Derek Kraus Claims First Career Truck Series Pole at Nashville Superspeedway

With Saturday Night’s inaugural Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville Superspeedway being such an unknown for many drivers and teams in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, it was a real unknown who would be quick in Friday Night’s qualifying session for the event.

Derek Kraus and McAnally Hilgemann Racing claimed their first career pole position, posting down an incredible lap of 29.833 seconds | 160.493mph besting GMS Racing youngster Jack Wood – making his third career start — by almost three tenths of a second.

Austin Hill, Grant Enfinger and Chandler Smith round out the top-five starters for tonight’s event, with Ryan Preece, Tyler Ankrum, Johnny Sauter, Zane Smith and William Byron rounding out the top-10.

Tanner Gray, Todd Gilliland and John Hunter Nemechek will all be required to start at the rear of the field in tonight’s race for various different reasons. Gray and Gilliland – both under the David Gilliland Racing umbrella — where unable to clear technical inspection in time to make a qualifying effort, while John Hunter Nemechek had his time disallowed for turning around to re-do his qualifying lap.

Rule 9.5.f of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rule Book, titled Driver Responsibilities states: “Unless otherwise determined by the Series Managing Director, drivers who encounter a problem during qualifying will not be permitted to travel counter Race direction.”

Uh … mulligan?@JHNemechek takes full advantage and will reset his get-up-to-speed lap at @NashvilleSuperS. pic.twitter.com/69tlqgikVd

— NASCAR Camping World Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) June 18, 2021

After all of that controversy, Dawson Cram’s time was able to be put inside the top-31 saving him from failing to qualify for Friday Night’s event.

Keith McGee (No. 3), JJ Yeley (No. 49), Clay Greenfield (No. 68), Bret Holmes (No. 32), Spencer Boyd (No. 20) and Josh Reaume (No. 33) failed to qualify for the event.