Right at Home … Perhaps there’s no other place on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series calendar where Tyler Ankrum feels more at home than Texas Motor Speedway (TMS). The driver of the No. 16 LiUNA! Toyota Tundra TRD Pro has arguably had more success at “No Limits, Texas” than any other venue on the circuit. The part-time cattleman and full-time wheel man has made six starts at TMS, fourth-most of any track in his career, with an average finish of 12.0. Such a track record could have Ankrum primed to ride back to his North Carolina ranch with a fresh cowboy hat to match his signature buckle and boots.
Truckin’ in Texas … The San Bernardino, Calif. driver hits the halfway mark of an early season five consecutive week stretch of races this week at TMS. Ankrum rides into TMS with not only a potent personal history at the Lone Star State’s biggest oval, but also a strong track record by the No. 16 team. In the past seven races at TMS, the No. 16 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro has collected three top-five and four top-ten finishes, including a near victory in October of 2020. Ankrum has four top-10 finishes in his six appearances at TMS, including a third-place run in his second visit to Texas in 2019. If history is any indication, the pairing could yield a season-best performance for the No. 16 team on Saturday afternoon.
Season to Date … Four races have been completed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series regular season, and 12 remain before the 10 playoff competitors are decided. Ankrum currently holds the seventh position in the driver championship standings, seven markers above the cut line. Ankrum has had a great start to the 2023 season, tallying two top-10 finishes in four races.
Chassis Selection … Crew chief Doug Randolph and the LiUNA! team have selected chassis No. 007 to race at TMS. Chassis 007 has mainly been used as a backup thus far this season. Its most recent appearance came at Homestead Miami Speedway in 2022 with an 11th place result.
Tune In …NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series practice and qualifying will not be covered on TV for the SpeedyCash.com 250. On Saturday, at 3:30 pm EST catch NASCAR Race Day: Craftsman Truck Series at Texas Motor Speedway, followed by the green flag at 4:30pm EST on FS1. 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 having confidence at Texas:
“Texas has been one of those places where I’ve felt comfortable, and I’ve been able to have some good results right from the start. As a team, we have some momentum coming off of COTA, and this HRE race team has always had speed at Texas and has been in the mix for a few wins there in the past. Hopefully we can keep some track position throughout the afternoon and put ourselves in a position to win near the end.”
HRE PR
