truck in the XPEL 225 at Circuit of the Americas where he was in contention for the win until Overtime. William Byron took the No. 7 to Victory Lane at Martinsville Speedway the following week. Chase Elliott also took the wheel in the No. 7 in Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt at Bristol Motor Speedway.
This week, ARCA Menards driver Rajah Caruth is making his Camping World Truck Series debut in the No. 7 for Spire Motorsports. In five ARCA races this season, the 19-year-old has three top-five and four top-10 finishes and has also made a few Xfinity starts.
Caruth put together a solid qualifying time of 33.284 at 135.2 MPH and will start 19th.
Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 51 Corey Heim, another ARCA Menards standout, won his first career pole with a 32.554 qualifying time and was the only driver to reach 138 MPH.
Front Row Motorsports No. 38 Zane Smith will join Heim on the front row. Smith’s three wins this season put him at the top of the truck standings and looks to grow the gap between him and the rest of the field.
Smith will also be tasked with making his Cup Series debut in the No. 17 Ford Mustang for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing filling in for Chris Buescher, who is out under COVID-19 protocols.
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Toyota 200 at World Wide Technology Raceway will be 160 laps with stage breaks on laps 55 and laps 110. The race begins on Saturday, June 4 at 1:30 p.m. ET with coverage on Fox Sports 1 as well as Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Practice Times:
Starting Lineup:
To the rear: No. 1 Hailie Deegan, No. 33 Mason Maggio, No. 12 Spencer Boyd — Unapproved Adjustments
Pit Stall Selections:
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series — Race No. 11 — 160 laps / 200 miles
World Wide Technology Raceway (1.25-mile oval) – Madison, Ill.
Fast Facts for June 3-4, 2022
Tire: Goodyear Eagle 15-inch Speedway Radials
Set limits:
Truck: 5 sets for the event
Tire Codes:
Left-side — D-6114;
Right-side — D-6116
Tire Circumference:
Left-side — 2,218 mm (87.32 in.);
Right-side — 2,244 mm (88.35 in.)
Minimum Recommended Inflation:
Left Front — 14 psi; Left Rear — 14 psi;
Right Front — 31 psi; Right Rear — 28 psi
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