Making The Field: 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series NextEra Energy 250 at Daytona

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s that time of year again, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has brought a stout field of 42 [41 after the No. 97 has withdrawn] trucks to the Daytona International Speedway for the season-opening NextEra Energy 250.

Fighting for 36 spots in the series’ biggest event of the season, these 42 drivers will have to face single-truck qualifying on Friday Afternoon (3:00 pm/ET on FS1). With that, six drivers will be sent packing, without taking the green flag on Friday Night.

G2G Racing, Cook Racing Technologies, and Spire Motorsports are the three organizations looking to make their NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at the historic 2.5-mile superspeedway.

Owned by NCWTS driver Tim Viens, G2G Racing has tapped Matt Jaskol (No. 46) and Johnny Sauter (No. 47) to pilot its two Toyota Tundras. Jaskol is scheduled to run full-time in 2022, while Sauter is scheduled to run up to 13 races.

Cook Racing Technologies, owned by long-time crew chief Bruce Cook, brings its ARCA Menards Series program into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on a part-time basis this season, with Clay Greenfield driving the No. 84 at Daytona.

Finally, Spire Motorsports quietly brings 2020 NextEra Energy 250 winner, Austin Hill, to Daytona International Speedway in its No. 7 United Rentals Chevrolet Silverado. The NASCAR Cup Series team has yet to announce their plans in the series beyond Daytona.

On the contrary, Matt DiBenedetto (No. 25), Blaine Perkins (No. 9), Matt Jaskol (No. 46), and Jason Kitzmiller (No. 97) will each attempt to qualify for their first event in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Daytona.

LOCKED IN:

Ben Rhodes, Grant Enfinger, John Hunter Nemechek, and Zane Smith are all guaranteed a spot into Friday’s NextEra Energy 250 at Daytona International Speedway, by virtue of their 2021 owner points rank.

Matt Crafton – ranked sixth in 2021 NCWTS OP — is locked into the field, based on being the most recent eligible past champion that isn’t inside the top-four in owner points.

ESSENTIALLY LOCKED IN:

The vehicles that are ranked fifth through 20th in 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series points are deemed ‘essentially locked in’, based on their owner points position and previous trends of qualifying at Daytona International Speedway.

Johnny Sauter – driving the No. 47 Toyota Tundra for G2G Racing — is also included in this category, despite having no points to fall back on, as he is third in line to receive a Past Champions Provisional.

Only in a bizarre situation would Sauter be denied usage of his Past Champions Provisional by Matt Crafton, who ranks sixth in 2021 NCWTS OP. In order for Sauter to be bumped from the field, Crafton, along with all of the top-five in owner points would need to be outside of the top-31 in qualifying.

FEELING ANXIOUS:

Ranked 21st through 26th in 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owner points, Jesse Little, Thad Moffitt, Timmy Hill, Blaine Perkins, Tanner Gray, and Tate Fogleman are probably a little bit on edge when thinking about Friday’s qualifying session.

While some of these trucks may have the speed to be inside the top-31 in qualifying, there could be some slight worries about an extenuating circumstance that would prevent them from competing in the NextEra Energy 250 at Daytona.

SWEATING BULLETS:

Everybody else, ranked from 27th in 2021 NCWTS OP on down, is anxious, maybe even terrified for Friday’s single-truck qualifying session, as their owner points position leaves them in a precarious spot, should their qualifying speed not be enough.

While there is still a chance that Boyd, Wright, Herbst, Purdy, Kligerman, Bohn, Anderson, Holmes, and Alan could use their owner points to put them in the field, last year’s season-opener saw the truck ranked 29th in OP fail to make the event.

One would expect that drivers like Riley Herbst, Chase Purdy, Lawless Alan, and Kris Wright should be able to post a top-31 lap time, we’ve seen in years past that mechanical issues in qualifying can have an impact on who makes the show.

Jennifer Jo Cobb, Bryan Dauzat, Austin Hill, Matt Jaskol, Clay Greenfield are the six trucks that will have to put themselves into the top-31 in qualifying speeds if they hope to make the race.

UPDATE: After crashing in the first five minutes of practice, Jason Kitzmiller and CR7 Motorsports are done for the weekend, and will not make a qualifying attempt tomorrow afternoon.

RAINOUT CONDITIONS:

According to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rule Book, the field will be set in the following way in the first race of the season, if qualifying is canceled due to adverse weather conditions:

• The highest 29 trucks in 2021 NCWTS OP will be assigned a spot in the field.
• The fastest two trucks in practice, not already in the field, will be assigned a spot in the field.
• The next available starting position(s), if any, will be assigned to team owner(s) that have won an NCWTS event in 2021.
• The next available starting position(s), if any, will be assigned to driver(s) that have won an NCWTS event in 2021.
• The next available starting position(s), if any, will be assigned to drivers that are eligible past champions.
  • The driver must have won their championship in the last 10 seasons, competed in the series in 2021, and currently be running for series points.
  • If more than one past champion, positions are assigned in descending order, starting with the most recent champion.
• The remaining position(s), if any, will be assigned to the vehicles that are highest in 2021 NCWTS OP.
• Additional positions, if available, will be assigned based on a random draw.

Starting Lineup (if Qualifying is Cancelled):

NOTE: Johnny Sauter (9th in practice) and Lawless Alan (19th in practice) will receive the two spots available from practice speeds, in the event of a rainout. As a result, if qualifying rains out, Sauter WILL NOT be credited with using a Past Champions Provisional.