Posted on by Data Skrive

Jesse Little finished 10th in the Wawa 250 Powered By Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway on Friday to secure his first career top-10 finish.

The top-10 finish for Little, his second of the year, added 27 points to his season total. Little now sits at No. 16 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series standings with 384 points.

Little started in 21st position.

Friday’s race was the first of Little’s career at Daytona International Speedway.

The Sherrills Ford, North Carolina native began the race three spots behind his career mark of 17.7, but finished 10 places ahead of his career average of 20.

Little battled against 37 other drivers on the way to his 10th-place finish. The race endured eight cautions and 28 caution laps. Prior to the checkered flag there were nine lead changes.

Justin Haley earned the victory in the race, and Gray Gaulding followed in second. Chase Briscoe placed third, Riley Herbst secured fourth, and Harrison Burton rounded out the top five.

After Haley won Stage 1, AJ Allmendinger drove the No. 16 car to victory in Stage 2.

Jesse Little Driver Page | Get Little Gear | Race Center

Posted on by Data Skrive

Vinnie Miller finished 11th in the Wawa 250 Powered By Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway on Friday after heading into the race with an average finish position of 25.8 this season.

Miller’s result added 26 points to his season total. Miller is now No. 25 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series standings with 249 points.

Miller started in 30th position. The fourth-year driver has no top-10 finishes in his career.

Friday’s race was Miller’s fifth career start at Daytona International Speedway. He’s completed all of those races.

The Metamora, Michigan native’s starting and finishing positions compared favorably to his career averages, starting one spot higher than his career mark of 31.3 and completing the race 16 places ahead of his 27.5 career average finish.

Miller took on a field of 37 drivers on the way to his 11th-place finish. The race endured eight cautions and 28 caution laps. Prior to the checkered flag there were nine lead changes.

Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the race, and Gray Gaulding finished second. Chase Briscoe placed third, Riley Herbst brought home fourth, and Harrison Burton closed out the top five.

After Haley won Stage 1, AJ Allmendinger drove the No. 16 car to victory in Stage 2.

Vinnie Miller Driver Page | Get Miller Gear | Race Center

Posted on by Data Skrive

Gray Gaulding finished second in the Wawa 250 Powered By Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway on Friday to earn his second career top-five finish.

Gaulding was unable to add to his season point total. Gaulding has no points in the NASCAR Xfinity Series standings.

Gaulding started in 28th position and led two laps in the race. The fifth-year driver has picked up one top-five and five top-10 finishes in his career.

The second-place result on Friday was the first time Gaulding has cracked the top 10 at Daytona International Speedway.

The Colonial Heights, Virginia native began the race three spots behind his career mark of 25.2, but finished 20 places ahead of his career average of 22.4.

Gaulding raced against 37 other drivers on the way to his second-place finish. The race endured eight cautions and 28 caution laps. Prior to the checkered flag there were nine lead changes.

Justin Haley earned the victory in the race, followed by Gaulding’s second-place finish. Chase Briscoe crossed in third, Riley Herbst secured fourth place, and Harrison Burton took the No. 5 spot.

After Haley won the first stage, AJ Allmendinger drove the No. 16 car to victory in Stage 2.

Gray Gaulding Driver Page | Get Gaulding Gear | Race Center

Posted on by Data Skrive

Harrison Burton finished fifth in the Wawa 250 Powered By Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway on Friday.

Burton’s top-five finish, the 10th time he has achieved that result this year, added 36 points to his season total. Burton is now sixth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series standings with 752 points.

Burton started in 11th position. The second-year driver has tallied two career victories, with 11 top-five finishes and 19 results inside the top 10.

Burton had his career debut at Daytona International Speedway in Friday’s race.

The Huntersville, North Carolina native began the race three spots behind his career mark of 8.2, but finished eight places ahead of his career average of 13.4.

Burton’s fifth-place finish was against a field of 37 drivers. The race endured eight cautions and 28 caution laps. Prior to the checkered flag there were nine lead changes.

Justin Haley brought home the win in the race, and Gray Gaulding followed in second. Chase Briscoe placed third, with Riley Herbst taking fourth place. Burton rounded out the top five.

After Haley won Stage 1, AJ Allmendinger drove the No. 16 car to the win in Stage 2.

Harrison Burton Driver Page | Get Burton Gear | Race Center

Posted on by Data Skrive

Michael Annett finished seventh in the Wawa 250 Powered By Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway on Friday.

The top-10 finish for Annett, his 12th of the year, added 36 points to his season total. He has 663 total points, good enough for eighth place in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Annett started in eighth position. The 10th-year driver has one career victory, with 17 top-five finishes and 75 results inside the top 10.

Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway is a familiar place for Annett, who has one career win at the track. He has also compiled two top-five finishes at Daytona and his seventh-place result marks the third top-10.

The Des Moines, Iowa native’s starting and finishing positions compared favorably to his career averages, starting 12 spots higher than his career mark of 19.5 and completing the race 11 places ahead of his 17.7 career average finish.

Annett took on 37 other drivers on the way to his seventh-place finish. The race endured eight cautions and 28 caution laps. Prior to the checkered flag there were nine lead changes.

Justin Haley secured the victory in the race, and Gray Gaulding finished second. Chase Briscoe placed third, Riley Herbst brought home fourth, and Harrison Burton grabbed the No. 5 spot.

After Haley won the first stage, AJ Allmendinger drove the No. 16 car to victory in Stage 2.

Michael Annett Driver Page | Get Annett Gear | Race Center

Posted on by George Winkler

Off the track, Sheldon Creed and Todd Gilliland are friends, but on the track, they may have to settle for “frenemies” for the time being. Creed expects payback might be headed his way after an incident between the two in Sunday’s Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.

With 38 laps to go in the CarShield 200 Presented by CK Power, Creed door-slammed Gilliland while trying to pass him on the inside for the lead. The contact from Creed’s No. 2 GMS Racing Chevrolet sent Gilliland’s No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford up the track and into the outside wall. Meanwhile, Sam Mayer, in the No. 24 GMS Racing Chevrolet, went past both of them to take over the lead. Creed eventually went on to win the race after he overmatched Mayer on a restart with 13 laps to go.

“Yeah I mean I hate racing like that,” Creed said in post-race interviews. “It’s so hard to pass here, and the 24 (Mayer) came with a run and pushed me and I figured I’ll have a good shot here. I was doing passes like that all day, I’d get clear to the inside and go to the rumble strips and slide up the race track. We both drove it in there really tight and he held it on me really tight and I was just really free and couldn’t turn the wheel.”

RELATED: Sheldon Creed reacts to Todd Gilliland incident

After the contact, Gilliland headed to pit road for repairs and fell off the lead lap, ending with a 24th-place finish. And although Gilliland actually gained points against the playoff cutline thanks in large part to winning the first two stages, he was left to think about what could’ve been. Gilliland had the dominant truck while leading 76 of 160 laps and seemed to be heading toward a playoff-clinching and redemptive win for the driver who switched from Kyle Busch Motorsports last year.

Instead, Gilliland will continue his battle just above the playoff cutline and now sits 13 points in front of Derek Kraus with five races left in the regular season.

“I think he knows what happened, and I think I know what happened, and he just drove in over his head there and got us,” Gilliland said. “But that’s racing. Gosh, I just hate it man. … We just had such a good truck to go from sixth to first under green and to win both stages. I felt like this was such a good day. It was one of the more dominant truck races I’ve ever ran.”

RELATED: Todd Gilliland’s full post-race interview

Now the question becomes whether Gilliland will enact payback in one of the final regular-season races, or even worse, in the NASCAR Playoffs. Creed now has three victories this season, including two of the last three coming during the Triple Truck Challenge for a total of $150,000 in bonuses. The California-born driver is getting hot at just the right time, and his wins have come on a variety of track types with Kentucky and the Daytona Road Course also on his list.

“Obviously you don’t want to get wrecked in the playoffs, but who knows, he could not, he could, it’s up to him,” Creed said. “Who knows? I’ll talk to him. He has every right to not be happy with me right now.”

Creed said he planned to reach out to Gilliland this week. We’ll see if friends can forgive and forget.

Posted on by Staff Report

The Triple Truck Challenge returned to the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series for the 2020 season after a successful debut in 2019.

This year’s program kicked off at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course on Aug. 16 with Sheldon Creed taking home the $50,000 prize. The second race was held at Dover International Speedway on Aug. 21 and saw Zane Smith score the $50,000 prize. The third and final race took place on Aug. 30 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, where Creed picked up his second Triple Truck Challenge prize with his third victory of the season.

RELATED: 2020 Gander Trucks schedule

Like last year, drivers competed for cash prizes, as follows: a $50,000 bonus for the race winner of any of the three events; win two of the three events and they are awarded an extra $50K, totaling $150,000; win all three events and take home an additional $300,000 for a total of $500,000 in prize money.

Greg Biffle came out of retirement to win the first Triple Truck Challenge event in 2019 at Texas Motor Speedway, driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Other winners were Brett Moffitt at Iowa Speedway and Ross Chastain at Gateway.

This year’s Triple Truck Challenge, nicknamed “The Trip,” was originally scheduled to take place April 18 at Richmond Raceway, May 1 at Dover and May 15 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but it was rescheduled because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Posted on by Holly Cain

Sheldon Creed won his second NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series race in the last three weeks, holding off former series champion Brett Moffitt by a mere .881-seconds to take the trophy in Sunday afternoon’s CarShield 200 Presented by CK Power at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.

It was the 22-year-old Californian’s third career win and, notably, his second victory in the season’s three-race Triple Truck Challenge just this month, which earned him a total of $150,000 in bonuses.

Sunday’s victory did not come without controversy, however, as Creed’s No. 2 GMS Racing Chevrolet collided with the race’s most dominant driver, Todd Gilliland, racing hard with just under 40 laps remaining. The contact got Gilliland’s race-leading No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford out of shape and forced him into an unscheduled pit stop. And Gilliland, who had already won both Stage 1 and Stage 2 and led a race best 76 of the 160 laps, ultimately finished 24th.

“(The win) feels great, but I want to start by apologizing to the 38 (Gilliland),” Creed said. “It’s so hard to pass here and I got down into his inside and just was really loose getting in. He was really close to my door. They were having such a good day and me and Todd are buddies. I hate doing that to him. They are a strong team. He owes me one.

RELATED: Race results | Sheldon Creed expects payback

“But hats off to my guys. They made great adjustments all day. Came from 17th and had my work cut out for me.”

Championship points leader Austin Hill finished third, followed by 17-year-old Sam Mayer, who led an impressive 24 laps before getting beaten by Creed on a restart with 13 laps remaining. Stewart Friesen, rounded out the top five, his third straight top-five finish in what’s been a largely inconsistent season for the Canadian driver.

Rookies Raphael Lessard and Zane Smith finished sixth and seventh. Grant Enfinger, a two-race winner this season, rallied to an eighth-place finish. Rookies Ty Majeski and Tanner Gray rounded out the top 10.

“I was just trying to play games on the restart and it didn’t work out in my favor obviously,” said Mayer, who was making just his fifth series start. “That’s what I get for playing games. I was a sitting duck really. I am proud of my GMS guys today.”

The vast majority of the race stayed green and early on, especially, looked to be Gilliland’s for the taking. His stage wins were the first for the 20-year-old in two seasons, and a victory would have automatically meant a position in the 10-driver Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs, which begin Sept. 25 in Las Vegas.

“I think he (Creed) knows what happened and I know what happened,” an obviously frustrated Gilliland said after the race. “He just drove in there over his head and got us. That’s racing. I just hate it.

“Had such a good truck there from the beginning going from sixth to first under green,” he continued, “Then to win both stages, gosh, I feel like it was such a good day and it was one of the more dominant truck races I’ve ever run. We just have to keep this up.”

Despite the frustrating result, Gilliland’s two stage wins earned him enough points to keep him inside that 10-driver Playoff cutoff. He is ranked 10th, 13 points ahead of 11th-place Derek Kraus, who finished 13th on Sunday.

The series moves to historic Darlington Raceway for the South Carolina Education Lottery 200 next Sunday afternoon (2 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). It’s the first time since 2011 the Gander Trucks will compete on the egg-shaped track.

Posted on by Terrin Waack

Jimmie Johnson’s #Chasing8 was scratched long ago — before the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series schedule even started actually — but the possibility of an eighth championship for “Seven-Time” truly came to an end Saturday at Daytona International Speedway.

With two laps to go in regulation of the regular-season finale, Johnson got caught up in an 11-car wreck. His Hendrick Motorsports crew was able to nurse the damaged No. 48 Chevrolet back to life for a 17th-place result. But Johnson’s chances of making the NASCAR Playoffs in his final full-time season came to an end when teammate William Byron took the checkered flag and Wood Brothers Racing’s Matt DiBenedetto finished 12th. Those two claimed the final two spots in the 16-driver field, with Johnson as the first driver out.

“After a couple of beers and a flight home,” Johnson said, “I’m going to get a good night’s rest and try to shake it off tomorrow and just focus on the next race.”

RELATED: Official Daytona results | Who’s in, who’s out

This marks the second season in a row Johnson has not made the postseason battle. Otherwise, he qualified every single year – the format was installed in 2004.

Byron’s No. 24 crew chief, Chad Knaus, called out commands in Johnson’s ear during his 15-year playoff run, which included the seven titles. Knaus stayed within the organization but switched teams prior to the 2019 season.

The Coke Zero Sugar 400 marked Byron’s first career victory and Knaus’ first triumph with a driver other than Johnson. So, after the checkered flag fell, Johnson went out of his way to drive past his teammate and former crew chief’s pit box — a sign of respect in a moment that could have easily been full of defeat.

“I hate it for Jimmie,” Knaus said. “He’s one of my best friends. He was the first guy that came by pit road and looked up at me, revved up the engine, gave me a thumbs up. He means the world to me. He’s a great man and brother of mine.”

Johnson ended up just six points below the cutline, even after the crash chaos. He and Byron entered the event with a four-point difference — Bryon with the advantage. DiBenedetto was nine points to the good, so not out of reach. Clint Bowyer, meanwhile, had a 57-point buffer and punched his ticket at the end of Stage 1.

“I knew the position we were in,” Johnson said. “So it’s not like this is a shock or a surprise. My emotions are what I would have expected. Definitely disappointed. We’ve been running well and running good.”

It’s not the end, though. There are still 10 races left before Johnson hangs up his gear. That means there are still 10 opportunities for Johnson to snap his current 120-winless streak.

Johnson may no longer be #Chasing8. But 2020 is still his #OneFinalTime.

“Guys were really bummed out there on pit lane as I was getting out of the car — my team members were,” Johnson said. “But we all know there’s still 10 more races to try to win. That’s what everybody’s focus is: to try to send me out with a trophy.”

Posted on by Staff Report

WINCHESTER, N.H. — John McKennedy picked up his second Mayhew Tools Dominator Pole Award in the last three races Sunday as the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour returned to Monadnock Speedway.

McKennedy drove the No. 7 Ultra Wheel Chevrolet to the top qualifying spot on the quarter-mile with a lap of 17.781 seconds. It is McKennedy’s third career pole on the tour.

Championship points leader Justin Bonsignore, the last car to take time, came up just short of knocking McKennedy off the top spot. Bonsignore qualified second at 12.810.

RELATED: Qualifying Results

The Advanced Gas Distributors 200 Wade Cole Memorial is scheduled for 4 p.m. and will stream live on TrackPass on NBC Gold.

Ron Silk, fastest in practice, qualified third at 12.842. Matt Hirschman and fourth and Patrick Emerling fifth.

Last week’s race winner Craig Lutz qualified sixth, followed by Doug Coby, Tommy Catalano, Dave Sapienza and Chris Pasteryak.