CONCORD, North Carolina – Life is good for Matt Tifft.
The University of North Carolina-Charlotte student is enjoying the high life competing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, the NASCAR XFINITY Series and the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.
Granted, yes the schedules are not full-time, but Tifft, one of the 11 newest members of the 2016-2017 NASCAR Next program surely portrays the responsibilities of a full-time schedule.
When Ben Kennedy parted ways with Red Horse Racing (RHR) in April, the team needed a driver. Tifft was a short-list candidate and after the two sides met, a minimum three race deal was hatched with the hopes of adding more races along the way.
Two race down, one to go, Tifft told CATCHFENCE.com he wants to run more races with the organization and have already begun those discussions.
“It’s been great the first couple of weeks,” said Tifft. “I’ve had a really good time working with Zippy (crew chief Scott Zippadeli) and all the guys over there. We’ve been working hard at trying to add some more races over there, still working on some details, nothing’s been confirmed or anything yet.
“I think it’s a great group of guys over there and we’ve had really good speed. I’ve said over the last two weeks, we’re one or two changes away from being a top-three contender.”
Making his RHR debut at Kansas earlier this month, Tifft showed immediate speed by qualifying seventh at Kansas Speedway. While the race didn’t deliver a top-10 finish, his 14th place finish was solid for his 2016 NCWTS debut – giving him a solid boost heading to Dover (Del.) International Speedway where he would juggle double duty for the first time.
Even with his responsibilities with the powerhouse Joe Gibbs Racing team, Tifft delivered on the truck side. Qualifying an impressive third – and finishing a respectable 12th, the chemistry seems to be working with Tom DeLoach’s team. Even better, it carried over to XFINITY the next day with the second top-10 in three races this year.
This week in Charlotte, Mother Nature put a dent in on-track activity Thursday, but Tifft once again was able to showcase speed in his No. 11 Toyota Tundra giving him a good outlook for Friday night’s anticipated N.C. Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
But what’s next?
Is there a true benefit to remain in the seat of the No. 11 Toyota Tundra while also venturing to keep Joe Gibbs Racing alive in the XFINITY Series car owner title and dabble in Venturini Motorsports’ potent ARCA Racing Series car?
Tifft seems to think so. And he showcased last weekend’s races at Dover as a prime example.
“Well, I think the biggest benefit you see is being able to do double duty weekends,” Tifft explained. “Getting on tracks I haven’t been to before, so like we go to Michigan, I’ve never been there before so it’s just another place to get more seat time at.
“Dover was my first double duty weekend and honestly I’d like to do more of them, just because I feel like it really helps with confidence levels when you jump in and out of the vehicles and when you get in the 18 (XFINITY) car you already have a sense of what things are going to do based on the truck.”
Truck or not, the confidence level from a solid performance at Dover carried over to Tifft’s primary gig on Saturday. Through qualifying and the heat battles, Tifft started inside the top-10 and scored an eighth place finish in the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet 200, notching back-to-back top-10 runs for the Hinckley, Ohio native.
With a large number of his races in XFINITY Series still yet to be completed, Tifft already has vouched that his solid start to 2016 is credited to staying behind the wheel. Constantly.
“I think all of it is geared to getting more seat time and I think it’s paid off. I think our results have better because of that.”
The more the merrier for Matt Tifft. His speed and finesse on both sides of the fence has shown that he can handle it and handle it well.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
