Truck Series Drivers Look Forward To Martinsville

Fun. Love. Awesome. Exciting. Those are just a few of the words used by NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers to describe the racing at Martinsville Speedway.

When the series returns to the half-mile racetrack for the Texas Roadhouse 200 presented by Alpha Energy Solutions, it will mark the final short-track race of the season.

“It’s just a tight little paperclip that makes for good exciting racing,” said William Byron, who has a series high five wins on the season. “It’s totally different than anywhere we go.”

“It’s just awesome racing there,” JR Motorsports driver Cole Custer said. “We don’t get to go to too many short tracks now. It’s definitely fun beating and banging on a really tight track and it creates a really good show.”

The beating and banging Custer referred to is what Timothy Peters said gives fans their money’s worth.

“There’s never a dull moment, I don’t feel like,” Peters said. “There’s always some part of the race track, I don’t care what position it is, that there’s something pretty aggressive going on and it catches everybody’s attention.”

Peters grew up in nearby Danville, Va. and picked up his first win in the Truck Series at Martinsville in 2009.

“I love Martinsville,” he said. “It’s where I grew up and I’ve had a lot of success there. I’m looking forward to surviving 200 laps.”

Ben Rhodes, who was running in the top-5 late in the spring race before getting involved in a wreck, has been looking forward to Martinsville since before the season began.

“Short-track racing is where it’s at for us and Martinsville is a point on the calendar we’ve had circled for a very long time, even before the season started,” Rhodes said. “After running the first race it makes us feel even better knowing we can bring a strong truck there.”

John Hunter Nemechek has two second place finishes at Martinsville and said the uniqueness of the track is what makes it a challenge for drivers.

“Every time you go there, you have to throw some of your knowledge out the window,” he said. “At Martinsville you’re hard on the brakes, but you want to get back in the throttle early, so it’s a whole different type of scenario.

“Going back to Martinsville - it’s a short track. It’s a lot of fun.”

The Texas Roadhouse 200 presented by Alpha Energy Solutions is part of the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 race weekend and marks the first race of the Round of 6 in the Camping World Truck Series Chase.

Tickets for October 29 race are just $30 and youth 12-and-under are just $5.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 877.RACE.TIX or online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com.