Timothy Peters Wins Fr8Auctions 250 for 3rd Talladega Victory in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
TALLADEGA, Ala. – Kurt Busch led a Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) onslaught Saturday in Foodland/Food Giant Qualifying at Talladega Superspeedway, taking the pole for Sunday’s 1000Bulbs.com 500. The top four positions – meaning, the first two rows – will be filled by SHR drivers, in the pivotal NASCAR Playoff race for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
The 1000Bulbs.com 500 is set for a 1 p.m. CDT start on Sunday. (TV: NBC; Radio: MRN, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio).
A total of 41 drivers qualified for the available 40 spots. Qualifying consisted of two rounds of single-car runs on the 2.66-mile tri-oval, with the fastest 12 from the first round advancing to the final round. Busch led both rounds in the No. 41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford, with a top speed of 195.804 mph in the second round. His teammates Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick and Aric Almirola followed, with Chase Elliott qualifying fifth.
The benefit of starting up front at Talladega is debatable. Only four past 1000Bulbs.com 500 pole winners have gone on to win the race: Dave Marcis in 1976, Bill Elliott in ’87, Dale Earnhardt in ’90 and Sterling Marlin in ’95. That statistic underscores the track’s renowned unpredictability – and its “wild card” reputation.
Nothing is assured on these high banks.
But Busch will take it. Saturday marked the first pole of his career at the two fastest tracks on the NASCAR schedule – Talladega Superspeedway and Daytona International Speedway. Busch has one Monster Energy Series victory at those tracks, in the 2017 DAYTONA 500.
“I’ve been working at this for 20 years to get a restrictor plate pole and now I have one,” said Busch. “This is a real bucket list item for me. It’s impressive teamwork and a commitment level. This is awesome.”
Twelve Monster Energy Series drivers remain in championship contention, a group that includes all of the top-five qualifiers from Saturday. For those 12, a victory Sunday will result in automatic advancement to the next round, although Elliott has already advanced via a victory last week.
Following next week’s (Oct. 21) event at Kansas Speedway, the contenders list will be trimmed to eight, after which three more races will produce a “Championship 4” showdown going into the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Prior to qualifying, Timothy Peters (No. 25 Kingman Chevrolet Chevrolet) won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ Fr8Auctions 250, becoming the only driver to win three truck races at NASCAR’s biggest track. Series rookie Myatt Snider (No. 13 RideTV Ford) finished second with polesitter David Gilliland (No. 51 Pedigree Toyota) third.
The trucks are notorious at Talladega for the “Big One” – terminology for multi-vehicle mash-ups – and Saturday’s race showed why. A 10-truck accident on Lap 60 took out a number of frontrunners and necessitated a red flag of 11 minutes, 42 seconds.
The Fr8Auctions 250 wrapped up the first NASCAR Playoff round for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – and it reduced the field of championship contenders to six: Justin Haley, Fairhope, AL native Grant Enfinger, Noah Gragson, Brett Moffitt and former series champions Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter.
After three more events, the truck series will have its own Championship 4 finalized up for the season’s last race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Ticket information for the 1000Bulbs.com 500 and all Talladega Superspeedway events is available on-line at www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or by calling (855) 518-RACE (7223).
About Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is NASCAR’s most competitive (record 88 lead changes in 188 laps), highest banked (33 degrees), and longest track (2.66-miles), as well as the most fun and fan-friendly. Talladega offers something for everyone, including hundreds of acres of free camping, amazing kids tickets and college student prices, along with special offers for military members and first responders, and teachers and educators. The historic venue, which opened in 1969, is deemed NASCAR’s “Party Capital” thanks to the track’s infamous infield, which features the traditional Saturday Night Infield Concert presented by Wind Creek Casino and Hotel and the world-renowned Talladega Blvd., home of Friday night’s “Big One on the Blvd.” party. It’s the site of the most comfortable seats in motorsports, large ISM Vision HD video boards lining the frontstretch and endless pre-race activities for fans on race day, including special Kids VIP opportunities. For ticket information, visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or call 855-518-RACE (7223).
The track, along with its parent company, International Speedway Corporation, recently announced Transformation – The Talladega Superspeedway Infield Project. The approximate $50 million redevelopment endeavor is part of ISC’s long-term capital allocation plan and reinvestment into its major motorsports complexes. The project, highlighted by a one-of-a-kind Garage Fan Zone Experience, will feature “up-close” access, interactive attractions and enhanced amenities for fans, sponsors, teams and stakeholders in the iconic Talladega infield. Full completion of the modernized project is scheduled for October of 2019. Fans can learn more about the project by visiting www.talladegasuperspeedway.com/transformation. The track, which opened in 1969, will also celebrate its 50th Anniversary next year.
