Set to make his seventh NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) start of the season, Tyler Young (@TylerYoung02) sets his sights on earning his first top-10 finish of the season in Saturday afternoon’s fred’s 250 powered by Coca-Cola at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.
The last time Young participated in a superspeedway race, his fun lasted two laps after being swept into a multi-truck incident in the season-opening NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
For the past eight months or so, the Midland, Texas native has been left pondering what could have been on that February night.
But, there’s no more in relishing on the past as Young looks to steer his No. 02 Young’s Building Systems / Randco. Industries Co. Chevrolet to his second top-10 finish at the 2.66-mile superspeedway.
“I’ve been pumped about Talladega,” offered Young who has two previous starts at the historic Alabama race track. “Daytona was a real bummer for us, especially because we felt like we had a truck capable of contending for the win. But, since then we’ve brought Chad Kendrick aboard and he has a niche for plate racing and I’m hoping that his experience will lead our team even further in Saturday’s race.”
Running a limited schedule this season, the 26-year-old Young sees every race as an opportunity, but when it comes to restrictor plate racing, the Texan believes he has developed a craft that has allowed him to post two top-10 finishes in his last three superspeedway races.
Two years ago, at Talladega, Young qualified 18th and cleverly raced his way inside the top-15 then eventually the top-10 and contended for a strong finish but after being left without a solid drafting partner coming to the checkered flag, Young finished 10th, one of his two top-10 finishes during the 2015 season.
Four months later in February 2016, Young earned his career-best finish to date with an impressive sixth-place finish at Daytona.
“When it comes to plate racing, it’s a lot of patience and luck,” Young explained. “We’ve been fortunate at Young’s Motorsports to have good trucks when it comes to superspeedway racing, but negotiating through the big one has sometimes been our achilles heels – hopefully on Saturday we can be smart and have a good finish for the team.”
Young’s Motorsports heads to Talladega on the strength of a 11th place finish earned by Timothy Peters two weeks ago at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway. It was the team’s highest finish this season in a Chevrolet from the Young’s Motorsports stable.
Overall, the finish was a good morale boost for the team.
“Timothy did a great job for us at Las Vegas,” sounded Young who also serves as Young’s Motorsports team principal. “He brought a lot to the table as far as knowledge and feedback and in the end, I think that’s going to make our program stronger for places like Texas and Homestead.”
With the checkered flag drawing closer to signify the end of the 2017 season, Young says his team is leaving nothing on the table.
“We’ve been very thankful to have a year full of a lot of positives,” added Young. “With five races left including Talladega, it’s important for us to make the most of each race to propel us into a good off-season and an even better 2018!”
In 76 career NCWTS starts, Young holds four top-10 finishes to his credit with a career-best sixth at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February 2016. A sixth-place qualifying effort at Eldora Speedway in July 2015 is his best time trials effort to date. Young’s Motorsports has competed on the tour since 2012.
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