The fourth and final practice for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) at Rockingham Speedway has concluded and it was rookie Dakoda Armstrong in his No. 98 EverFi.com Toyota Tundra that clicked off the quickest lap. However, the former ARCA winner’s lap was nearly seven tenths of a second slower than Johnny Sauter’s fastest run just a short time earlier in the third practice session.
Armstrong who’s struggled in the third entry for ThorSport Racing this season has steadily improved the handling of his Tundra all-weekend long and the team’s drive of 25.289 seconds at 142.354 miles per hour run put the Rookie of the Year candidate at the top of the board. The session was mixed with drivers in unfamiliar places as several teams opted to use incredibly older scuff tires to set their trucks into race trim, while others like Armstrong had other agendas.
ThorSport Racing teammate Matt Crafton continues to boast that he has speed in his No. 88 Menards / Ideal Door Toyota Tundra after placing second while Parker Kligerman once again negotiated his RAM into top-five with the third quickest lap overall. Timothy Peters and John Wes Townley driving for RAB Racing with Brack Maggard closed out the top-five.
Miguel Paludo led the Turner Motorsports brigade in final practice in sixth while Paulie Harraka, who I feel will be a sleeper tomorrow was seventh. Ross Chastain, another driver I suggest you keep an eye on revved up his No. 08 Florida Watermelon Association Toyota Tundra to the eighth quickest spot with Nelson Piquet Jr. and point’s leader John King comprising the top-10.
Caleb Holman looking to make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut tomorrow turned in a noteworthy 11th place run in his No. 75 Food County USA / Wise Snacks Chevrolet Silverado. Holman is no slouch at Rockingham after previously turning numerous laps here in a CARS Pro Cup Series automobile.
Turner Motorsports teammates Brad Sweet, practicing the No. 4 Rockwell Tools Chevrolet Silverado for Kasey Kahne was 14th while Daytona Nationwide Series winner James Buescher tallied 15th.
After losing an engine and struggling in the first practice, Chad McCumbee in the No. 92 FleetHQ.com / BTS Tire / QMI Chevrolet Silverado for Ricky Benton Racing found some much needed speed in “happy hour” and nabbed 19th overall with former CARS winner Jeff Agnew in 20th.
Veterans Justin Lofton (26th), Ron Hornaday Jr., (27th), Jason White (29th), Todd Bodine (30th) all struggled in final practice, but their problems could be associated with tire wear as Rockingham’s abrasive surface diminishes the lap times and wears of the tires quickly.
Only 38 trucks participated in final practice with Joey Coulter, Tim George Jr. and Johnny Chapman opting to sit out the remaining final hour of practice.
Had this session been qualifying, the five trucks that would have gone home based on their speeds would have been Clay Greenfield, Wes Burton, Jennifer Jo Cobb, Brian Weber and Chris Fontaine. Fontaine though who missed Martinsville (Va.) Speedway two weeks ago deserves some credit as his team continues to find speed in the No. 84 Glenden Enterprises Chevrolet Silverado. One thing is for certain, qualifying will be incredibly intense and we won’t know who exactly is going home until the starting line-up is posted.
The next activity for the series’ is qualifying which is set for later this afternoon set to approximately begin at 3:35 p.m. following the UARA-STARS Late Model Stock Tour 75-lap race. Tim George Jr., the Richard Childress Racing driver who is pulling double-duty qualified his No. 2 Applebee’s Chevrolet Impala 15th earlier this morning.
36 trucks will take the green flag in tomorrow’s Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200 presented by Cheerwine marking the first time a NASCAR-sanctioned event will be held at the track since the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series flew their checkered flag in 2004. The event is set to take the green flag at 1:00 p.m. live on SPEED, MRN and SiriusXM Satellite Radio.
Click Here For Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200 presented by Cheerwine Final Practice Speeds
