NASCAR Truck Series: Who are the favorites to win the 2019 Eldora Dirt Derby?

Stewart Friesen

Everyone wonders when Stewart Friesen will earn his first NASCAR Truck Series victory. I even wrote an article about it earlier this season. As I wrote then, Friesen has a dirt racing background. To boot, he has been successful in his Truck Series races at Eldora Speedway.

Friesen debuted in the Truck Series in the 2016 Eldora Dirt Derby. In his series debut, he started in 12th place, but he wrecked out on lap 112 and finished in 28th.

Since then, his Truck Series races at Eldora Speedway have been successful, albeit without a win. He took the pole position for the 2017 Eldora Dirt Derby. After leading 93 of the race’s 150 laps, he ultimately finished runner-up to Matt Crafton. Last season, again as a favorite, he started in third, led one lap and finished in fifth.

Even with his wreck in 2016, Friesen has an average finishing position of 11.0 at Eldora Speedway. Subtract that 2016 race and his average finishing position at the track is 2.50, and he has two heat race wins there to go along with that.

Friesen holds a precarious margin of 13 points above the playoff cut line. In the Truck Series’ most recent race, he crashed on the first lap en route to a 32nd (last) place finish. If somebody such as Sheldon Creed wins the Eldora Dirt Derby or one of the two full-time Kyle Busch Motorsports drivers win the regular season finale at Michigan International Speedway, Friesen could be knocked below the playoff cut line without a win.

Friesen needs to have a superb Eldora Dirt Derby race. He is only 16 points below Matt Crafton in the championship standings, and that one position may be crucial. If Friesen can nab some stage points at Eldora Speedway, depending on the outcome of the race, he could possibly be in a better position to make the playoffs.

To simplify things, Friesen should win the Eldora Dirt Derby to clinch his playoff berth, and make no mistake about it; he will be a contender.