High Expectations At MHR As 2022 Season Opens
• Camping World Truck Series Heads To Daytona
ROSEVILLE, Calif. (Feb. 15, 2022) – The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series kicks off its 2022 season at Daytona International Speedway on Friday with the NextEra Energy 250.
Expectations are high this year for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing – which expanded to a two-truck operation and will field Chevrolet Silverado RSTs.
Through an alliance with GMS Racing, MHR is now operating on the GMS campus in a 57,000-square-foot facility – utilizing GMS chassis and technology.
Series veteran Derek Kraus has a new crew chief, with Shane Wilson coming on board to call the shots on his No. 19 Shockwave Chevrolet Silverado RST. Kraus – a 20-year-old from Stratford, Wisconsin – has raced in two series events on the 2.5-mile superspeedway in Daytona. He captured the spotlight in his first race there, when he finished fourth in his rookie season in 2020.
His teammate, Colby Howard, will be making his inaugural start with MHR – as he embarks on his first full season in the series. Team manager Mark Hillman will serve as the crew chief with Howard on the No. 91 Gates Hydraulics Chevrolet Silverado RST. Howard – a 20-year-old, third-generation driver from Simpsonville, South Carolina – has made three starts at Daytona in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, with a best finish of 12th in 2020.
This will mark the third full season of competition for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. The team was formed at the beginning of 2020, when Bill McAnally partnered with Bill and Mona Hilgemann to field an entry in the Camping World Truck Series on a full-time basis, with Kraus as the driver.
The MHR team is looking forward to spending time with sponsors in advance of this week’s race. Kraus and Howard, along with McAnally, will accompany Mike Gordon of Gates Hydraulics on some sales calls. They will also get together with NAPA AUTO PARTS store owner Chris Wall of the Wall Automotive Group for a special meet-and-greet with NAPA AutoCare customers. A special visit to Wall’s main NAPA store in Daytona is also planned.
Gordon, along with a special group of guests, will attend the race on Friday. Included will be guests of the Wall Group, consisting of customers and other NAPA Jobbers. Guest crew members will also participate in the event.
Kraus and Howard are slated to participate in a question-and-answer session at the Chevy Display at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday from 2:45 to 3 p.m.
Practice/Qualifying
Daytona is one of the Camping World Truck Series events this year that is designated for an expanded weekend, with a stand-alone 50-minute practice session on Thursday. Qualifying on Friday will feature a single-truck, one-lap format – with the top 10 of the first round transferring to a final round.
Quote – Derek Kraus
About the season
“I feel like this coming year will be a lot of fun and we will be in contention. I’m very confident in my team and everyone that is surrounding me. The alliance with GMS and Chevy will be a big boost.”
About Daytona
“Daytona is the kind of race where you’ve got to be more lucky than anything else. We’ve got to try to stay out of “the big one” and try to have a good finish to start the year strong.”
Quote – Colby Howard
About the season
“I’m really excited to get to the track with the MHR guys. They’ve been working extremely hard, building new trucks and getting used to the new shop.”
About Daytona
“Daytona can be pretty wild. I think if we just race smart and survive until the end, we will have a good shot at a great finish.”
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Event:
Race: NextEra Energy 250 (100 Laps) (Race 1 of 23) Feb. 18, 2022
Location: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fla. (2.5-mile oval)
Television: FS1 on Feb. 18 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Derek Kraus
No. 19 Shockwave Chevrolet Silverado RST
Age: 20
Hometown: Stratford, Wis.
Career series stats: 50 starts, 2 poles, 4 top fives, 19 top 10s
Most recent series finish: 15th – Phoenix (11/5/21)
Best career series finish: 2nd – Darlington (9/6/20)
Daytona stats: 2 series starts, 1 top five (Best finish – 4th on 2/14/20)
Colby Howard
No. 91 Gates Hydraulics Chevrolet Silverado RST
Age: 20
Hometown: Simpsonville, S.C.
Career series stats: 5 starts
Most recent series finish: 38th – Martinsville (10/30/21)
Best career series finish: 13th – Darlington (9/5/21)
Daytona stats: First Daytona start in series