Weather Guard Truck Race

Last updated
Weather Guard Truck Race
Weather Guard Truck Race logo.webp
Bristol Motor Speedway 2024.svg
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Venue Bristol Motor Speedway
Location Bristol, Tennessee
Corporate sponsor Weather Guard [1]
First race2021
Distance133.25 miles (214.45 km)
Laps250 [2]
Stage 1: 65
Stage 2: 65
Final stage: 120
Previous namesPinty's Truck Race on Dirt (2021–2022)
Most wins (team) Thorsport Racing (2022 & 2023)
Most wins (manufacturer) Toyota (2)
Circuit information
SurfaceConcrete
Length.533 mi (0.858 km)
Turns4

The Weather Guard Truck Race is a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The race is held on the same weekend as the NASCAR Cup Series' Food City 500.

Contents

History

Pinty's was the title sponsor of the race in its first two years in 2021 and 2022 Pinty's Dirt Truck Race logo.png
Pinty's was the title sponsor of the race in its first two years in 2021 and 2022

In 2013, the Truck Series raced at Eldora Speedway in NASCAR's first dirt track race since 1970. [3] Known as the Eldora Dirt Derby, the event ran from 2013 to 2019; it was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was then removed from the 2021 schedule. [4]

Bristol Motor Speedway, a half-mile concrete short track, had its surface covered by clay when it hosted the World of Outlaws dirt late model and sprint car tours in 2000 and 2001. Although successful with over 85,000 in average attendance, the race was canceled after its second year due to logistical difficulties: 14,000 truckloads of materials were needed to convert the track to dirt regulations, [5] which resulted in damage to the streets outside, with 8,000 cubic feet of red clay being hauled in from a nearby farm for the surface. [6] [7] The track also had to be widened from 12 to 14 feet and the banking was reduced from 36 to 23 degrees. [6]

On September 30, 2020, NASCAR revealed the 2021 Cup Series schedule, which featured a spring dirt race at Bristol that replaced the existing event on Bristol's normal concrete surface. [8] The Truck Series followed suit in its schedule release on November 19, with the Pinty's Dirt Truck Race being one of two dirt events on the series calendar alongside a July round at Knoxville Raceway in Iowa. [9] The event would run alongside the Cup Series dirt race; World of Outlaws events would also take place on the temporary dirt surface, which began to be laid down in early January 2021. [10]

The 2021 race was originally scheduled for Saturday, March 27 with four heat races to determine the starting grid, but rain forced it to be pushed to Sunday. Rain had been in the forecast entering the weekend, prompting NASCAR to delay the heats on Saturday to deploy "packers"—vehicles like Ford Crown Victorias to pack the dirt together—and late models to test the surface's viability before starting the first heat; it only completed one lap before being halted due to mud accumulating on the trucks' windshields and grilles. [11] Further rain and flash flooding on Sunday resulted in a second postponement to Monday. [12]

On February 13, 2023, it was announced that Weather Guard would become the title sponsor of the Truck Series Bristol dirt race in 2023, replacing Pinty's. [1]

Past winners

YearDateNo.DriverTeamManufacturerRace DistanceRace TimeAverage Speed
(mph)		Reference
LapsMiles (km)
Dirt Surface
2021 March 29*51 Martin Truex Jr. Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota 15079.95 (128.67)1:49:3041.096 [13]
2022 April 1699 Ben Rhodes ThorSport Racing Toyota 15079.95 (128.67)1:37:5545.957 [14]
2023 April 866 Joey Logano ThorSport Racing Ford 15079.95 (128.67)1:54:3039.301 [15]
Concrete Surface
2024 March 1619 Christian Eckes McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet 250133.25 (214.45)1:39:5580.017 [16]

Multiple winners (teams)

# WinsTeamYears Won
2 ThorSport Racing 2022, 2023

Manufacturer wins

# WinsMakeYears won
2 Flag of Japan.svg Toyota 2021, 2022
1 Flag of the United States.svg Ford 2023
Flag of the United States.svg Chevrolet 2024

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Schrader</span> American racing driver (born 1955)

Kenneth William Schrader is an American professional racing driver. He currently races on local dirt and asphalt tracks around the country while also competing part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 11 Ford for Fast Track Racing. He previously competed in the NASCAR Cup Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, as well as the Superstar Racing Experience. He is a first cousin once removed of fellow NASCAR driver Carl Edwards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Food City 500</span> Auto race held at Bristol, United States

The Food City 500 is an annual 500-lap, 266.5-mile (428.9 km) NASCAR Cup Series points race held at the Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. This is one of two NASCAR races held at Bristol, the other being the Bass Pro Shops Night Race. It was the first venue of the 2007 NASCAR schedule to host the fifth-generation NASCAR premiership race car, a race won by Kyle Busch. For much of its history, from 1961 to 1992 the race was run on the original asphalt surface, then on concrete from 1993 to 2020 after Bristol changed surfaces, but was moved to a dirt layout beginning in 2021, under the name Food City Dirt Race. Beginning in 2024, the race was held on the concrete oval.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norm Benning</span> American racing driver (born 1952)

Norm Benning Jr. is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner as well as a commercial pilot. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 6 Chevrolet Silverado for his own team, Norm Benning Racing. He has competed in the series since 2002, primarily driving for his team, Norm Benning Racing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Kansas (spring race)</span> NASCAR Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway

Pickup truck racing events in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series have been held annually in the spring at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas since 2001. Since 2020, the race has been 134 laps and 201 miles (323 km) long.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NASCAR Xfinity Series at Bristol</span> Annual NASCAR races held at Bristol Motor Speedway

Stock car racing events in the NASCAR Xfinity Series have been held at Bristol Motor Speedway, in Bristol, Tennessee during numerous seasons and times of year since the series’ inception in 1982. From 2021 to 2023, the series has had one date. However, when the 2025 schedule was announced, the series returned to 2 dates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christopher Bell (racing driver)</span> American racing driver

Christopher David Bell is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 20 Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing, part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 20 Toyota GR Supra for JGR, and part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 1 Toyota Tundra for Tricon Garage. He is the 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. R. Heffner</span> American racing driver

J. R. Heffner is an American professional dirt and asphalt stock car driver. He currently competes in various dirt racing events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jake Griffin</span> American racing driver

Jacob D. Griffin is an American professional stock car racing driver who last competed part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 34 Chevrolet Silverado for Reaume Brothers Racing. He has also raced in the ARCA Menards Series in the past. All of Griffin's starts in both series have come on dirt tracks and short tracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chase Briscoe</span> American racing driver (born 1994)

Chase David Wayne Briscoe is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 19 Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing. He also owns a World of Outlaws sprint car racing team, Chase Briscoe Racing. He won the 2016 ARCA Racing Series championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halmar Friesen Racing</span> NASCAR and dirt racing team

Halmar Friesen Racing, also known as Halmar Racing Team, is an American professional stock car racing and dirt track racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, fielding the No. 52 Toyota Tundra full-time for Stewart Friesen and the team also fields modified racing cars for several drivers around the Northeastern United States, including for Stewart and Jessica Friesen themselves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stewart Friesen</span> Canadian racing driver (born 1983)

Stewart J. Friesen is a Canadian-American professional dirt track and stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 52 Toyota Tundra for his own team, Halmar Friesen Racing, and part-time at local dirt tracks across New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and elsewhere in the United States, driving the No. 44 car for HFR.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyle Strickler</span> American racing driver (born 1983)

Kyle C. Strickler, nicknamed The High Side Tickler, is an American professional racing driver who competes in dirt late models and modified cars. He previously competed part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado for Young's Motorsports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Marlar</span> American racing driver

Michael D. Marlar is an American professional dirt track and stock car racing driver and team owner. He currently competes full-time in Dirt Late Model competition in the No. 157 Longhorn Chassis for Skyline Motorsports. Marlar is the 2018 World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion and has also previously competed in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series from 2018 to 2022.

Cody E. Erickson is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 41 Chevrolet Silverado for Cram Racing Enterprises.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clean Harbors 150</span> NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Knoxville

The Clean Harbors 150 was a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series racing event at Knoxville Raceway in Iowa. The inaugural running of the race was on July 9, 2021, the first NASCAR national touring event to be held at the historic facility. This is the third dirt track that the Truck Series has raced at, with the first being Eldora Speedway and the second being the dirt iteration of Bristol Motor Speedway.

Devon Rouse is an American professional dirt track and stock car racing driver who primarily competes in sprint cars at local tracks in Iowa. He also competed part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 43 Chevrolet Silverado for Reaume Brothers Racing.

Jessica L. Friesen is an American professional dirt track racing driver. She primarily competes in sprint car racing, and has raced in series like the All Star Circuit of Champions and World of Outlaws. She will also compete part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2023, driving either the No. 62 or a third Toyota Tundra truck for her family team, Halmar Friesen Racing. She is married to fellow dirt racer and NASCAR driver Stewart Friesen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Pinty's Truck Race on Dirt</span> Motor car race

The 2021 Pinty's Truck Race on Dirt was the 5th stock car race of the 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and the inaugural running of the event. The race was held on Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tennessee at a dirt version of Bristol Motor Speedway. The race was originally supposed to be run on Saturday, March 27, 2021, but due to torrential downpour over Saturday and Sunday, the race was delayed to Monday. The race would take 150 laps to complete. Martin Truex Jr., running a one-off race for Kyle Busch Motorsports, would win the race, marking his first career win in the Truck Series. Ben Rhodes of ThorSport Racing and Raphaël Lessard of GMS Racing would score the rest of the podium positions, scoring 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Pinty's Truck Race on Dirt</span> Sixth race of the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

The 2022 Pinty's Truck Race on Dirt was the sixth stock car race of the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the second iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, April 16, 2022, at a dirt version of Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee, a 0.553 miles (0.890 km) permanent oval-shaped short track. The race was contested over 150 laps. Ben Rhodes of ThorSport Racing would win the race, after passing Carson Hocevar for the lead with 4 laps to go. He would also win both stages, and lead 95 laps. This was Rhodes' sixth career truck series win, and his first of the season. To fill out the podium, Carson Hocevar of Niece Motorsports and John Hunter Nemechek of Kyle Busch Motorsports would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Weather Guard Truck Race on Dirt</span> 6th race of the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

The 2023 Weather Guard Truck Race on Dirt was the 6th stock car race of the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the 3rd iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, April 8, 2023, at a dirt version of Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee, a 0.553 miles (0.890 km) permanent oval-shaped short track. The race took the scheduled 150 laps to complete. In a wreck-filled race that brought numerous cautions, Joey Logano, driving for ThorSport Racing, would put on a dominating performance, winning both stages, leading 138 of the 150 laps, and earning his second career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win, along with his first of the season. To fill out the podium, Ty Majeski, driving for ThorSport Racing, and William Byron, driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

References

  1. 1 2 "WEATHER GUARD sponsoring Bristol Truck Series dirt race". Jayski's Silly Season Site . NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Stage lengths for 2021 NASCAR season". NASCAR . January 25, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  3. ↑ Billing, Greg (November 28, 2012). "Eldora to host first NASCAR dirt race since 1970". Dayton Daily News . Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  4. ↑ Orner, Ben (November 18, 2020). "Ohio's famed Eldora Speedway loses NASCAR race, gains event in owner's new series". WCMH-TV . Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  5. ↑ Weaver, Matt (October 2, 2020). "The Reason NASCAR is Going Dirt Racing, Why Bristol, and Why Now". Autoweek . Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  6. 1 2 Weaver, Matt (January 17, 2015). "Could Dirt Racing Return to Bristol? How About Two Night Races?". Popular Speed. Archived from the original on January 10, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  7. ↑ Sheek, Rick (April 28, 2000). "Dirt tracks not too rich for Jackson". Johnson City Press. Retrieved January 7, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ Estrada, Chris (September 30, 2020). "NASCAR Cup Series to go dirt trackin' at Bristol in 2021". NBC Sports . Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  9. ↑ Estrada, Chris (November 19, 2020). "NASCAR announces 2021 Truck Series schedule with two dirt races". NBC Sports . Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  10. ↑ Gregory, Allen (January 7, 2021). "NASCAR: Transformation begins: Dirt materials arrive as tickets sell out for Food City Dirt Race at BMS". Bristol Herald Courier. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  11. ↑ Smith, Fred (March 27, 2021). "NASCAR Ran One Total Lap on Dirt Before Giving Up and Trying Again". Road & Track . Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  12. 1 2 Andrejev, Alex (March 28, 2021). "NASCAR dirt race at Bristol postponed due to rainy weather, flash flooding". The Charlotte Observer . Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  13. ↑ "2021 Pinty's Truck Race on Dirt". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  14. ↑ "2022 Pinty's Dirt Truck Race". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
  15. ↑ "2023 Weather Guard Truck Race on Dirt". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  16. ↑ "2024 Weather Guard Truck Race". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
Previous race:
Long John Silver's 200 		NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Weather Guard Truck Race		Next race:
TBA
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.