Rajah Caruth got his 2023 season started out right by being fastest in the first practice for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this season.
Caruth led the field with a lap of 188.422 mph.
Caruth is racing in his first full-time Truck season for GMS Racing in the No. 24 Chevrolet. Caruth finished third in the ARCA Menards Series standings in 2022.
The only driver to not make any practice laps was Caruth’s teammate, Daniel Dye, who had a mechanical issue.
Just behind Caruth was Christian Eckes, who made the switch to the No. 19 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet in the offseason. Kyle Busch Motorsports teammates Jack Wood and Chase Purdy ended practice third and fifth respectively, with the No. 75 truck of Parker Kligerman splitting them in fourth.
Nick Sanchez, Matt Crafton, Stewart Friesen, Corey LaJoie and Norm Benning rounded out the top 10.
Former NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott ended practice 13th. Elliott is making a one-off appearance in the Truck Series for McAnally Hilgemann Racing in the No. 35 Chevrolet.
Reigning Truck champion Zane Smith finished the practice 29th on the leaderboard in his No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford.
The Truck Series will qualify on Friday (Feb. 17) at 3 p.m. ET. Then it’ll have its first race of the 2023 season at 7:30 p.m. ET in the NextEra Energy 250 on FOX Sports 1.
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at …