In the final practice for the Chevrolet Silverado 250, it’d be 17-year-old Chase Elliott would top the charts with a lap of 81.045 seconds.
This past off-season, NASCAR changed the age limit for the truck series, allowing 17-year-olds to run on ovals lesser than a mile and road courses. Drivers must be 18 years of age or older to run ovals a mile or longer. Elliott, a development driver for Hendrick Motorsports, took advantage of the new rule right away with his truck series debut earlier this season. Elliott has four top fives and five top 10s in his five career starts so far this year.
“Canadian Motorsports Park is a different track and a place I’ve never been to before,” Elliott said coming into the weekend. “A lot of guys are in the same boat there, so I think the guy who can adapt the quickest is going to have an advantage.”
Mike Skeen led the pair of sessions yesterday and today, was second in the morning session. This final session he was second once again, 0.440 seconds off of Elliott’s quick time. Skeen,a driver in the Pirelli Wold Challenge GT Series, is making his Camping World Truck Series debut debut. In his past four Pirelli World Challenge GT Series starts at CTMP, he has four poles and four wins. Skeen currently sits sixth in the World Challenge GT Series standings after winning at Lime Rock earlier this year.
German Quiroga was third quickest once again as he has been throughout the weekend, 0.453 seconds off of Elliott in his No. 77 Otterbox Toyota Tundra.
Miguel Paludo was fourth quickest, followed by his teammate James Buescher. Buescher noted yesterday that with each session on the track, he continues to learn what he needs to do better and get quicker.
“I know a lot of areas that I can improve – probably about half the corners,” he said yesterday. “So it’s just going to be gaining experience lap after lap and following some guys is always helpful. Going back and watching the video is helpful too, and working on breaking down the corners with my teammates and stuff is going to be helpful. I feel there is a lot more to gain, but I feel pretty good about we’ve learned and our chances this weekend.”
Road course ace Max Papis was sixth quickest, followed by Ty Dillon, Joey Coulter, Jeb Burton and Ross Chastain.
Points leader Matt Crafton was 11th quickest, matching his position on the charts from the morning session.
Coming into the weekend, Crafton said the key for the weekend was surviving.
“That’s all its about,” he said. “Definitely you want to be fast, but at the same time, you want to keep all four tires on the black stuff. If you stay on the road and you’re there at the end, you’ll contend for the win or a top five without a doubt.”
Qualifying for the Chevrolet Silverado 250 will be at 5pm EST today with the race scheduled for Sunday at 2pm EST.
