Ankrum Looking to Make Some Noise in the Heartland
Making Some Noise … Tyler Ankrum is looking to make some noise as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series invades Kansas Speedway for the first of two visits this season. The driver of the No. 16 LiUNA! Toyota Tundra TRD Pro enters the “Sunflower State” refreshed after a two-week hiatus. So far in 2023 Ankrum has lead 15 laps, has one top-five and two top-10 finishes in seven starts this season. Ankrum will make his eighth start at Kansas Speedway in Saturday night’s Heart of America 200.
Just Plain Fast … The No. 16 HRE team has had immense success over the years in the Kansas plains. Since 2017, the team has earned one victory (Austin Hill – July 2020), four top-five and six top-10 finishes in nine starts with three different drivers at Kansas Speedway, during that stretch.
Season to Date … Through the first seven events of 2023, Ankrum is closing on the provisional playoff cut line as he sits 16th in the drivers’ championship point standings, just 46 markers out of 10th. Highlights of his short season to date include, 15 laps led, a season-best fourth-place finish at COTA, two top-10 finishes and a stage win at Daytona International Speedway.
Chassis Selection … Crew chief Doug Randolph and the No. 16 team have prepared chassis No. 017 for its second appearance of the season. This Toyota Tundra TRD Pro most recently finished 15th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March.
Tune In … Fox Sports 1 will carry live coverage from Kansas Speedway all day on Saturday, beginning with practice and qualifying at Noon ET, followed by the Heart of America 200 at 8:00 p.m. ET. Stay connected with the No. 16 LiUNA team by following @Hattori_Racing on Twitter, @hattoriracing on Instagram, and Hattori Racing Enterprises on Facebook.
Tyler Ankrum Quote:
On returning to a 1.5-mile track:
“It was nice to hit the reset button after Martinsville, with the two-week break. I’m excited to go to Kansas because of the track record this team has had over the years, and I think we’ll have a strong LiUNA! Toyota Tundra TRD Pro on Saturday. There is a ton of room at Kansas to move around and find what works best for you throughout a race. It seems like the more age that’s on the surface, the more beneficial the higher lane is. You’re definitely going to have to work every inch of the racetrack on Saturday night, so hopefully we can put ourselves in the right position and make the right decisions to be towards the front at the end of the night.”