Making Some Noise … Tyler Ankrum is beginning to make some noise as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series invades Kansas Speedway for the first of two visits this season. The driver of the No. 16 LiUNA! Toyota Tundra TRD Pro enters the “Sunflower State” on the strength of three top-10 finishes in the last four races. In those three races, Ankrum has earned career-best finishes at each venue, including Circuit of the Americas (COTA) (seventh), Martinsville Speedway (10th), and Darlington Raceway (eighth). This marks the first time since September of 2020 that Ankrum has posted three top-10’s in four races, and another such result on Saturday night in Kansas would be the first time in his career top earn four top-10’s in five races.
Just Plain Fast … The No. 16 HRE team has had immense success over the years in the Kansas plains. Since 2017, the team has earned one victory (Austin Hill – July 2020), four top-five and six top-10 finishes in seven starts with three different drivers, and has just one finish worse than sixth at Kansas during that stretch. Ankrum owns five Kansas starts in his Camping World Trucks career, and earned a best finish of 11th in his debut in 2019.
Season to Date … Through seven of 23 events, Ankrum is closing on the provisional playoff cutline and sits 12th in the drivers’ championship point standings, just 21 markers out of 10th. He scored a season-best seventh-place finish at COTA has compiled four top-10 finishes.
HRE Salutes … Both the No. 16 and 61 team members are recognizing personal military veterans during the NASCAR Salutes campaign in the month of May. Ankrum’s No. 16 will display John Charles Stevens Sr. aboard the right-side door. Stevens is the grandfather of team mechanic Dustin Onufrak and served in the Navy from 1958-1960. Stevens served on the USS Blandy and was on board the ship when it transported the remains of an Unknown service member to Arlington Cemetery where he stood guard at the tomb.
Chassis Selection … Crew chief Scott Zipadelli and the No. 16 team have prepared chassis No. 007 for its first appearance of the season. This Toyota Tundra TRD Pro most recently finished 12th at Darlington Raceway last September with Austin Hill and finished fifth at Pocono Raceway last June.
Tune In … Fox Sports 1 will carry live coverage from Kansas all day on Saturday, beginning with practice and qualifying at Noon ET, followed by the green flag at 8:00 p.m. ET. Stay connected with the No. 16 LIUNA team by following @Hattori_Racing on Twitter, @hattoriracing on Instagram, and Hattori Racing Enterprises on Facebook.
Tyler Ankrum Quote:
On returning to a 1.5-mile track:
“We’re starting to string some finishes together, and it feels good to keep building everyone’s confidence on this team. I’m excited to go to Kansas because of the track record this team has had over the years, and I think we’ll have a strong LIUNA Toyota Tundra TRD Pro on Saturday. There is a ton of room at Kansas to move around and find what works best for you throughout a race. It seems like the more age that’s on the surface, the more beneficial the higher lane is. You’re definitely going to have to work every inch of the racetrack on Saturday night, so hopefully we can put ourselves in the right position and make the right decisions to be towards the front.”
HRE PR
