BRISTOL, TN.: Drivers in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series face their first postseason elimination race in Thursday night’s UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics (9 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Only two drivers know they will advance to the Round of 8 — Sheldon Creed, winner of the first two races in the round of 10; and Regular Season Champion John Hunter Nemechek, who already has secured a spot on points.
That leaves eight drivers competing for the remaining six berths in the next round, and the two drivers currently below the cut line, Zane Smith and Chandler Smith, are just five and 12 points behind eighth-place Austin Hill, respectively.
Only 22 points separate fifth-place Ben Rhodes from Chandler Smith, leaving a lot of room for movement on Thursday night.
Creed, the reigning series champion, simply hopes he can sustain the momentum that carried him to dominating wins at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway and Darlington.
“My No. 2 (GMS Racing) team has been absolutely killing it since we started the Playoffs,” says Creed, who will drive for Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series next year.
“I’m ready to head to Bristol with another good starting position (on the pole). Hopefully, we can end this round on another high note and keep building our momentum heading into the Round of 8.”
Source: Reid Spencer / NASCAR Wire Service