NASCAR Truck Series at Las Vegas 2014: Full Schedule, Standings and Preview
Cole Custer did more than just make history in New Hampshire; he also set the stage for the future of the sport.
The 16-year-old took the pole, led 148 of 175 laps and blistered the field as he took the first victory of his career in the Camping World Truck Series. Nate Ryan of USA Today noted how huge the accomplishment was:
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Sure, Custer may have just received his driver's license, but the high school student is already a winner in NASCAR. Oh, and that win also came in the seventh start and second pole of his career.
Just behind Custer was Darrell Wallace Jr., who narrowly missed out on his third victory of the season. He remains fourth in the standings behind Matt Crafton, Johnny Sauter and Ryan Blaney, who all finished in the top 10 at New Hampshire.
Prior to the green flag waving at Las Vegas, here's a look at the schedule, standings and full preview for the Rhino Linings 350.
Race Information
Where: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nevada
When: Saturday, Sept. 27, 10 p.m. ET
TV: Fox Sports 1
Live Stream: Fox Sports Go
| 1 | Matt Crafton | 602 | 2 | 9 | 12 |
| 2 | Johnny Sauter | 595 | 1 | 8 | 13 |
| 3 | Ryan Blaney | 578 | 1 | 8 | 11 |
| 4 | Darrell Wallace Jr. | 567 | 2 | 6 | 9 |
| 5 | German Quiroga Jr. | 530 | 0 | 3 | 9 |
| 6 | Joey Coulter | 527 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| 7 | Ben Kennedy | 509 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 8 | Timothy Peters | 508 | 0 | 4 | 8 |
| 9 | Jeb Burton | 491 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 10 | Ron Hornaday Jr. | 460 | 0 | 5 | 10 |
Race Preview
Racing fans captivated by Custer's story will have to wait at least another week before seeing him return to the track. The young driver doesn't have a full-time ride at the NASCAR level, so Vegas will be a battle among championship contenders.
Fresh off his first win in the CWTS, Custer tried to put his emotions into words, via Jay Pennell of Fox Sports.
"I've been coming to these races since I was really young," he said. "I've looked up to this series and everyone that has raced in this series. I could never imagine being here racing and winning in this series. I can't even explain how amazing this feels."
Hate to break it to you, Custer, but 16 is still really young. Needless to say, this driver has an extremely bright future ahead of him. As for this weekend, he'll have to look on as several other talented drivers jockey for a win in Sin City.
Wallace, Crafton and Sauter might have been beat straight up in New Hampshire, but all three were in contention in the last Las Vegas race. No title hopeful is hotter than Wallace lately, as he's finished second twice and collected another top 10 in the last four races.
Bubba is changing the face of NASCAR this season and is set to pay tribute to a legend in Wendell Scott later this season. Bob Pockrass of Sporting News provides a look at the truck he'll run later this year:
Last season, Wallace led 23 laps at Las Vegas before falling to fifth at the end. Thanks to a strong stretch of runs this season, another victory seems like a distinct possibility this weekend.
Crafton led 30 laps last season, while Sauter finished second, but it was Timothy Peters taking the checkered flag. The Red Horse Racing driver doesn't have a victory in 2014 but has four top fives and will be near the front again this weekend.
With the season winding down and the top four in the standings separated by just 35 points, Vegas will set the stage for a great finish. Under the lights on Saturday night, another future star just might be born.
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