NEWTON, Iowa — Report by Race Chaser Online Managing Editor Jacob Seelman — Sean Gardner/Getty Images North America photo —

Fresh off his Battle at Berlin 251 victory on Tuesday night in a Port City house late model, Erik Jones retained his momentum and speed as he rocketed to the top of the board in the lone NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice Friday afternoon at Iowa Speedway.

Jones, driving the No. 4 Special Olympics World Games Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports, posted a quick lap of 23.153 seconds (136.051 mph) on his mock qualifying run to top the charts in the 145-minute session that will lead into tonight’s American Ethanol 200 (8:30 p.m. Eastern, FOX Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM).

Jones’ lap was well off the track record of 22.724 seconds (138.620 mph) set by German Quiroga on July 13, 2013. The 19-year-old will be looking for his first NCWTS victory of the season after close calls in each of the last five races.

Behind Jones, his rookie KBM teammate Christopher Bell gave the organization a sweep of the top two spots on the speed charts as he prepares for his NASCAR national series debut later tonight.

Bell’s best lap of 23.216 seconds (135.682 mph) at the wheel of his No. 51 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Tundra was impressive for the rookie’s first career Truck Series laps on a race weekend, and he will look to add to the No. 51 truck’s legacy at the seven-eighths mile oval, after Jones’ win in the same truck a year ago.

John Hunter Nemechek continued to impress with the third-overall lap in practice of 23.300 seconds (135.193 mph), and looks for his first-career win in the series after taking over the SWM-NEMCO Motorsports No. 8 truck full-time beginning last weekend at Gateway Motorsports Park.

Spencer Gallagher (23.327/135.037) slotted in fourth-fastest for GMS Racing, continuing his recent run of speed in the Truck series, and Cameron Hayley (23.345/134.933) rounded out the top five in his No. 13 Toyota for ThorSport Racing.

Championship leader Matt Crafton was sixth on the pylon at the end of the session, and a surprising strong run by Caleb Holman slotted the former Pro Cup champion seventh overall.

Other notables included Gateway winner Cole Custer (9th), current runner-up in points Tyler Reddick (10th) and 10-time Truck Series winner Johnny Sauter (18th), who is looking for his first-career Iowa victory.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series gets back on track at 5:45 p.m. Eastern with Keystone Light Pole Qualifying, live on FOX Sports 2.

 

RESULTS: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series; Practice; Iowa Speedway; June 19, 2015

  1. Erik Jones
  2. Christopher Bell
  3. John Hunter Nemechek
  4. Spencer Gallagher
  5. Cameron Hayley
  6. Matt Crafton
  7. Caleb Holman
  8. Justin Boston
  9. Cole Custer
  10. Tyler Reddick
  11. Brandon Jones
  12. Ben Kennedy
  13. Daniel Hemric
  14. Timothy Peters
  15. John Wes Townley
  16. Austin Theriault
  17. Mason Mingus
  18. Johnny Sauter
  19. Tyler Young
  20. Ray Black Jr.
  21. Travis Kvapil
  22. Jake Griffin
  23. Timmy Hill
  24. Justin Jennings
  25. Korbin Forrister
  26. Ryan Ellis
  27. Jordan Anderson
  28. Jennifer Jo Cobb
  29. Tommy Regan
  30. Norm Benning
  31. Mike Affarano
  32. Caleb Roark
Jacob Seelman

Jacob Seelman, 24, is the founder and managing editor of 77 Sports Media and a major contributing writer for SPEED SPORT Magazine. He is studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C. and also serves as the full-time tour announcer for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.

View all posts by Jacob Seelman
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