Five predictions going forward: 1) Tony Stewart wins the Brickyard 400 to solidify his spot in the Chase and add to his final season. 2) Dale Earnhardt Jr. will not make the Chase and because of that, he might not run for an extended period of time.
SPARTA, Ky. -- It was a tight battle for the win in the final 15 laps, but William Byron held off late charges from both Daniel Hemric and John Hunter Nemechek to score the victory in the Buckle Up In Your Truck 225 in the Bluegrass State.
It's too early to doubt Bell or to count him out of contention. He's a rookie, and he's doing what rookies normally do; learn. He's learning and posting strong results when possible. He'll gain momentum, he'll gain consistency, and he'll gain confidence. Those top-10s will pile up, but he just needs time.
It took him five starts, but at Kansas on Saturday, he managed to hold off two-time series champion Matt Crafton for his first series win. With that win, Byron validated KBM owner Kyle Busch's decision to sign him, and Byron became another shining star on the rise in NASCAR.
William Byron headed the field in first Camping World Truck Series practice at Martinsville Speedway. The driver of the No. 9 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 19.868 and a speed of 95.309 mph.
