NASCAR Truck Series Power Rankings after 2018 Texas Roadhouse 200
By Mark Kristl
#5 through #1
#5. At least one driver will advance to the Championship 4 based on the point standings. As a result, stage points are crucial. Consider this: Johnny Sauter swept the first two stages of the Texas Roadhouse 200, won the race and earned 60 points as a result of it. Noah Gragson finished in seventh place and earned 48 points. Justin Haley finished in sixth, yet he only earned 35 points. If Haley earned more stage points, he could easily be above the Championship 4 cut line. As it stands, he is two points below that cut line.. No. 24, GMS Racing. Chevrolet, LW: 4. JUSTIN HALEY
Ford, LW: 5. GRANT ENFINGER. #4. The win in the round of 8 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway gave Grant Enfinger five playoff points. At the moment, those five playoff points are why he is above the Championship 4 cut line. He started in sixth place and finished sixth in the first two stages of the Texas Roadhouse 200, but he finished in 14th. Finishing better will be important for him as he seeks a berth in the Championship 4.. No. 98, ThorSport Racing
#3. Brett Moffitt finished in second place and was the first driver who finished behind the dominant #21 GMS Racing Chevrolet driven by Johnny Sauter. Moffitt has arguably been the second best driver all season, evidenced by his win total that ranks second behind only that of Sauter so far in 2018. He is currently 15 points above the Championship 4 cut line. Hattori Racing Enterprises have battled hard all season, so expect them to fight all the way to the checkered flag in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.. No. 16, Hattori Racing Enterprises. Toyota, LW: 2. BRETT MOFFITT
No. 18, Kyle Busch Motorsports. Toyota, LW: 3. NOAH GRAGSON. #2. If Brett Moffitt has been so good this season, why is Noah Gragson ranked ahead of him in second place in the power rankings? This is the case because of the fact that Gragson is the highest driver in the point standings who has not automatically clinched a berth in the Championship 4. He earned the second highest point total in the Texas Roadhouse 200. He is set to drive for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series next season, and he would like to finish his last season in the Truck Series by winning the championship.
#1. When Johnny Sauter won the 2016 NASCAR Truck Series championship, he clinched his berth in the Championship 4 with a victory in the round of 6 race at Martinsville Speedway. Will history repeat itself? Sauter certainly hopes so. GMS Racing have seen their fair share of challenges this year. Xfintiy Series driver Spencer Gallagher failed a drug test and NASCAR suspended him. Two of the team’s Truck Series drivers, Cody Coughlin and Dalton Sargeant, left the team. Gallagher is set to retire from NASCAR after this year. But Sauter hopes to bring the team some great news when he competes to win his second career Truck Series championship in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.. No. 21, GMS Racing. Chevrolet, LW: 1. JOHNNY SAUTER
Conclusion
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If you are cheering for someone other than Johnny Sauter to win the 2018 NASCAR Truck Series championship, Sauter probably helped you.
With his Texas Roadhouse 200 win, Sauter has clinched himself a berth in the Championship 4.
Sauter was arguably a lock to advance to the Championship 4 on points even if he did not win one of the three round of 6 races, so his victory will allow at least one driver to advance to the Championship 4 via the point standings, meaning that if you are a fan of a driver other than Sauter, that driver will not necessarily have to win one of the two remaining round of 6 races to clinch a berth in the Championship 4.
Next. Top 10 NASCAR drivers of all-time. dark
The NASCAR Truck Series is set to get back in action at Texas Motor Speedway with the JAG Metals 350, which is scheduled to take place on Friday, November 2. Fox Sports 1 is set to air the race live beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET.