Grant Enfinger - Texas Motor Speedway Preview

Grant Enfinger, No. 98 Champion Power Equipment/Curb Records Ford F-150

NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series

Texas Motor Speedway – Vankor 350

Race No. 5 of 23

Team Info/Stats:

Crew Chief: Jeff Hensley

2019 Driver Point Standings: 2nd

2019 Owner Point Standings: 4th

Spotter: Chris Lambert

News and Notes:

Lone Star Stats… Grant Enfinger will make his fifth NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series (NGOTS) start at the Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) Friday night. In four previous starts at the 1.5-mile track, the ThorSport Racing driver has led eight laps en route to two top-five and three top-10 finishes, with a track-best start of fifth (2017-1), and a track-best finish of third (2017-1).
This Week's No. 98 Champion Power Equipment/Curb Records Ford F-150... The No. 98 ThorSport Racing team will unload chassis No. 44 for Friday night’s NGOTS Vankor 350 at TMS. This is the same chassis Enfinger drove to victory lane at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (September), and started on the pole with at Homestead-Miami Speedway (November) in 2018. In eight starts in 2018, this particular chassis secured one win, one pole, four top-five and seven top-10 finishes. Most recently, the Champion Power Equipment driver finished 11th with this particular chassis, after starting fourth, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway earlier this month.
10 Years Ago… Mike Curb, owner of the No. 98 at ThorSport Racing, won his first NGOTS race at TMS with driver Johnny Sauter 10 years ago, this year (2009). Since, Curb has had 20 starts in the Lone Star State with driver’s Johnny Sauter (2009-2015), Rico Abreu (2016), and Grant Enfinger (2017-present), leading 232 laps en route to two wins, eight top-five and 15 top-10 finishes.
Intermediate Track Facts… In 27 starts on an intermediate-size track (1.5-1.54-miles) in his NGOTS career, Enfinger has one pole (Homestead, 2018), one win (Las Vegas, 2018), and has led 115 laps en route to eight top-five, and 19 top-10 finishes.
Ford Fact… Ford powered F-150's have found victory lane 98 times since 1995 in the NGOTS, including three times at TMS with Kenny Irwin, Jr. (1997), Tony Raines (1998), and Greg Biffle (2000).
Take Me Back – Martinsville… Enfinger started 19th in Saturday’s TruNorth Global 250 at Martinsville Speedway. Finishing 18th in Stage 1, and 17th in Stage 2, Enfinger was able to muscle his way to a seventh-place finish in the 250-lape event. The top-10 result was Enfinger’s third top-10 finish of the 2019 season.
Truck Series Stats… Enfinger has 64 career NGOTS starts to his credit. His success includes three poles, and 277 laps led en route to two wins, 20 top-five and 38 top-10 finishes.

Chatting with Grant Enfinger...

In the last four races at TMS, you’ve been statistically better in the spring race versus the fall race. What are the differences in the track and your truck in the spring versus the fall?

“The last couple of years we’ve raced during the summer for the first race, and the final race has been in November, so track temps are a big factor. This year is a little different, as we’re racing in the spring, and temps should be moderate. Texas has a lot of grip, but it is starting to get some of its character back - Turns 3 and 4 are getting some bumps now. It has some challenges with Turn 1 being so flat, and Turns 3 and 4 having a ton of banking to hold you. This forces you to compromise a little on setup. We had good Ford F-150’s at both Texas races last year, so we’re looking to make them even better this time around.”

What’s your favorite No Limits, Texas tradition?

“A couple of my favorite traditions when we go to Texas would be to have the chicken-fried steak at Babes, and the Buc-ee's experience – they have the best beef jerky.”