Darlington Proves “Too Tough Too Tame” for Wright on Friday
Venue: Darlington Raceway
FINISH: 33rd
Start: 28th
NCTS Point Standings Position: 22nd
Kris Wright and the McAnally-Hilgemann Racing (MHR) No. 81 team stayed focused throughout the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) race at Darlington Raceway. Wright started 28th and worked his way forward in Stage 1, finding a steady rhythm and climbing to 26th by the end of the opening segment. The F.N.B. Corporation Chevrolet Silverado RST showed solid balance early, allowing Wright to hold position and remain competitive in traffic while teammate Christian Eckes captured the Stage 1 win.
Wright carried that approach into Stage 2, staying aggressive and looking for more track position. Early in the run, Wright was involved in an on-track incident that resulted in right rear damage. The team brought the No. 81 Chevrolet to pit road for repairs, including fixing the rear spoiler brace as required by NASCAR, which put Wright a lap down. Even with the setback, Wright continued to push forward and passed multiple trucks on track, showing the speed still in the truck.
In the final stage, Wright kept building, working back toward the front of the field and posting competitive lap times during a long green flag run. A caution later in the stage allowed Wright to return to the lead lap, putting the No. 81 F.N.B. Corporation team back in position to continue its progress. Contact from earlier in the race eventually led to a gear oil issue late in the event, forcing an unscheduled stop under green and bringing the team to the garage to end its race. Wright was scored 33rd at the finish and now sits 22nd in the NCTS points standings.
Kris Wright Quote:
“Overall, I felt like we had a really solid truck. The balance was decent and we were able to move forward there in the first stage. I hate that we got caught up in that incident, because I really think we had something to work with. The guys did a great job fixing the damage and keeping me out there, and we were still able to pass some trucks and stay aggressive. Unfortunately, the issue late in the race ended our night early, but I’m proud of the effort from everyone on this No. 81 F.N.B. Corporation Chevrolet Silverado RST. We’ll take what we learned and keep building on it.”
