RIDGEWAY, Va. — Report by Race Chaser Online Managing Editor Jacob Seelman — Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images for NASCAR photo —
Springing to the top of the speed charts inside of 10 minutes to go on Friday morning, 18-year-old William Byron led the first practice for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Martinsville Speedway.
In his first-ever appearance at the 0.526-mile oval, nicknamed the ‘Paper Clip’, Byron posted a time of 19.868 seconds (95.309 mph) on his final of 34 laps during the 55-minute session, behind the wheel of the No. 9 Liberty University Toyota Tundra. Byron is looking for his first-career Truck Series win in his rookie season with Kyle Busch Motorsports, and sits 26th in points entering the weekend.
Behind Byron, the driver who scored his first career Truck victory at Martinsville in 2009 slotted in second, with the only other sub-20 second lap of the hour. Timothy Peters, in the No. 17 Red Horse Racing Toyota, posted a best time of 19.995 seconds (94.704 mph) as he goes after his first win of the year and second overall at the narrow half-mile.
Multi-time NCWTS champion owner Kyle Busch, also an owner of 44 career Truck wins, was third-fastest (20.104/94.190) as he seeks his first Martinsville win across any of NASCAR’s three national series. Busch is making his first Truck start of the season this weekend.
Daytona Truck winner Johnny Sauter (20.106/94.181) and Cole Custer (20.107/94.176), who led most of the session in the No. 00 Haas Automation Chevrolet Silverado for JR Motorsports, rounded out the Fast Five.
Custer said his truck was solid, but that the team was still searching for more with two sessions still to go on the day.
“We were pretty decent on the short run, but with long runs we need some help,” the Ladera Ranch, Calif. native explained. “I need a little more drive off, and we need to get the truck a little more stable. We’re solid though, so we’ll just keep chipping away at it and see what we can get as the day goes on.”
Tyler Young, two-time series champion Matt Crafton, Daniel Hemric, Ben Rhodes and Kyle Larson were the balance of the top 10 on the pylon.
35 of 38 trucks at the race track took time during the session.
Second practice for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series goes green at 12:30 p.m. ET, live on FOX Sports 1.
RESULTS: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series; Opening Practice; Martinsville Speedway; April 1, 2016
- William Byron
- Timothy Peters
- Kyle Busch
- Johnny Sauter
- Cole Custer
- Tyler Young
- Matt Crafton
- Daniel Hemric
- Ben Rhodes
- Kyle Larson
- John Hunter Nemechek
- Ben Kennedy
- Cameron Hayley
- Tyler Reddick
- Rico Abreu
- Kaz Grala
- Christopher Bell
- Spencer Gallagher
- John Wes Townley
- Daniel Suarez
- Parker Kligerman
- Brandon Brown
- Justin Haley
- Ryan Truex
- Chris Fontaine
- Shane Lee
- Timmy Hill
- Jordan Anderson
- Mike Bliss
- Tommy Joe Martins
- Travis Kvapil
- Norm Benning
- Spencer Boyd
- Austin Wayne Self
- Claire Decker
- Paige Decker (NT)
- Natalie Decker (NT)
- Bryce Napier (NT)
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network. Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 22-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for both the United Sprint Car Series and the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
Email Jacob at: speed77radio@gmail.com
Follow on Twitter: @Speed77Radio or @JacobSeelman77
Email Race Chaser Online: news@racechaseronline.com
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