Trucks will try new qualifying format

Qualifying for Friday night’s SFP 250 will mark the first time the Camping World Truck Series will use NASCAR’s new knockout procedures — weather permitting. Qualifying was rained out at the first two events, at Daytona and at Martinsville.

“It will be cool to have our turn at the madness,” said four-time trucks champion Ron Hornaday Jr., whose 51 wins are the most in the trucks series.

The new format has been popular in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide series. Instead of single-car qualifying, the entire field takes the track for a 25-minute first round.

The 24 drivers that post the fastest single laps from the first qualifying round advance to the second round. The remaining drivers will be sorted based on times posted in the first round of qualifying in descending order.

In the second qualifying round, lasting 10 minutes, the 12 drivers that post the fastest single lap time advance to the third and final round. In the final round, the fastest single lap time in a five-minute session determines the first 12 starting positions.

As a 13-year veteran of the trucks series, defending champion Matt Crafton was delighted when Camping World extended its title sponsorship through 2022.

“It’s huge for me and for all the owners, for every one of the crew guys and for everybody involved in the Camping World Truck Series,” said Crafton, 37.

“I know when I read it that morning, I was ecstatic just to know that Camping World and the Camping World Truck Series is going to be around for a long time to come. I know it was a big breath of fresh air for NASCAR, too. … They have to sign two series sponsors (for Sprint Cup after 2016 and Nationwide for 2015), and they got one of them out of the way.”

Ryan Blaney turned the fastest time Thursday among the 31 drivers in trucks series practice, which was delayed by about 45 minutes because of rain.

Blaney turned in a speed of 176.148 mph in the second practice session in a Ford. Rookie Ben Kennedy was right behind at 176.016 mph in a Chevy.

Rookie Jeb Burton led the first practice at 175.530 mph in a Toyota, followed by Blaney’s 175.165.

Three Sprint Cup regulars — Kyle Busch, Joey Logano and Austin Dillon — will run in the trucks race.

This story was originally published May 8, 2014 at 7:15 PM with the headline "Trucks will try new qualifying format ."