One week after getting bounced from the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the checkered flag at Martinsville to become the first non-championship-qualifying driver to win a race in NASCAR’s playoffs this season. Despite winning one week too late, the victory was an important one, because like all of the drivers in all of the races we’re supporting this weekend, no one’s racing for anything but a trip to victory lane.
Speaking of victory lane, here’s where to find us this weekend (and remember, you’ll need a pit pass to get to where we are at each of the races listed below):
Winstar World Casino and Resort 350
Series: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
When: Friday, October 31
Racetrack: Texas Motor Speedway — Fort Worth, TX
Here’s how this one played out: Kyle Busch won his seventh NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race of the season last night and the 42nd of his storied Truck Series career. Busch was dominant all night, leading more laps than anyone else (80), cruising to victory at the Winstar World Casino and Resort 350 under caution as a couple of the trucks behind him wrecked on the final lap. Tonight’s win marked the 10th time Busch has visited victory lane at Texas Motor Speedway, and the 42nd time he’s walked away with a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win. With only two races left in the 2014 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series campaign, Matt Crafton — the winner of two races this season and the defending series champion — maintains his series lead over Ryan Blaney by 23 points. If you’re wondering why it is that Busch — who has seven Tuck Series victories this season alone — isn’t leading the series point standings himself, that’s because he doesn’t qualify for series points on account of not racing in the series full-time.
O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge
Series: NASCAR Nationwide Series
When: Saturday, November 1
Racetrack: Texas Motor Speedway — Fort Worth, TX
What you need to know: The NASCAR Nationwide Series is coming off a two-week layoff. Brian Scott had the second-best average finish (8.6) behind points leader Chase Elliott (7.0). Scott has posted six top fives and 20 top 10s this season – a series career best. His season-to-date driver rating of 101.4 and average running position of 7.4 are both second-best among series championship contenders. Scott has made nine starts at Texas posting two top 10s. Elliott Sadler, fourth in the point standings, is closing just two points back from third-place Brian Scott. Sadler has posted one win (Talladega), six top fives, 22 top 10s and an average finish of 9.7 this season. He moved to fourth in the standings following his ninth-place finish at Charlotte a few weeks ago. Sadler has made 13 starts at Texas posting three top fives, seven top 10s and two poles.
How to watch from home: Continue reading…