NASCAR Truck Series at Daytona 2015: Schedule, Drivers to Watch and Race Preview
The Daytona 500 may be the main focus for most NASCAR fans this week, but the Camping World Truck Series will provide an enthralling start to the season on Friday night.
Trucks will roll out onto Daytona for the first regular-season race for the top three series. It may not be the Great American Race, but the NextEra Energy Resources 250 will be a proving ground for some of the brightest young stars in the sport.
Young guns like Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez hope to emerge with a season-opening win on Friday. However, they'll have to take down two-time defending champion Matt Crafton for the Daytona crown.
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Before the green flag waves, here's a look at the full schedule and preview for the NextEra Energy Resources 250.
Race Information
Where: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida
When: Friday, Feb. 20
Start Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: Fox Sports 1
Live Stream: Fox Sports Go
Radio: Motor Racing Network
Race Preview
Every discussion about the Truck Series must begin with the aforementioned Crafton. At 38 years old, the ThorSport Racing driver has finally found the consistency it takes to win a title. Not only did he accomplish it in 2013, but he followed it up with a similarly dominant season last year.
He may have only won just two races the entire 2014 season, but his 13 top-five finishes led the entire series. Now, he has aspirations of winning for a third year in a row.
"I feel very good about going into 2015 and maybe making it three in a row," Crafton said, via Zack Albert of NASCAR.com. "That would be—there's no doubt that we can. I've said it's all about these guys that build these trucks up in Sandusky, Ohio, and having the owners that give us all the tools, Duke and Rhonda Thorson."
One track Crafton has yet to win at during his long career is Daytona. While he'll be looking to finally accomplish that on Friday night, he'll have to fend off some of the hottest young names in the sport.
During the offseason, Joe Gibbs Racing brought in two drivers to invigorate some youth for its lower-level teams. Suarez and Jones will drive trucks owned by Kyle Busch as he takes a step back after winning the Daytona trucks race last February.
Jones is the slightly more known commodity at this level, having won four races during just seventeen starts with Kyle Busch Motorsports over the last two years. Busch has high expectations for Jones this season in a full-time role, per a team release:
"I expect a lot from Erik Jones and I think Erik Jones knows that, he sees that and sees the potential that he carries. I just hope he still fits in his helmet as people talk about him and to him over the course of this season -- how successful he can be and what his potential is. I think it's very high. … The experience he has gained from running a limited schedule the last few seasons has been really good for him, now I'm excited to watch this season and see if he can build on that experience and take it to the next level.
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Even with his experience at the trucks level, Jones has never started a race at Daytona at this level. The 18-year-old driver will have a lot to learn at the superspeedway, but the curve for Jones has been slim throughout his career.
In order to earn a win, he'll also have to hold off an experienced Johnny Sauter. Prior to Busch winning it all, it was Sauter who took the checkered flag in 2013. Whether it's a veteran or young gun who pulls off the victory, Friday promises to be a great kickoff to the trucks season in Daytona.
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