NASCAR
Johnny Sauter, Noah Gragson Highlight 2018 Truck Series Season- Championship Fight Taking Shape
With Charlotte now in the rear view mirror, 7 Camping World Truck Series races have been run in 2018. In those 7 races, 3 have been won by Johnny Sauter, and Noah Gragson has 1 win. These 2 drivers are leading the series championship, in a fight that appears to be a year-long duel.
Hot Start for Sauter
From the first race of 2018 in Daytona, Johnny Sauter set the standard for the Trucks. Sauter, who just turned 40, won Daytona in dominating fashion.
Since Daytona, Sauter has 2 wins at Dover and Charlotte. These victories go along with 6 top 5s, 273 laps led, and an average finish of 4.6. Sauter called this past Friday’s North Carolina Education Lottery 200 ‘The biggest win of my career.’ This was referencing his past struggles in Charlotte. As one of the oldest and most experienced veterans in the sport, Sauter currently seems to be as fast as ever. The Wisconsin native is looking for his second Truck Series championship.
Gragson Growing Fast at KBM
Sophomore Truck Series driver Noah Gragson came into 2018 with a clear goal-win races and make it to the championship finale in Homestead. After winning his first career race last fall at Martinsville, many figured that Gragson would become a common sight in victory lane for 2018. Over the offseason, Gragson took over the championship-winning team at Kyle Busch Motorsports, led by crew chief Rudy Fugle.
After being collected in a wreck at Daytona, Gragson had top 5 runs in Atlanta and Martinsville. While battling hard against Johnny Sauter for the win in Dover, Gragson spun, relegating himself to a 20th place finish. Besides the disappointments in Daytona and Dover, Gragson has 4 top 10s, 257 laps led, and an average finish of 10.1. These stellar numbers have him currently 2nd in the championship standings, 59 points behind Sauter. However, due to impressive performances in stages and his Kansas win, Gragson has 10 Playoff bonus points. This mark only trails Sauter’s 17 bonus points.
Looking Ahead For the Championship
Based on both driver’s consistency and speed, Sauter and Gragson appear to be the favorites for the 2018 Truck Series championship. While Sauter has years of experience, Gragson has the championship-winning team at KBM. In the past 2 weeks, both Gragson and Sauter have held off Kyle Busch to score victories. Expect both drivers to continue their winning ways throughout the summer months, since they are both in the Playoffs. As with all levels of NASCAR in recent years, the Truck Series is a battle of youth versus experience. Only time will tell which side will stand tall as the Truck Series Champion.
