Following a three-week hiatus for the Olympic break, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to action for the regular season finale at Watkins Glen International for the United Rentals 176 on August 7 at 12:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. It will be the first time the Camping World Truck Series has competed at Watkins Glen since 2000.
Prior to this season, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has only competed at Watkins Glen five times. Watkins Glen International is located just outside Watkins Glen, New York and is a multi-elevational, seven turn road course that spans 2.45-miles.
The first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Watkins Glen International took place on August 25, 1996 and was won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Ron Hornaday Jr. driving the Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet.
The five Camping World Truck races at Watkins Glen have produced four different winners, led by Ron Fellows with two victories (1997, 1999).
Former Truck Winners at Watkins Glen:
1996 – Ron Hornaday Jr. (Dale Earnhardt Inc.)
1997 – Ron Fellows (Billy Hess Racing)
1998 – Joe Ruttman (Roush Fenway Racing)
1999 – Ron Fellows (NEMCO Motorsports)
2000 – Greg Biffle (Roush Fenway Racing)
Kyle Busch Motorsports’ John H. Nemechek clinched Regular Season Championship
With his 31 points he earned at Knoxville Raceway, Kyle Busch Motorsports driver John Hunter Nemechek has locked up the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Regular Season Championship for the 2021 season and has also pocketed the 15 Playoff points that go with it. And to boot, Kyle Busch Motorsports has become the first organization to win multiple regular season titles.
List of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Regular Season Champions:
2021 – John Hunter Nemechek (Kyle Busch Motorsports)
2020 – Austin Hill (Hattori Racing Enterprises)
2019 – Grant Enfinger (ThorSport Racing)
2018 – Johnny Sauter (GMS Racing)
2017 – Christopher Bell (Kyle Busch Motorsports)
John Hunter Nemechek has made 14 starts this season posting a series leading five wins, eight top fives and 11 top 10s. He will be making his series track debut at Watkins Glen this weekend.
Clinch Scenarios heading into the regular season finale
When the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to action on Aug. 7 at Watkins Glen International it will be the last chance drivers have to secure their spot in the Playoffs.
Already Clinched
The following 7 drivers have clinched a spot in the 10-driver postseason field: John Hunter Nemechek, Ben Rhodes, Austin Hill, Todd Gilliland, Zane Smith, Matt Crafton, Sheldon Creed.
Can Clinch Via Points
If there is a new winner, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the fifth winless driver in the standings:
Carson Hocevar: Would clinch with 35 points
Stewart Friesen: Would clinch with 43 points
Chandler Smith: Could only clinch with help
Derek Kraus: Could only clinch with help
If there is a repeat winner, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the sixth winless driver in the standings. They would also clinch if there was a new winner among (Zane Smith, Matt Crafton, Carson Hocevar, Stewart Friesen or Chandler Smith) and being ahead of the fifth winless driver in the standings.
Carson Hocevar: Would clinch regardless of finish
Stewart Friesen: Would clinch with 3 points
Chandler Smith: Would clinch with 15 points
Derek Kraus: Could only clinch with help
Tyler Ankrum: Could only clinch with help (cannot clinch with a Chandler Smith win)
Johnny Sauter: Could only clinch with help (cannot clinch with a Chandler Smith win)
Can Clinch Via Win
The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: Carson Hocevar, Stewart Friesen, Chandler Smith, Derek Kraus, Tyler Ankrum, Johnny Sauter, Austin Wayne Self, Ryan Truex, Hailie Deegan, Tanner Gray, Chase Purdy
The following drivers could clinch with a win and clinching a Top 20 position: Tate Fogleman would clinch with 45 points.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Etc.:
Paul Menard to drive fifth entry for ThorSport Racing – Former NASCAR Cup Series driver Paul Menard will be making his return to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to drive the No. 66 ThorSport Racing Toyota this weekend at Watkins Glen International. This will be Menard’s second start of the season for ThorSport Racing. In his first start earlier this season at Circuit of The Americas he started 26th and finished 11th.
Menard is one of 11 drivers entered this weekend in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race that has previous experience at Watkins Glen in a NASCAR national series event.
