NCTWS Rookie Secured Fifth Place Finish in Debut Plate Race at Daytona International Speedway
FLAGLER BEACH, Fla. (October 20, 2015) – As the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) is set to make its second trip to a superspeedway track this year, rookie driver Ray Black Jr. is ready for the opportunities and challenges that come along with that unique style of racing. The driver of the No. 07 ScubaLife.com Chevrolet made his debut restrictor-plate start in the 2015 season-opener at Daytona International Speedway, where he surprised much of the racing world by securing a fifth place finish in the Nextera Energy Resources 250.
For many drivers, restrictor-plate racing has a negative connotation to it as many factors are out of their control. Black, however, looks forward to the obstacles that come with this racing style.
“I love it! I think it’s awesome,” explained Black. “Yeah, you may be running behind someone for a little bit, but when you get side-by-side with another truck it’s incredible. Even if we are running single file for a while, I never get bored behind the wheel. I think it’s exciting! Some of the most exciting racing we do.”
Despite never having raced at a superspeedway before the start of this season, Black went into the race at Daytona International Speedway expecting a solid finish. Securing a fifth place finish in the first race of the season caught the attention of many eyes in the industry.
“I went into Daytona thinking we had a good shot at a great finish. I was really looking for a Top-5 finish there and we managed to make that happen,” said Black. “I was on a roll going into that weekend. I had a lot of family and friends there since the track is so close to my home. It was great weekend from start to finish!”
Now coming back to restrictor-plate racing at Talladega Superspeedway, Black plans to rely on parts of his strategy and experience at Daytona to turn a great finish into a win.
“I like to race the whole time and not ride around in the back like some teams will do,” he explained. “I mean you can do whatever you want in the beginning, but later in the race is when track position really matters. We really got a strategy put together after that late-race wreck at Daytona. Most of the day we were mainly focusing on staying alive and not wrecking, and it worked out really well for us. If we can do that again, I see no reason why we can’t pull off the win!”
A win or solid finish at Talladega Superspeedway could be just what Black needs in order to launch himself back into the Top-10 in the championship standings with only five races remaining in the 2015 NCWTS season. He currently sits 11th in the standings, 28 points behind 10th place driver Spencer Gallagher.
Live coverage for the Fred’s 250 this weekend will begin on Saturday, October 24 at at 1 p.m. ET on FOX. MRN will also be providing radio coverage of the race.
Fans can keep up with Ray Black Jr.’s return to restrictor-plate racing this weekend by following him and his sponsor, ScubaLife, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @TeamScubaRacing and @RayBlackJr.
