2018 Round 21: Texas

We are getting closer and closer to the home stretch in the championship. With plenty of races to go, Jake West is looking to try and hold on to that points lead after his rival of TJ Martin experienced mechanical issues in the previous race. As a result Martin dropped several spots, relegating him down in 4th in points. John Arndt was close to winning Phoenix before Sean Angel spoiled the party, granting the Canadian his first ever victory, making him the second different driver for Rodriguez Racing to obtain victory.

Now, it's time for the HNS regulars to head to Fort Worth, Texas, where the famed Texas Motor Speedway resides. With a recent new configuration and a new track surface, it will be quite the hurdle for the drivers to overcome. The Sony Cup Series drivers recently ran there, and there were a ton of wrecks and close action to summarize the utter chaos and hard racing there. In last year's HNS race, the old surface was even and smooth, with plenty of rubber on the track. There were wild wrecks, and a close finish between John Arndt and Dylan Schwallenberg, with Schwallenberg obtaining his first victory in his career. The mass amount of appeal Arndt got was amazing, and many applauded him for his efforts. With strong runs coming in this year, Arndt is looking to redeem himself after ending up just short of victory last year at the very same track. With Arndt being 17 points behind West, he'll have to do well, as well as have some luck on his side if he wants to take a bite out of West's point lead.

There are many hometown heroes for Texas, with notables such as John Arndt, Eric Demax, and Aidan Shepherd, with those 3 drivers winning 4 races in total this year. However, a new hometown driver will debut at Texas, and that will be JJ Roberts. He will be piloting the #25 Dr. Pepper Chevy Camaro for Flying Aces Racing, and with a lot of pressure and expectations, Roberts will do the best he can to live up to the potential he has in store for 2019.

Entry list for Texas (HNS):

#0 - Hannah Allen (R)
#2 - Matt Daleo
#4 - Jake West
#5 - Jonathan Zoerlein (R)
#6 - Sean Angel (R)
#7 - Caleb Farrell (R)
#8 - Alex Benyacko (R)
#9 - Chris Louviere
#05 - Alexander Rowe
#07 - Emmett Juckem
#12 - Blaze McKinney
#14 - Cory Williams
#15 - Jake Rogers (R)
#16 - Eric Demax
#17 - James Richardson
#22 - Jeffery White (R)
#25 - JJ Roberts (R)
#26 - Vince Freeze
#27 - Daniel Bouchard
#29 - Max Ludger (R)
#36 - Kyle Keith (R)
#39 - Daniel Olson (R)
#40 - James Shelly
#51 - Rob Evans (R)
#53 - Jon Bunnell
#59 - Jack Hallec (R)
#60 - Aidan Shepherd (R)
#61 - Bradley Bishop Jr.
#62 - Samet Ozkan
#65 - Patrick Smith (R)
#66 - Anthony Marchesi (R)
#69 - Paul Jackson (R)
#70 - Carlie McDowell
#71 - TJ Martin
#74 - Robert Harrison
#81 - Elisheva Stolarz
#82 - Jonathan Wong
#86 - Kyle Basaglia
#88 - John Arndt
#92 - Will Lewis
#94 - Nick Samon
#95 - Jek Porkins (R)
#96 - Eric Monaco (R)
#99 - Vance Caldwell (R)

TJ Martin quickest in time charts

After heartbreak at Phoenix, TJ Martin is looking to regain lost ground as he qualified on pole on the freshly repaved Texas. Points leader Jake West will start 10th, while 2nd in points and hometown hero John Arndt will start in 8th. Anthony Marchesi, who's had a quiet season, will start 13th.

P # DRIVER TIME
1 71 TJ Martin 27.934
2 6 Sean Angel 27.984
3 14 Cory Williams 28.002
4 40 James Shelly 28.018
5 86 Kyle Basaglia 28.024
6 17 J Richardson 28.034
7 5 J Zoerlein 28.035
8 88 John Arndt 28.037
9 8 Alex Benyacko 28.043
10 4 Jake West 28.058
11 16 Eric Demax 28.060
12 60 Aidan Shepherd 28.077
13 66 A Marchesi 28.114
14 92 Will Lewis 28.131
15 95 Jek Porkins 28.152
16 07 Emmett Juckem 28.210
17 0 Hannah Allen 28.214
18 94 Nick Samon 28.264
19 12 Blaze McKinney 28.266
20 62 Samet Ozkan 28.304
21 7 Caleb Farrell 28.334
22 2 Matt Daleo 28.351
23 26 Vince Freeze 28.429
24 22 Jeffrey White 28.436
25 70 Carlie McDowell 28.441
26 61 B Bishop Jr. 28.447
27 05 Alexander Rowe 28.450
28 82 Jonathan Wong 28.466
29 27 Daniel Bouchard 28.499
30 25 JJ Roberts 28.511
31 99 Vance Caldwell 28.542
32 51 Rob Evans 28.545
33 9 Chris Louviere 28.550
34 36 Kyle Keith 28.639
35 81 E Stolarz 28.647
36 29 Max Ludger 28.666
37 39 Daniel Olson 28.716
38 74 Robert Harrison 28.724
39 59 Jack Hallec 28.763
40 15 Jake Rogers 28.785
41 69 Paul Jackson 28.814
42 96 Eric Monaco 28.856

DNQ: #53 Jon Bunnell, #65 Patrick Smith