Story By: NASCAR – ROSSBURG, OH – Each week we have several drivers that hit a specific track for the first time of their career – this week’s race is no different.
Of the 40 trucks entered to compete, 14 of the drivers have never raced at Eldora Speedway before. They are: Austin Hill, John Provenzano, Todd Gilliland, Myatt Snider, Brett Moffitt, Tyler Dippel, Dalton Sargeant, Justin Fontaine, Nick Hoffman, Max McLaughlin, Logan Norman Seavey, Kyle Strickler, Trevor Collins and RJ Otto Jr.
Along with that, there are a lot of drivers making their season debut in the Truck Series on Wednesday night. They are: Hoffman, Ray Ciccarelli, JR Heffner, Chase Briscoe, Jeffrey Abbey, Chris Windom, Justin Shipley and Sheldon Creed.
There are also numerous drivers making their NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at Eldora. They are: Provenzano, Dippel, McLaughlin, Seavey, Strickler, Collins and Otto Jr.
A lot of the drivers expected to race at Eldora specialize in dirt track racing so Eldora is the perfect spot for them to do it in the truck series, too.
J.R. Heffner is heading back to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Eldora for the third time of his career. Heffner has only made four starts in the series – three times at Eldora and once at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. With over 60 victories under his belt, Heffner is a four-time track champion, three-time Mr. Dirt Track USA Champion and a two-time winner of the Hagerstown 300.
Tyler Dippel, a NASCAR Next alum, will make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut in the No. 17 Hue Jackson Foundation / Caruso Logistics / D&A Concrete Toyota Tundra in DGR-Crosley’s second entry. Dippel currently competes full-time in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. Dippel’s career started on dirt when he won his first national championship at the age of 10. He continued on to become the youngest driver to win in a Northeast big-block modified event after grabbing his first big-block modified win at Georgetown Speedway. Dippel then earned the Rookie of the Year honors in the DIRTcar Northeast Series.
Max McLaughlin will make his debut in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Eldora Speedway for Niece Motorsports. He has been racing dirt modifieds in the Northeast for two years and has picked up wins at Brewertown and Fulton Speedways while finishing ninth in the Super DIRTcar Series.
Kyle Strickler is set to pilot the No. 63 Chevrolet Silverado for MB Motorsports at Eldora Speedway. Strickler has accumulated over 180 Dirt Modified wins in his career and has multiple victories at Eldora Speedway, specifically. He is also a two-time Supernational Champion and Renegades of Dirt National Champion.
Chris Windom will drive the DGR-Crosley No. 54 truck at Eldora, where he has recorded six Silver Crown and Sprint Car wins. A two-time USAC series champion, he scored 18 USAC Sprint Car Series victories in advance of the 2018 racing season. He competes regularly in the USAC Silver Crown Series and USAC Sprint Cars, where he hoisted championship trophies in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Windom has not yet entered a race in 2018 but we did see him compete in three series races last year – Eldora, Martinsville and Homestead.
John Provenzano has dominated dirt tracks over the past 40 years, winning titles at LaSalle Speedway, Sycamore Speedway, Santa Fe Speedway, Fairbury American Legion Speedway and Kankakee Speedway. Come this Wednesday, Provenzano will race for Mike Affarano with David McClure serving as the crew chief. The 63-year-old will make his debut in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series but is still active on the dirt late-model circuit.
Logan Seavey will make his NASCAR debut in the Truck Series at Eldora in the No. 51 Mobil 1 Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports under crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. Seavey, who was the 2017 POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series champion, currently leads the midget standings and has never raced at Eldora before. He is hopeful he can get to Victory Lane in a truck since he has found his way there with a midget earlier this year.
