Points battle in trucks intensifies
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Series: NASCAR Camping World Truck. Date: mile oval. Start time: 3:00 p.m. (et). Laps: 175. Miles: 185.15. 2010 Winner: Kyle Busch. Television: Speed. Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN)/SIRIUS NASCAR Satellite.
It's a very tight points battle in the Camping World Truck Series with seven races to go. Heading into Saturday's 175-lap race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, James Buescher holds only a three-point lead over Austin Dillon and just a six-point advantage over Johnny Sauter. Fourth-place Timothy Peters is 20 markers behind.
Dillon picked up his second win of the season and the fourth of his truck career last week at Chicagoland. After finishing 22nd at Michigan and then 23rd at Bristol in August, Dillon has scored two straight top-10 finishes, which has given him a much-needed boost in points.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We've been thinking about the championship from the beginning of the year; that's what we set out to do," Dillon said. "I feel like we've had a championship season, just not been able to finish at the end of some races. We've had the fastest truck pretty much all year. It's just finishing these races off."
Dillon finished 15th at New Hampshire in 2009 and fifth here last season.
Buescher finished 11th at Chicagoland, which snapped his streak of 13 consecutive top-10 finishes.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}One year ago, Buescher finished second at New Hampshire, matching his career- best performance in the series.
"We had a great run there last year," he said. "I thought we were going to get our first win, but [Kyle Busch] passed us coming to the checkered flag. We have made a lot of improvements to our short track program since last fall, and I cant wait to get on the track."
Ron Hornaday Jr., currently fifth in points (-47), leads all drivers with three truck wins at New Hampshire.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I really like Loudon," he said. I've got three wins there, and it's a track where you will have a lot of side-by-side racing. That always puts on a great show for the fans. You've really got to have the whole package at this racetrack to come through the field. Track position is critical."
Thirty-four teams are on the preliminary entry list for the F.W. Webb 175.
Busch, who has won at New Hampshire the previous two years, and Kevin Harvick are those Sprint Cup Series regulars scheduled to compete in this race.