Kyle Busch announces Truck Series race schedule
It’s not unusual or unexpected to look at the entry list for a NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series or NASCAR XFINITY Series race, see Kyle Busch’s name, and think, “Hm, I wonder who will finish second … ”
However, as NASCAR has limited the amount of races in which Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) drivers can participate in the last couple of years, Busch’s attempts at victory lane have become fewer and fewer.
In 2019, that trend will continue.
The 2015 MENCS champion will compete in only five NGOTS races this season, driving in his own No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports equipment.
Those five races will be Atlanta Motor Speedway (Feb. 23); Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March 1); Martinsville Speedway (March 23); Texas Motor Speedway (March 29); and Charlotte Motor Speedway (May 17).
This means Busch will run four of the first five races on the Truck Series schedule and five of the first eight. With a 23-race schedule, that leaves the bulk of the Truck Series race a little less “Rowdy”.
The driver lineup for the remainder of the schedule in the No. 51 truck will be announced at a later date.
Busch is currently tied for the most all-time wins in the Truck Series with 51.
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Crew chief lineup for Kyle Busch Motorsports revealed
Speaking of KBM …
Kyle Busch’s NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series team announced their crew chief lineup for the 2019 season on Tuesday.
The organization will field three full-time rides: the No. 51 Truck, with Busch running five races and the remaining races TBA; the No. 18 Truck driven by Harrison Burton; and the No. 4 Truck driven by Todd Gilliland.
Ryan “Rudy” Fugle will be atop the pit box for the No. 51 truck. Fugle has some of the most impressive stats in the business as of late, having led KBM to Owner’s Championships in 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017, and combining for 22 race wins with all the drivers for whom he has served as crew chief. With driver Noah Gragson, Fugle’s team finished second in the NGOTS standings in 2018.
Mike Hillman Jr. will serve as the crew chief for Burton, who is entering his first full-time season in the series. Hillman has two NGOTS championships to his credit and he, too, has earned 22 wins as crew chief. He has over a decade of experience calling the shots.
Finally, Marcus Richmond will return as the crew chief of the No. 4 truck, with driver Gilliland also starting his first full-time season. Richmond has served as crew chief with multiple championship caliber drivers in the Truck Series in his 13 years atop the pit box, earning 10 victories in the process.
Despite their limited starts in the Truck Series, both Burton and Gilliland have earned some pretty solid finishes. In 25 races, 18-year-old Gilliland has earned six top fives, 12 top 10s, and an average finish of 12th.
18-year-old Burton has made 15 starts in the Truck Series, and has earned four top fives, seven top 10s, and an average finish of 7th.
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Fox Sports adds former NASCAR driver Ricky Craven to coverage
After spending the last 11 years at ESPN as a NASCAR analyst, two-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race winner Ricky Craven is joining Fox Sports as a TV analyst on their “Weekend Studio Team”.
This means that Craven will be participating in FOX’s weekend NASCAR programming such as “NASCAR Race Hub: Weekend Edition”, practice sessions, qualifying, etc.
“I’m honored to join FOX Sports and have always had great admiration and appreciation for the company’s dedication and commitment to our sport,” Craven said. “FOX has an amazing team I have felt a connection to since 2003, when they enthusiastically delivered the broadcast of our finish at Darlington. I eagerly await the start of our new season.”
Craven made 278 starts in the Cup Series between 1991 and 2004, with one of his two race wins coming in a classic photo finish in 2003 at Darlington Raceway between he and Kurt Busch. The .002 margin of victory is still the closest recorded finish in NASCAR history.
The 52-year-old has not competed in any of NASCAR’s national series since 2006.
FOX Sports recently hired former ESPN reporter Bob Pockrass and last year’s driver of the No. 1 car in the Cup Series for Chip Ganassi Racing, Jamie McMurray.
FOX Sports says additional hires for NASCAR on FOX are “forthcoming”.
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NASCAR Digital will broadcast four-hour show from Las Vegas test sessions
14 drivers and teams will be at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Thursday for a two-day session to test the new rules package. NASCAR is rolling out “enhanced aerodynamic and engine configurations” in an effort to improve the quality of racing at tracks like LVMS (intermediates, 1.5-miles, etc).
While the test session won’t be broadcast on television, NASCAR Digital will begin broadcasting at 11:00AM ET on NASCAR.com and will provide coverage of the session for four hours. Jonathan Merryman will be hosting with crew chief Chris Rice and NASCAR.com’s Jessica Ruffin.
The live show will go until 3:00PM ET and can be viewed at this link:
https://www.nascar.com/lasvegastest.
The test session will run from 11:00AM ET to 10:00PM ET on Thursday. The session will include general open track time plus three 25-lap drafting sessions.
While there have been a few other test sessions at different racetracks over the offseason, this is the first session designed to simulate racing conditions.
Here are the drivers and teams who will be competing in the test session:
| Driver | Team | Car No. | Series |
| Clint Bowyer | Stewart-Haas Racing | 14 | Monster Energy |
| Kurt Busch | Chip Ganassi Racing | 1 | Monster Energy |
| Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | 18 | Monster Energy |
| Landon Cassill | StarCom Racing | 00 | Monster Energy |
| Ross Chastain | Chevrolet | Chevrolet Wheel Force | Monster Energy |
| Matt DiBenedetto | Leavine Family Racing | 95 | Monster Energy |
| Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | 3 | Monster Energy |
| Ty Dillon | Germain Racing | 13 | Monster Energy |
| Drew Herring | Toyota | Toyota Wheel Force | Monster Energy |
| Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | 48 | Monster Energy |
| Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | 2 | Monster Energy |
| Paul Menard | Wood Brothers | 21 | Monster Energy |
| Ryan Newman | Roush Fenway Racing | 6 | Monster Energy |
| Ryan Preece | JTG Daugherty Racing | 47 | Monster Energy |
| David Ragan | Ford | Ford Wheel Force | Monster Energy |
| Bubba Wallace | Richard Petty Motorsports | 43 | Monster Energy |
| Cody Ware | Rick Ware Racing | 51 | Monster Energy |
| Chase Briscoe | Stewart-Haas Racing | 98 | Xfinity |
| Noah Gragson | JR Motorsports | 1 | Xfinity |
| Riley Herbst | Joe Gibbs Racing | 18 | Xfinity |
| Zane Smith | JR Motorsports | 9 | Xfinity |
The two-day test session is free to the public.
Thursday, Jan. 31
8 a.m.–Practice begins; LVMS gates, grandstands and pit road (via infield tunnel) open to the public
11 a.m.–Drafting practice on track
Noon-1 p.m.–Driver’s lunch break, driver group interviews in media center
3 p.m.–Drafting practice on track
5 p.m.–Drafting practice on track
7 p.m.–Track secure
Friday, Feb. 1
8 a.m.–Practice begins; LVMS gates, grandstands and pit road (via infield tunnel) open to the public
9 a.m.–Drafting practice on track
11 a.m.–Drafting practice on track
Noon–Track secure
*All times are Pacific Time.
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NASCAR bans drivers, team members, staff from placing bets on sport
With sports betting becoming less taboo and seemingly on the pathway to legalization (at least in some states), it is important for sports leagues, sanctioning bodies, and organizations to maintain their integrity and transparency.
On Tuesday, NASCAR released some regulations banning any driver, team member, or staff member from betting on any of its races or anything otherwise related (such as changes to the schedule, new driver announcements, etc).
They are also not allowed to provide or request any confidential information related to sports betting that may result in their own financial gain or the financial gain of others.
The fines for doing so can range anywhere from $150,000 – $200,000 per violation, and may result in “suspension and permanent termination from NASCAR activity”.
Drivers, team members, and staff members are permitted to participate in fantasy sports, as long as the financial prize is not more than $250.
NASCAR first saw on-site sports betting come to their front door when Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware opened an on-site betting kiosk in during their NASCAR weekend in October following a Supreme Court decision to allow sports betting (it is still illegal in many states).
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