Photo by Jonathan Moore/NASCAR via Getty Images
Team Information:
Crew Chief: Bud Haefele
Manufacturer: Toyota
Engine: Triad Racing Technologies
2016 Driver Points: 14th
2016 Owner Points: 16th
Sounding Off – Rico Abreu:
Is Martinsville one of the more physically demanding tracks that you race on in the Truck Series?
“It can be, yeah. You are heavy on the gas, heavy on the break, you’re always looking in your mirror, and in lap traffic. I feel like if you have a good Tundra though, and you put yourself in a good position, it will take away a lot of those variables. So, that’s our plan. Don’t worry about the guys behind us, just chase down the guys in front of us.”
News & Notes:
- Chassis Chatter… The No. 98 ThorSport Racing team will unload chassis No. 45 for Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Texas Roadhouse 200 at Martinsville Speedway. This is the same chassis Abreu raced at Kansas Speedway (22nd), Iowa Speedway (18th), Gateway Motorsports Park (14th), Kentucky Speedway (15th), and New Hampshire (17th) earlier this season.
- Calling the Shots… Bud Haefele will continue to serve as interim crew chief for Rico Abreu and the No. 98 Safelite AutoGlass Toyota Tundra team for the remainder of the 2016 season. The ThorSport Racing veteran has called the shots for 181 NCWTS races to date, since 2004, including 175 races with Matt Crafton from 2005-2011. Haefele’s success includes two wins with Crafton (2008 and 2011), six poles, 42 top-five, and 96 top-10 finishes.
- Martinsville Minute… Abreu will make his second career start at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday. In his track debut earlier this season, the ThorSport Racing driver started 20th, and finished 10th.
- 2016 Dirt Success… In 85 races this season, Abreu has 16 wins, 31 top-five, and 43 top-10 finishes.
- Rookie Stripe… Abreu, who is competing for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in 2016, is currently fifth in the standings after 19 races this season.
- Race Rewind – Talladega… Making his track debut at Talladega Superspeedway, Abreu started 24th, ran as high as fourth, and finished fourth. The top-five result was Abreu’s second career top-five finish.
Abreu’s Martinsville Speedway NCWTS Stats:
- Starts: 1 (April, 2016)
- Started: 20th
- Finished: 10th
- Laps Led: 0
- Laps Completed: 255 of 255 (100%)
Abreu’s 2016 NCWTS Stats:
- Starts: 19
- Top-5 Finishes: 2
- Top-10 Finishes: 5
- Best Start: 10th (Charlotte)
- Best Finish: 3rd (Eldora)
- Laps Completed: 2768 of 2808 (98.6%)
- Laps Led: 1 (Charlotte)
- Average Start: 19.1
- Average Finish: 16.1
Abreu’s Career NCWTS Stats:
- Starts: 21 since 2015
- Top-5 finishes: 2
- Top-10 finishes: 5
- Laps Led: 1 (Charlotte, 2016)
- Laps Completed: 2946
- Best start: 10th (Charlotte, 2016)
- Average Start: 18.6
- Average Finish: 16.5
2016 Dirt Highlights:
- Races: 85
- Wins: 16
- Top-5 Finishes: 31
- Top-10 Finishes: 43
Wins:
- Jan 13 Tulsa, OK – Tulsa Expo Raceway – Preliminary Qualifier Night, 30th Annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals – Keith Kunz Motorsports, Midgets.
- Jan 16 Tulsa, OK – Tulsa Expo Raceway – 30th Annual Chili Bowl Feature Event – Keith Kunz Motorsports, Midgets
- April 15 Chico, CA – Silver Dollar Speedway – Abreu Vineyards 410 Winged Sprint Car
- April 15 Placerville, CA – Placerville Speedway – Abreu Vineyards 410 Winged Sprint Car
- May 28 Orrville, OH – Wayne County Speedway – Abreu Vineyards 410 Winged Sprint Car
- June 5 Kokomo, IN – Kokomo Speedway – Keith Kunz Motorsports, Midget
- June 20 Orrville, OH – Wayne County Speedway – Abreu Vineyards 410 Winged Sprint Car
- July 23 Kokomo, IN – Kokomo Speedway – Abreu Vineyards 410 Winged Sprint Car
- August 6, Pevely, MO – Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 – 410 Winged Sprint Car
- August 12, Knoxville, IA – Qualifying Night, 56th Annual Knoxville Nationals – 410 Winged Sprint Car
- August 21, Brandon, SD – Badlands Motor Speedway – Abreu Vineyards 410 Winged Sprint Car
- September 10, 2016 Chico, CA – Silver Dollar Speedway – Abreu Vineyards 410 Winged Sprint Car
- September 24, 2016 Rossburg, OH – Eldora Speedway – Keith Kunz Motorsports, Midgets
- October 8, 2016 Rossburg, OH – Eldora Speedway – Abreu Vineyards 410 Winged Sprint Car
- October 14, 2016 Hanford, CA – Keller Auto Speedway – Abreu Vineyards 360 Winged Sprint Car
- October 15, 2016 Hanford, CA – Keller Auto Speedway – Abreu Vineyards 410 Winged Sprint Car
Abreu’s Career Stats:
- 2011 360 Winged Sprint Car Series Rookie of the Year
- 2012 won the Trophy Cup at Thunderbowl Raceway
- 2012 USAC National Midget Series Rookie of the Year
- 2013 & 2014 Belleville Midget Nationals Winner
- 2013 4 Crown Nationals Winner at Eldora Speedway
- 2013 & 2014 Johnny Key Classic Winner – One of five drivers to win back-to-back titles
- 2013 USAC Gold Crown Midget Nationals
- 2014 USAC Midget National Champion
- 2015 Chili Bowl Nationals Winner
- 2015 Pepsi Nationals Winner
- 2015 NASCAR K&N Series Most Popular Driver
- 2016 Chili Bowl Nationals Winner
Race Information:
Date: Saturday, October 29, 2016
Time: 1:30pm ET on FOX, MRN Radio & SiriusXM Channel 90
Track: .526-mile paperclip
Distance: 200 laps/105.2-miles