NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Preview: Coca-Cola 200 presented by Hy-Vee

Just because the Camping World Truck Series is hosting a stand-alone event at Iowa Speedway doesn’t mean you shouldn’t tune in. After all, Iowa Speedway is one of the most exciting racetracks in all of NASCAR, and any diehard fan of NASCAR will tell you the Truck Series is the most competitive of the three. Combine the wily veterans with the determined young guns at a short track like Iowa, and you may find the Coca-Cola 200 to be the most exciting racing of the weekend.

However, between the Kentucky Speedway traffic debacle, the talk generated by the ESPYs on Wednesday nights, and many other storylines heading into the New Hampshire weekend, it’s easy for the Truck Series to get buried.

With that said, here is all you need to know about Saturday night’s race in Iowa Speedway.

General Information

What: The Coca-Cola 200 presented by Hy-Vee
When: Saturday, July 16th, at 8PM ET
Where:  Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa
Length of Race: 200 laps, 175 miles
TV: SPEED at 7:30 PM ET
Radio: MRN Radio, Sirius XM Channel 90

Storylines

No Cup Drivers: With the NASCAR Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series out in New Hampshire this weekend, none of the Sprint Cup Series regulars decided to make the trek from Loudon to Iowa Speedway. In fact, the only driver on the entry list ineligible for points is that of Brian Ickler. So unless Ickler is in Victory Lane on Saturday night, whoever winds up winning the race will be only the third Truck Series regular to win a race this season.
     
Rookie Drivers Making Some Noise: Cole Whitt (2nd in points), Parker Kligerman (5th in points), and Joey Coulter (9th in points), have all made some noise this season, even though none of them have made it into Victory Lane. In fact, Whitt made history earlier this year when he inherited the points lead following the N.C. Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Coulter was in the spotlight in the closing laps at Kansas Speedway when he battled aggressively with Kyle Busch for the fifth position, and eventually got it. Kligerman has also shown flashes of brilliance this season, finishing second in the last two Truck Series events. Keep an eye on all three of them once the green flag waves on Saturday night.

Austin Dillon Looking For First Win of 2011: Saturday’s race will mark the one-year anniversary of Dillon winning his first career Camping World Truck Series race in dominating fashion, leading 187 of the 205 laps in front of a crowd of nearly 25,000 fans. Dillon won a total of two races last season, but hasn’t found the same success this year. Currently third in points, Dillon’s highest finish of the season was a fourth-place run at Dover International Speedway and his average finish is 12th. Look for Dillon up front on Saturday.

Dakoda Armstrong Making His Debut With ThorSport: The ARCA Racing fixture is getting his foot in the door this weekend, making his Truck Series debut this weekend in the No. 98 Ferrellgas/Agrisure Chevrolet with ThorSport Racing. Armstrong, who won two races and finished seventh in points in the ARCA Racing Series last season, has competed in 5 of 10 ARCA races this year, and has one win, 1 top 5, and 3 top 10s. Armstrong has made two starts at Iowa Speedway in the ARCA Racing Series, with a best finish of fourth.

Fun Facts

• Saturday’s race will be the third Camping World Truck Series event at Iowa Speedway. Mike Skinner won the inaugural race, and Austin Dillon won last year.
• The highest number of lead changes in a single Truck Series race at Iowa Speedway was five, set last season in the Lucas Oil 200. 
• Last year’s race also had the smaller margin of victory of the two, with Austin Dillon beating out Johnny Sauter by .635 sec. Mike Skinner by 1.370 sec over Aric Almirola in 2009.

Follow SkirtsandScuffs.com all weekend long for updates from the track.