Derek Kraus has been eagerly looking forward to the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series race at Dover International Speedway.
The 18-year-old heads this week to the Delaware track, known as the Monster Mile, to drive the McAnally-Hilgemann Racing No. 19 ENEOS / NAPA Toyota Tundra in the KDI Office Technology 200 on Friday.
Unlike most tracks that he has faced for the first time this year as a series rookie, Kraus has previous experience racing at Dover in the truck series. In making just his third career start in the series, he finished eighth at Dover in May of last year. That event was among a handful of truck races he ran in 2019 on off weekends from the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, where he won the championship.
Kraus also experienced success at Dover, competing two years ago in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. He finished third there in that series in October of 2018.
Dover may offer a great opportunity Kraus. He is looking to rebound, after a rough day on the road course at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday ended his string of three top-10 finishes. He slipped to 11th in the championship standings, just two points below the cutoff for making the playoffs.
Derek Kraus – Thoughts About Dover
How eager are you to return to Dover?
“I’m really looking forward to going. I’ve been to Dover before. So that is good and I know that the guys have been working hard on these Tundras to make them fast.”
NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Event:
Race: KDI Office Technology 200 (200 Laps) (Race 13) Aug. 21, 2020
Location Dover International Speedway, Dover, Del. (1-mile oval)
Television: FS1 on Aug. 21 at 5 p.m. ET
Derek Kraus
No. 19 ENEOS / NAPA Toyota Tundra
Age: 18
Hometown: Stratford, Wisc.
Career series starts: 17
Most recent series finish: 30th – Daytona Road Course (8/16/20)
Best career series finish: 4th – Daytona (2/14/20)
Last finish at this track: 8th (5/3/19)
2020 Series stats:
Races: 12 starts, 2 top fives, 7 top 10s
Average finish: 11.9
Laps completed: 1,353/1,363 (ranks 2nd)
Series standings: 11th
McAnally-Hilgemann Racing PR
