The sun is up, the temperature is chilly and in the NASCAR Sprint Cup garage at Phoenix International Raceway, everyone is bustling for the first morning practice at 9:30am MT/11:30ET. The second practice, “Happy Hour” practice, is at 12:30pm MT/2:30 ET and then the Cup drivers are done for the day.
The desert sunrise was pretty, with rosy wisps of clouds on the horizon.
In between the two fifty-five minute Cup practices, the NASCAR Nationwide Series drivers will qualify for their early Saturday afternoon ServiceMaster 200 Race, which starts 1t 2pm M/4pm ET.
Meanwhile, the NASCAR K&N Series drivers, whose cars have been impounded overnight, qualify at 8:30am MT/10:30am ET for their late afternoon Casino Arizona 50-lap race.
Friday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 150 Race was won by ERIK JONES/51 “Wake Up Narcolepsy” Awake at the Wheel Toyota, his first Truck victory. He start second and led three times.
Second through fifth were pole sitter ROSS CHASTAIN/NO.19 DrawTite Ford, who led three times; BRENDAN GAUGHAN/No.62 South Point Chevrolet, who led once; TY DILLON/No.3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet; and points leader, MATT CRAFTON/No.88 FVP/Mendards Toyota.
The Truck Drivers Championship will go down to the wire at the season’s finale race next weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Crafton has 780 points, followed by Dillon-734, JAMES BUESCHER/No.31 Rheem Chevrolet-730; JOHNNY SAUTER/No.98 Carolina Nut Co/Curb Records Toyota-703.
The Truck Manufacturers Championship was decided Friday night with Jone’s win. Toyota won its sixth Truck Championship in the ten years it’s been running in the series, which began in 1995. If Crafton prevails to win the Championship, that will make it a sweep for Toyota.