SPARTA, Ky.: Prior to NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series practice at Kentucky Speedway Thursday morning, the sanctioning body confiscated the No. 52 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Stewart Friesen for an apparent firewall issue related to the rear clip.
The team who brought Friesen a new truck for the event was allowed to remove the driver and safety equipment before the confiscation. NASCAR also allowed the team to keep the tires that were on the vehicle when presented for inspection.
The truck is expected to be transported to NASCAR’s Research and Development center in Concord, N.C. following Thursday night’s race. Any penalties from the sanctioning body would be announced early next week.
The Halmar Friesen team rolled out its backup No. 52 Chevrolet Silverado which they ran in the most recent race at Chicagoland (Ill.) Speedway where he finished third, his seventh top-five effort of 2019.
Friesen enters Thursday night’s Buckle Up Your Truck 225 second in the championship standings on the heels of three consecutive top-five finishes, including back-to-back third-place efforts at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway and Chicagoland (Ill.) Speedway respectively.
He trials series leader Grant Enfinger by 52 points.
Because the team was forced to bring out a backup car, Friesen will start the race from the rear of the field.
The Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario native finished second at Kentucky Speedway last July after starting 14th and leading 37 laps.
The 35-year-old has one pole, seven top-five and eight top-10 finishes in the first 12 races of 2019. He remains winless in 60 career starts.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
