One of the biggest debates in the NASCAR Cup Series with the debut of the Next Gen car is if there will be more than 16 winners during the 2022 regular season. But could we have the same debate about the Camping World Truck Series playoffs, where only 10 NASCAR Truck winners are needed to create chaos?
Let’s break down the possibility.
The 10-driver field already has four different winners: Zane Smith (Daytona, COTA), Ben Rhodes (Bristol Dirt), Chandler Smith (Las Vegas), and John Hunter Nemechek (Darlington). However, Zane Smith is the only multi-time winner this season, and with nine races left until the Truck Series playoffs, there are still a lot of drivers in contention to reach victory lane.
The hottest winless driver right now is Carson Hocevar, who has finished second in the last two races the series has run. His bigger heartbreak came at the Bristol Dirt Race, where he was passed for the win by Rhodes with five laps to go. This teenager’s first win is coming, and the sooner it gets done, the less pressure there is for him over the summer stretch. Hocevar’s Niece Motorsports No. 42 has speed; he just needs to seal the deal.
One racetrack that Hocevar might want some revenge at is Knoxville Raceway. The 2021 race at Knoxville was arguably the first time we saw his talent on full display, leading 17 laps and becoming a threat to win until getting turned on the last lap by Nemechek while running inside the top five. As strong as he was on the dirt at Bristol, Knoxville may be the place where Hocevar finally gets it done.
Speaking of Knoxville, Stewart Friesen and Matt Crafton have not been contenders so far this season and could be surprise winners there as well. Friesen is a proven winner on dirt, both in the Truck Series and other divisions. Knoxville might be one of Friesen’s best chances at winning this season. He currently sits fourth in the point standings, so he has had consistency and speed, even with Halmar Friesen Racing…
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