Chandler Smith led the only practice session for Friday Night’s Corn Belt 150 at Knoxville Raceway, the inaugural event for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at the half-mile facility, getting around the half-mile dirt track in 22.203 seconds | 81.070mph, as the Kyle Busch Motorsports driver looks to further secure his spot in the series’ playoffs.
Matt Crafton was second fastest in the session, with Derek Kraus rounding out the top-three drivers in the 70-minute session. David Gilliland Racing teammates Donny Schatz and Hailie Deegan rounded out the top-five. Chase Purdy, Brett Moffitt, Sheldon Creed, Brian Brown and Grant Enfinger rounded out the top-10.
Other notables included, Zane Smith (11th), Chase Briscoe (13th), Austin Hill (16th), Ben Rhodes (18th), John Hunter Nemechek (20th), Stewart Friesen (22nd), Johnny Sauter (24th), Tanner Gray (25th), Todd Gilliland (29th), Jessica Friesen (36th) and Michael Annett (38th).
Results: 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Corn Belt 150 at Knoxville Final Practice
The inaugural practice session at the track featured an incredible 14 caution flags, as drivers attempted to push the limits and get everything that they could while learning the tracks characteristics.
John Hunter Nemechek – who clocked in 20th — seemingly took the hardest impact in the session, grabbing the outside wall in turn three and causing major damage to the No. 4 Mobil 1 Toyota Tundra.
Some drivers have gotten into the wall at @knoxvilleraces, but few as badly as @JHNemechek! pic.twitter.com/Sjos5iDmNh
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 9, 2021
Morgan Alexander, Jennifer Jo Cobb, Chandler Smith, Parker Price-Miller, Todd Gilliland, Sheldon Creed and Devon Rouse were among others to sustain damage in the session, which in some cases will require a backup truck to come out.
Heavy damage to the No. 38 #FrontlineEnterprises Ford F-150 as @ToddGilliland_ gets into the wall at @knoxvilleraces.
Todd and the team are hard at work getting the truck repaired as practice continues. pic.twitter.com/lrczw7Vdwr
— Front Row Motorsports (@Team_FRM) July 9, 2021
Damage to the No. 44 pic.twitter.com/PaNhKjU5ce
— Niece Motorsports (@NieceMotorsport) July 9, 2021
A few teams with some work to do tonight. pic.twitter.com/HFTCtW89xM
— Always Race Day (@AlwaysRaceDay) July 9, 2021
