NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Overview
Event: Overton’s 225, Race 11 of 23, 150 Laps – 35/35/80; 225 Miles
Location: Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill. (1.5-mile oval)
Date/Broadcast: June 29, 2018 at 9 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR 90
What You Need to Know
- Jones has made 37 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) starts since 2013, resulting in eight top-five and 17 top-10 finishes. This will be his third NCWTS start for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM). Jones raced at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City where he finished ninth for the No. 51 team and Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway where he came in third place driving for the No. 46 team. The Georgia native will make two more starts for the No. 51 team this year; July 12 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta and Sept. 14 at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway
- KBM’s Mike Hillman Jr., was also Jones’ crew chief at Richard Childress Racing in the XFINITY Series in 2016. Together the duo earned 12 top-10 finishes.
- He will do double duty this weekend racing the No. 51 Tundra for KBM Friday night and the No. 19 Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the XFINITY race Saturday
- Has five prior starts at Chicago, two in XFINITY, two in the ARCA Racing Series and one in NCWTS. His best finish there was third in the ARCA Racing Series last September after sitting on the pole and leading eight laps.
- Jones will be sponsored by American Standard and Eljer at Chicago. Making life healthier, safer and more beautiful at home, at work, around town and throughout the world ― that is the vision of American Standard. For over 140 years, exuding a passion about plumbing and the bigger problems it can solve, the Company has raised the standard by constantly innovating to improve the quality of everyday life.
- With a century’s worth of experience Eljer continues to offer innovative, beautiful and functional toilets, bath tubs, whirlpools and air baths. Their commitment to performance, reliability and great design is as strong now as it was when they began, over 110 years ago.
Brandon Jones, Driver Q&A
How will running the NCWTS and XFINITY races this weekend help you in both series?
“I think the biggest thing it’s going to help me out with running both races this weekend is figuring out which line is going to work in the race. Chicago can be one of those tracks that you can run the bottom, middle and the top, so being able to practice a whole bunch before I get to the XFINITY car and having that race underneath my belt before I head into Saturday will be pretty big knowing which line was more effective.”
How is Chicago compared to the other 1.5-mile tracks?
“It doesn’t really compare too much, honestly, except as far as the speeds go. The speeds are very similar, but as far as the way you run the track, moving around on lines, trying to go to the top and things like that. Some of those tracks are very bottom-feeder tracks – you run the bottom of the track. It doesn’t compare in that sense, but the speeds are very similar to the main mile-and-a-halves we go to.”
How have you liked adding a handful of Truck Series races to you schedule this year?
“Adding the truck races that I’ve had so far have actually helped out pretty well in the XFINITY car. That was kind of my goal going into this was to get more seat time at some of the tracks that XFINITY runs at. I think that it’s been helping us out pretty well so far.”
Brandon Jones Career Highlights
- Currently competes full time in the NASCAR XFINITY Series for Joe Gibbs Racing where he has one pole, two top-five and seven top-10 finishes in 14 starts this season
- Picked up his fifth career ARCA Racing Series victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May
- Has one NASCAR K&N Pro Series East win (Iowa Speedway, 2014)
Brandon Jones’ No. 51 American Standard/Eljer/Menards Tundra:
KBM-043: The No. 51 team will race KBM-043, for Friday’s Overton’s 225 at Chicagoland Speedway. Jones raced this Tundra at Kansas in May where he finished ninth and Spencer Davis also finished ninth with it at Texas earlier this month.
KBM Notes of Interest
- KBM drivers have collected four wins, 472 laps led, eight top-five and 14 top-10 finishes resulting in an average finish of 7.9 across 18 starts at Chicago
- Kyle Busch has claimed all four wins for KBM (2010, 2013, 2014 & 2016) at the 1.5-mile oval and has led 344 of the team’s 472 laps
- After Riley Herbst’s eighth-place finish at Gateway, the No. 51 team has one win (Kyle Busch) and two poles (Kyle Busch and Harrison Burton), four top-five and nine top-10 finishes. The team is ranked third in the owner’s championship standings.
- KBM holds the NCWTS records for most career wins (67) and most wins in a single season (14 in 2014). In addition to collecting a series-record six Owner’s Championships, the organization has produced two championship-winning drivers; Erik Jones (2015) and Christopher Bell (2017).
