Raphael Lessard Leads Incident-Filled Bristol Dirt Practice

Raphael Lessard – who prior to Friday’s first practice session had never participated in a dirt racing event of any kind — lead the first practice session for the inaugural Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt at Bristol Motor Speedway’s new dirt surface.

Rookie of The Year Contenders Carson Hocevar and Hailie Deegan rounded out the top-three in the first of two 50-minute practice sessions.

The 50-minute practice session featured a total of 12 yellow flags, 11 of which were for on-track incidents and spins.

Results: 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Pinty’s Dirt Race at Bristol Practice 1

NCWTS Practice #1 Results:

1. No. 24 – Raphael Lessard – 19.384 – 92.860mph
2. No. 42 – Carson Hocevar – 19.396 – 92.803mph
3. No. 1 – Hailie Deegan – 19.418 – 92.698mph
4. No. 04 – Chase Briscoe – 19.432 – 92.631mph
5. No. 52 – Stewart Friesen – 19.465 – 92.474mph
6. No. 15 – Tanner Gray – 19.483 – 92.388mph
7. No. 38 – Todd Gilliland – 19.502 – 92.298mph
8. No. 2 – Sheldon Creed – 19.525 – 92.190mph
9. No. 26 – Tyler Ankrum – 19.579 – 91.935mph
10. No. 45 – Brett Moffitt – 19.588 – 91.893mph

Notables:

No. 02 – Daniel Suarez – 42nd
No. 4 – John Hunter Nemechek – 11th
No. 11 – Bubba Wallace – 22nd
No. 13 – Johnny Sauter – 26th
No. 16 – Austin Hill – 33rd
No. 17 – Kevin Harvick – 16th
No. 18 – Chandler Smith – 27th
No. 19 – Derek Kraus – 37th
No. 21 – Zane Smith – 15th
No. 39 – Ryan Newman – 38th
No. 44 – Kyle Larson – 12th
No. 51 – Martin Truex Jr. – 29th
No. 88 – Matt Crafton – 14th
No. 98 – Grant Enfinger – 21st

10-Lap Averages:

1. No. 38 – Todd Gilliland – 91.525mph
2. No. 1 – Hailie Deegan – 91.185mph
3. No. 42 – Carson Hocevar – 91.069mph
4. No. 4 – John Hunter Nemechek – 90.901mph
5. No. 23 – Chase Purdy – 90.213mph
6. No. 17 – Kevin Harvick – 90.034mph
7. No. 62 – Jessica Friesen – 89.590mph
8. No. 2 – Sheldon Creed – 88.677mph
9. No. 16 – Austin Hill – 88.521mph
10. No. 3 – JR Heffner – 88.083mph

Most Laps Run:

1. No. 23 – Chase Purdy – 74 Laps
2. No. 38 – Todd Gilliland – 67 Laps
3. No. 41 – Cody Erickson – 58 Laps
4. No. 98 – Grant Enfinger – 53 Laps
5. No. 2 – Sheldon Creed – 51 Laps
6. No. 17 – Kevin Harvick – 51 Laps
7. No. 62 – Jessica Friesen – 51 Laps
8. No. 45 – Brett Moffitt – 50 Laps
9. No. 21 – Zane Smith – 49 Laps
10. No. 11 – Bubba Wallace – 48 Laps

Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt Practice #1 – Accident / Spin Log:

1. 02:30 – Brett Moffitt (No. 45) spins on the backstraightaway.
2. 09:00 – Hailie Deegan (No. 1) spins in turn two.
3. 09:45 – Zane Smith (No. 21) has a flat tire after on-track contact.
4. 11:20 – Jake Griffin (No. 34) spins in turn two, making contact with the track’s “Durtle”.
5. 14:00 – Unknown
6. 17:30 – Jake Griffin (No. 34) spins in turn two (again), making contact with the track’s “Durtle” (again).
7. 25:45 – Bubba Wallace (No. 11) spins in turn two, with Stewart Friesen (No. 52) spinning to avoid making contact.
8. 27:30 – Unknown
9. 41:45 – Andrew Gordon (No. 49) loses a tire in turn three, spinning out and coming to a stop at the bottom of the track. The No. 49 would need a wrecker to make it back to the garage.
10. 47:10 – Danny Bohn (No. 30) spins in turn four.
11. 48:37 – Kyle Larson (No. 44) spins entering turn one.
12. 50:00 – End of NCWTS Practice #1

Video Highlights of NCWTS Practice #1:

Bubba Wallace spins his No. 11 Spencer Davis Motorsports Toyota Tundra in turn two, with dirt veteran Stewart Friesen spinning his No. 52 Halmar Friesen Racing Toyota Tundra to avoid making contact with Wallace’s stopped truck.

Close one … What a wild view ? pic.twitter.com/LvqUjyzmmT

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 26, 2021

Andrew Gordon, attempting to make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut for CMI Motorsports, lost a tire entering turn three, spinning his No. 49 Chevrolet SIlverado around. Gordon would need a wrecker to make it back to the garage.

Inspirational. Andrew Gordon's tire refused to give up. pic.twitter.com/c4Ztvg1mEW

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 26, 2021

Kevin Harvick – driving David Gilliland Racing’s No. 17 Ford F-150 — had a surprising amount of fun in the series’ first practice session. He talked to FOX Sports after the first practice session and before hopping into his NASCAR Cup Series ride.

"I'm having fun!" @KevinHarvick is pleased after opening practice on the @BMSupdates dirt. pic.twitter.com/dUtrBcbfs0

— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) March 26, 2021