Ryan Truex - No. 16 ADVICS / AISIN Group Toyota Tundra
It All Comes Down to This… Ryan Truex, driver of the No. 16 ADVICS / AISIN Group Toyota Tundra, enters the final race of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular season at Chicagoland Speedway with an opportunity to race his way into the playoffs. Truex and the Hattori Racing Enterprises team are on the cusp of transferring into the NCWTS post season in the organization’s first season of full-time competition. Making the playoffs would not only be a landmark event for HRE, but also for Truex. The New Jersey native is on the brink of advancing into the playoff field in his first full-time NCWTS season. Truex will need to overcome a seven-point deficit in Friday night’s Chicagoland 225 to make the group of eight playoff drivers.
Magnificent Mile and a Half… If there was a type of racetrack best suited for Truex and the No. 16 team to race their way into the playoff, a 1.5-mile speedway would likely be at the top of the list. In the five races on 1.5-milers this year, Truex has two top-five and four top-10 finishes, and only one finish worse than 13th. The two most recent races at “downforce” tracks on the NCWTS calendar also yielded top-five results for Truex, third at Pocono Raceway and fourth at Michigan International Speedway. Chicagoland Speedway presents Truex and HRE with the perfect time and place to advance to the playoffs.
Hot at Right Time…As the NCWTS reaches the most crucial juncture of the season, Truex has been on a hot streak. Over the last four races leading into this week’s regular season finale, Truex has scored three top-finishes to stay within striking distance of a playoff berth. To date, Truex has put together an impressive 2017 campaign by tallying five top-five and ten top-10 finishes, and earning two stage victories. Truex recorded a 15th-place finish last September in his only previous NCWTS start at Chicagoland with HRE.
ADVICS on Board… ADVICS develops outstanding brake systems through their continuous study of vehicle kinematic performance. ADVICS strives to provide exceptional vehicle safety and comfort for the world over, while being environmentally responsible. Their expertise as a leading brake system supplier, along with experience using the latest electronic technologies, helps ADVICS exceed customer expectations.
Chassis Selection… HRE chassis No. 007 is making another appearance for the most impactful race of the season to date. Chassis No. 007 debuted at Pocono in July and has racked up two top-five finishes in its first two outings. Truex finished third at Pocono and fourth at Michigan in August behind the wheel of this Toyota Tundra.
Tune In…FOX Sports 1 will carry live coverage of the regular season finale as Truex looks to advance to the playoffs. Coverage of qualifying begins at 5 p.m. ET on Friday evening on FS1, followed by the green flag of the 150-lap regular season finale at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Ryan Truex Quote:
On making his second-career NCWTS start at Chicagoland:
“Chicagoland is worn out and bumpy, so it’ll be important to get our Tundra handling through the bumps. Every time I’ve been there, you’ve had to move around at some point in the race and try to find grip, and I’m sure it’ll be the same way Friday night. We’ve had great speed at the last few intermediate races, so I’m looking forward to try and finally get our ADVICS / AISIN Group Toyota in victory lane. We’ve been fast virtually everywhere this season, and these guys have put so much effort in all year. We’re bringing back the truck we had at Pocono and Michigan that was really fast, so I have all the confidence in the world we can have a good night on Friday.”
On the final race of the NCWTS regular season:
“At the beginning of the season, you just want a shot to compete for a championship, and we have that in front of us. This ADVICS / AISIN Group team has proved we belong in the playoffs all year long. Every race we’ve shown up trying to win, and this week is no different. We’ve had great speed almost every week this year, so we’re going to keep doing what we’ve been doing all season -- get stage points, stage wins, and put ourselves in position to win the race.”
