Ankrum Ends Regular Season with Top-10 at Richmond
Venue: Richmond Raceway
FINISH: 6th
Start: 10th
Laps Led: 0
Stage 2: 8th
Final NCTS Regular Season Standings: 6th
Tyler Ankrum crossed the line at Richmond Raceway in sixth-place for the regular season finale at Richmond Raceway. The driver of the No. 18 LIUNA Chevrolet Silverado RST finished the season in the sixth position for NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) point standings with a total of 2007 points. Ankrum has scored top-10 results in five-consecutive short track races and helped MHR place all four trucks in the top-10 for the first time in the team’s history.
Ankrum began his day in 10th-place after putting in a lap time of 23.01 seconds in qualifying. The first caution flag waived on lap 55 with Ankrum still maintaining the 10th position. With a majority of the field making their first pit stop the No. 18 team stayed out. Ankrum finished Stage 1 on lap 70 in 19th-place after being passed by drivers on fresh rubber.
Crew chief Mark Hillman brought Ankrum to pit road for his first stop of the night under the stage caution. Ankrum received four tires, fuel, and an air pressure adjustment to help with his loose truck. The second stage began on lap 79 with Ankrum starting in the 17th position. With 20 laps fresher tires than the rest of the field, he was able to move up through the field as high as fifth. Ankrum finished Stage 2 on lap 140 in eighth-place, earning three stage points.
Ankrum stayed out during the stage caution and began the final segment on lap 150 in the eighth position. After a few cautions early in the stage slowing the pace, Ankrum moved up to fifth-place. The No. 18 came to pit road after the yellow flag was seen once again on lap 224. Hillman gave Ankrum four tires, fuel, and a tire pressure adjustment. After restarting in the eighth position Ankrum grabbed a couple more spots and crossed the line for the NCTS regular season finale in the sixth position. Ankrum’s result earned him his fifth-consecutive top-10 finish at short tracks this season.
Tyler Ankrum Quote:
“Had really good restarts all night long and had really good lane selection. I felt that we ran where we should of. It’s good to come home with a stat of a top-10 at each short track this year. For us to pull it back together, to fix all of our equipment and continue to get better is great. We have a really good truck and just can’t thank everyone enough at MHR and LIUNA for supporting me through this. I’m just really happy to be back in a situation where I can compete in the playoffs.”
