NASCAR Truck Series: Tracking the driver changes from 2018 to 2019
By Mark Kristl
Chad Finley Racing
After competing part-time in the 2018 season, Chad Finley Racing are set to field the #42 Chevrolet on full-time basis in the 2019 season. Team owner Chad Finley and Robby Lyons are the only two announced drivers thus far. Although they are a smaller new team, it is a welcome sight to see more full-time Truck Series entries.
CMI Motorsports
CMI Motorsports bought the #49 Premium Motorsports owner points. Team owner Ray Ciccarelli announced that the team are set to compete in the first seven races of the 2019 season that they would like to compete on a full-time basis. Sponsorship will dictate the rest of the season for the team. Ciccarelli is set to drive the #49 Chevrolet in the season opener.
DGR-Crosley
After fielding one full-time entry in their first season in the Truck Series last year, DGR-Crosley have expanded their team to field two full-time entries for the 2019 season.
Last year, the team fielded the #54 Toyota for several drivers. That trend will continue this season. In the season opener, Natalie Decker is set to make her Truck Series debut. She signed with the team to compete part-time in the Truck Series, the ARCA Menards Series and the K&N Pro Series East this year.
Anthony Alfredo is also set to join DGR-Crosley. He is set to make his Truck Series debut in the second race of the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Depending on sponsorship, team owners Bo LeMastus and David Gilliland may also drive the #54 Toyota at various times throughout the season.
The team are also set to field the #17 Toyota on a full-time basis this year. David Gilliland is set to drive this truck in the season opener. Because of the fact that Decker recently announced that she is set to compete in the second race of the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway, expect Alfredo to make his debut in the #17 Toyota as well since he is set to compete in this race.
A driver for the third race of the season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has not been announced. Beginning with the fourth race of the season at Martinsville Speedway, Tyler Ankrum is set to drive the #17 Toyota. He is set to drive this truck for the remainder of the season. He won the 2018 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship.