NASCAR Truck Series: 6 teams represented in round of 6
By Asher Fair
Six drivers representing six different teams are set to compete in the round of 6 of the 2019 NASCAR Truck Series playoffs.
Eight drivers representing six different teams qualified for the three-round, seven-race 2019 NASCAR Truck Series playoffs. Only one team, ThorSport Racing, entered the playoffs with more than one driver, as they entered with Grant Enfinger, Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter
Entering the third and final race of the round of 8 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the World of Westgate 200, Crafton and Enfinger were both of ahead of the round of 6 cut line, and Sauter was a mere two points below it.
Depending on how this 134-lap race around the four-turn, 1.5-mile (2.414-kilometer) Las Vegas Motor Speedway oval in Las Vegas, Nevada turned out, ThorSport Racing could have found themselves in a position to occupy half of the round of 6 spots.
More from Camping World Truck Series
- NASCAR: New team confirmed for Kyle Busch for 2024
- NASCAR: Replacement confirmed for driver released before Talladega
- NASCAR team releases driver with three races left
- NASCAR Truck Series: Spencer Boyd speaks on Montucky, Bristol tradition
- NASCAR title-winning team shutting down after 2023
But the race could not have been a bigger disaster for the team, as all three of their playoff drivers failed to finish with engine issues.
The silver lining was the fact that only two drivers get eliminated from the round of 8 to the round of 6, so one of their three drivers was guaranteed to advance to the round of 6.
Indeed, Crafton did advance, and he finished with one driver between himself and the playoff cut line. But Enfinger and Sauter were not as fortunate.
As a result, six teams are represented by the six drivers who are set to compete in the round of 6 in an attempt to earn the opportunity to advance to the Championship 4 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
GMS Racing’s Brett Moffitt advanced on the strength of two victories in the three round of 8 races while Hattori Racing Enterprises’ Austin Hill advanced on the strength of his victory in the other.
Niece Motorsports’ Ross Chastain and Halmar Friesen Racing’s Stewart Friesen both advanced based on the strength of their point totals, as did DGR-Crosley’s Tyler Ankrum, the only driver who separated Crafton from the round of 6 cut line.
Next. Top 10 NASCAR drivers of all-time. dark
Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama is scheduled to get the round of 6 of the 2019 NASCAR Truck Series playoffs underway on Saturday, October 12 with the Sugarlands Shine 250. Fox Sports 1 is set to broadcast this race live beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET.