Zero Carbon Bioethanol 150 | Phoenix Raceway
Race Results
Venue: Zero Carbon Bioethanol 150 powered by POET
FINISH: 26th
Start: 24th
NCTS Point Standings Position: 24th
Wright Finds Encouraging Long Run Pace at Phoenix
Kris Wright and the No. 81 iHeartRadio Chevrolet Silverado RST finished 26th in Friday’s NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) race at Phoenix Raceway, showing strong long-run speed but struggling to make up ground while caught in traffic. Wright qualified 24th with a lap of 27.772 seconds after posting the 12th-fastest time in practice.
Wright battled a loose truck throughout stage one, reporting reduced confidence in the right-rear tire approximately 20 laps into the run. He fell a lap down by lap 35 and finished the stage 25th. During the stage break, the team made tire pressure and track bar adjustments to improve the truck, but a jack issue during the pit stop cost the team additional track position.
The Pittsburgh, Pa. native restarted stage two in 31st and steadily worked through traffic, reaching 25th by lap 81. The iHeartRadio Chevrolet Silverado RST for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing (MHR) showed promising long-run pace, recording the third-fastest lap on track on lap 84 and the fifth-fastest on lap 85. Wright continued making passes using both the high and low lines, but despite the speed, he fell two laps down at the stage finish in 25th.
The No. 81 iHeartRadio Chevrolet Silverado RST restarted the final stage in 32nd and climbed to 27th by lap 106, continuing to work through traffic. However, the No. 81 fell three laps down by lap 132 and ultimately finished 26th. Wright leaves Phoenix ranked 24th in the NCTS driver standings.
Kris Wright Quote:
“The truck was really loose all day long. This 81 team for MHR worked hard all day to get me comfortable in the truck and we started to find our groove in stage two. We’re definitely moving in the right direction, but we need the results to start falling our way. Huge thank you to iHeartRadio for coming on board again and we’ll go get them in Talladega.”
