PHOENIX Ariz.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoff contender John Hunter Nemechek isn’t a fan of having practice for the series finale at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway this weekend.
Nemechek who recently won the Xfinity Series Andy’s Frozen Custard 335 at Texas Motor Speedway will participate in both the Xfinity and Truck Series races at the Avondale, Ariz. race track and while you would assume that any driver would be gracious for the opportunity to practice and qualify for one of the most important events of the season, Nemechek is saying not so fast.
“I don’t think I’m a fan for the practice and qualifying deal for Phoenix,” he said. “And reason being is we go all year with no practice and no qualifying and showing up to race and now you’re going to be put practice and qualifying on us for the championship race.
“Just my opinion and my thoughts about it.”
For most of the Truck Series season and following similar COVID-19 protocols from last year, NASCAR has opted out of practice and qualifying for NASCAR’s third national series lining up the field for a majority of the season based on metrics from the most recent race, plus owner points.
Overall, the revised procedure has worked well for Nemechek and his Kyle Busch Motorsports team in 2021.
In all, just seven events this season will have seen practice and qualifying take place, most at venues the Truck Series has never visited or new to the schedule in 2021, including the Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway Dirt Race, Circuit of the Americas (COTA), Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway and Knoxville Raceway.
NASCAR also added practice and qualifying for some of the series’ most highly touted events of the year including the series season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February, Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway in May and the finale at Phoenix on Nov. 5.
“I feel like if you run that way all year and you aren’t practicing or qualifying, then you shouldn’t add it in at the end,” added Nemechek. “We have been really strong off the truck everywhere we’ve been this year without practicing and qualifying.
“With having it, who knows. I can see some advantages for sure on my end with having Xfinity practice right before the truck race and different things of that sort.”
With just one fifty-minute practice session early Friday morning before qualifying later in the day, Nemechek realizes that practice could be a benefit, but it also could be a determent in which it will allow the competitors an opportunity to dial in their trucks for the 150-lap race.
“Who knows how it will all play out?,” he said. “It could lead you down a rabbit hole, it could give you great information. I don’t know. I’m just excited to be able to go to Phoenix and run for two championships.”
Following the penultimate Truck Series race at Martinsville last weekend, Nemechek will be joined in the Championship 4 round by veteran Matt Crafton, two-time 2021 winner Ben Rhodes and Martinsville winner Zane Smith.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
