Truck Series returns to action at Talladega

Oct 18, 2014 - 3:33 AM Talladega, AL (SportsNetwork.com) - After taking the last two weekends off, the Camping World Truck Series will resume its schedule on Saturday at Talladega Superspeedway.

Talladega is the second and final restrictor-plate race for the series this season. Kyle Busch, a Sprint Cup Series regular, won the truck season-opener at Daytona in February.

There are five races to go. After Talladega, the series heads to Martinsville (Oct. 25), Texas (Oct. 31) and then Phoenix (Nov. 7) before the season concludes at Homestead (Nov. 14).

Matt Crafton, the defending series champion, presently holds a 19-point lead over second-place and ThorSport Racing teammate Johnny Sauter. Ryan Blaney trails Crafton by 27 points, while Darrell Wallace Jr. is 33 behind.

"Restrictor-plate racing for the fans is exciting, but as a driver, you are just stuck," Crafton said of Talladega. "It doesn't matter how hard you push the pedal or what you do as a driver, you can't do anything. You are just stuck in the middle of a pack of trucks.

"At a mile-and-a-half track, a driver can make a difference, but at a place like Talladega, it is what it is. You are just waiting for someone to make a mistake that you are going to get caught up in. You have zero control. Racing at Talladega is just like going out and buying a lottery ticket -- you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. There's just no telling, but you've got to play the game."

Crafton is attempting to become the first driver to win back-to-back championships in the 20-year history of the series.

"We've just got to keep on doing what we've been doing, which is racing to win each and every week -- being aggressive when we can be -- but above all, being smart," he added.

Qualifying for this 250-mile race was held on Friday. Tyler Reddick, who is Blaney's teammate at Brad Keselowski Racing, won the pole with a lap at 186.827 mph. Tayler Malsam will share the front row with Reddick after posting a lap at 186.714 mph.

Crafton qualified third, followed by Sauter and Blaney. Wallace failed to make it out of the first qualifying round, as he will start 27th.

"This and Daytona are probably the only two tracks where we don't worry about where we're at on the speed charts," Wallace said.

Sauter is the defending race winner.

Series: NASCAR Camping World. Date: Saturday, Oct. 18. Race: Fred's 250. Site: Talladega Superspeedway. Track: 2.66-mile oval. Start time: 1 p.m. ET. Laps: 94. Miles: 250. 2013 Winner: Johnny Sauter. Television: FOX. Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN)/SIRIUS NASCAR Radio.