The Camping World Truck Series has reached the halfway point in the 2016 season. There have been four different competitors that have claimed victory through the first seven races and some familiar faces sit a top the Camping world Truck Series point standings.
Let’s review the top five drivers in those standings and how they got to their positions through the events they have participated in so far this year. Please note the NASCAR Xfinity and Sprint Cup drivers that participate in races occasionally will not be covered in these reviews.
The 2016 season has been a wild and unruly ride thus far. There has been some of the most competitive races in recent history and some of the closest finishes yet. On the flip side to that coin is the drivers have been over aggressive at times, risking life and limb chasing the coveted title.
2013 and 2014’s Camping World Truck series champion Matt Crafton finds himself in first place in the 2016 points race. The crafty veteran, pardon the pun, has won two races this year at Dover and then again the next week at Charlotte. The feisty driver has four top fives to compliment his winning efforts.
The #88 Menards/Ideal door ThorSports Racing hot-rod also has been driven by Crafton to a pole position placing at Atlanta speedway. It looks as though Crafton is positioning himself for a third title in four years and has to be the favorite to do just that.
Sitting second in the Camping World Truck Series point standings is Timothy Peters. The driver of the #17 Red Horse Racing Toyota has yet to drive on to victory in 2016. Peters has only reeled in two top fives in the seven races. Consistency has been the key for this North Carolinian. He has qualified for an average 12th place starting spot, but has taken the checkered flag averaging an eighth place finish. If crew chief Shane Huffman and Peters can put together a few wins in the last half of the season, they could be tough to beat in the Camping World Truck Series version of the Chase.
William Byron sits in third place in the Camping World Truck Series standings point standings. The Kyle Busch Motorsports prodigy has excelled admirably during his 2016 rookie campaign. Byron has driven his #9 Liberty Toyota to two victories at Kansas Speedway and again last week at Texas.
When Byron hasn’t taken the checkered flag he has hung around the front. The youngster has three top five’s and four top ten’s. Only collecting one did not finish in 2016 has been key for his top five points position. Byron also has captured two Coors Light Pole Position Awards.
The fourth spot belongs to Daniel Hemric. The Brad Keselowski Racing driver has guided his #19 Oakmont Management Ford to two top five finishing spots. He has collected another six top ten’s to vault him forward in the points. A key for Hemric and his team is they have managed to stay out of trouble.
The mindful driver has finished every race of the 2016 Camping world Truck Series season. Hemric is qualifying well with a tenth place average and finishing a spot lower in ninth. He could be a solid dark horse pick to win it all if he can string together a few wins.
Rounding out the top five is John H. Nemecheck. The son of the NASCAR retiree Joe Nemecheck has put together some good finishes in 2016. He has guided his #8 Fire Alarm Services Chevrolet to victory lane At Martinsville Speedway in April.
The up and comer has another two top five’s and three top ten’s to his credit. Nemecheck has also found a way to stay out of the on track shenanigans. He has manged to complete every contest in the 2016 Camping World Truck Series schedule. The victory ensured that he will be competing in the truck series version of the Chase.
The 2016 Camping World Truck Series Point Standings:
1. Matt Crafton
2. Timothy Peters 3 176 -18 -18 7 0 0 2 5 0 2 0
3. William Byron # 11 171 -23 -5 7 0 2 3 4 1 5 2
4. Daniel Hemric
5. John H. Nemechek
6. Tyler Reddick 3 153 -41 0 7 0 0 2 3 0 8 2
7. Johnny Sauter 7 151 -43 -2 7 1 1 4 4 1 10 3
8. Spencer Gallagher 0 145 -49 -6 7 0 0 0 5 0 4 -4
9. Ben Kennedy 0 142 -52 -3 7 0 0 1 2 1 13 4
10. Ryan Truex 1 129 -65 -13 6 0 0 1 3 0 6 -4
11. Cameron Hayley 4 128 -66 -1 7 0 0 1 2 1 12 1
12. Tyler Young 0 127 -67 -1 7 0 0 0 1 0 11 -1
13. Christopher Bell # 2 125 -69 -2 7 0 0 2 3 2 9 -4
14. Cole Custer # 0 122 -72 -3 7 0 0 1 2 2 15 1
15. Ben Rhodes # 2 120 -74 -2 7 1 0 0 2 0 16 1
16. Parker Kligerman 0 116 -78 -4 7 0 0 1 3 2 14 -2
17. Rico Abreu # 1 109 -85 -7 7 0 0 0 2 1 18 1
18. Brandon Brown 0 92 -102 -17 6 0 0 1 1 1 17 -1
19. John Wes Townley 2 91 -103 -1 7 1 0 0 1 2 19 0
20. Austin Wayne Self 0 90 -104 -1 7 0 0 0 0 1 20 0
21. Travis Kvapil 1 74 -120 -16 6 0 0 1 1 0 22 1
22. Matt Tifft 0 68 -126 -6 3 0 0 1 1 0 21 -1
23. Austin Hill 0 55 -139 -13 3 0 0 0 0 0 25 2
24. Timmy Hill 1 55 -139 0 5 0 0 0 0 1 23 -1
25. Grant Enfinger 1 42 -152 -13 2 1 0 1 1 0 24 -1
26. Jordan Anderson 0 42 -152 0 5 0 0 0 0 2 26 0
27. Caleb Holman 0 41 -153 -1 2 0 0 0 1 0 29 2
28. Tommy Joe Martins 1 36 -158 -5 6 0 0 0 0 2 27 -1
29. Cody Coughlin # 0 29 -165 -7 3 0 0 0 0 1 40 11
30. German Quiroga 0 25 -169 -4 1 0 0 0 1 0 149 119
31. Kaz Grala 0 25 -169 0 2 0 0 0 1 1 28 -3
32. Mike Bliss 0 24 -170 -1 3 0 0 0 0 2 33 1
33. Bobby Pierce 0 23 -171 -1 3 0 0 0 0 1 30 -3
34. Michel Disdier 0 22 -172 -1 1 0 0 0 0 0 31 -3
35. Jennifer Jo Cobb 0 21 -173 -1 4 0 0 0 0 1 32 -3
36. Nick Drake 0 17 -177 -4 1 0 0 0 0 0 34 -2
37. Shane Lee 0 16 -178 -1 1 0 0 0 0 0 35 -2
38. Jesse Little 0 14 -180 -2 1 0 0 0 0 0 65 27
39. Chris Fontaine 0 11 -183 -3 1 0 0 0 0 1 36 -3
40. Bryce Napier 0 10 -184 -1 1 0 0 0 0 0 37 -3
41. Wayne Edwards 0 10 -184 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 175 134
42. Paige Decker 0 8 -186 -2 1 0 0 0 0 0 38 -4
43. Cj Faison 0 8 -186 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 39 -4
44. Carlos Contreras 0 8 -186 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 43 -1
45. Austin Theriault 2 8 -186 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 41 -4
46. Justin Haley 0 7 -187 -1 1 0 0 0 0 1 42 -4
47. Ryan Lynch 0 7 -187 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 132 85
48. Claire Decker 0 6 -188 -1 1 0 0 0 0 0 44 -4
49. Spencer Boyd 0 5 -189 -1 1 0 0 0 0 1 45 -4
