Tyler Ankrum has been one of the more impressive drivers in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series garage in 2024, and the speed continued to show through for the McAnally-Hilgemann Racing driver Friday at Texas Motor Speedway. Ankrum recorded the second-fastest lap of the practice session (29.867 sec.), but a couple of laps later he found trouble.
The No. 18 Chevrolet Silverado skidded out of the racing groove and pounded the outside wall on the exit of Turn 2. It was a crash eerily similar to the incident suffered by Tanner Gray in the opening minutes of the session.
Both drivers will go to backup trucks for Friday night’s race.
Backup trucks for Tanner Gray (left) and Tyler Ankrum being prepared. pic.twitter.com/K9tWlGALtg
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 12, 2024
Following the crash, Ankrum explained that he wasn’t quite sure what happened to cause him to go into the outside wall.
“It was so weird. It was so early in the corner. I think I hit the splitter and lost the nose,” Ankrum said following his trip to the infield care center. “Just real weird. Had all the grip in the world. It was really fast. I only needed three laps to run that lap. I hate it for my guys, [on the] LiUNA! Chevrolet, we had a really good truck and I junked it. We’re going to roll off the backup, see how it is, and get ready for the race.”
Ankrum heads into Friday night’s SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway as the third-place driver in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship standings.
