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2015 Kroger 250

{{Short description|3rd race of the 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series}}

{{Infobox NASCAR race report|Type=CUST|Pole_Team=Brad Keselowski Racing|Official_name=17th Annual Kroger 250|Network=FS1|Avg={{Convert|140.711|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}|Date=March 28|Pole_Driver=Joey Logano|Most_Driver=Joey Logano|Most_Team=Brad Keselowski Racing|First_Driver=Joey Logano|First_Team=Brad Keselowski Racing|Car=29|Most_laps=150|Scheduled_laps=250|Location=Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway, Virginia|Scheduled_mi=131|Scheduled_km=211|Distance_km=218|Distance_laps=258|Radio=MRN|Description=Race 3 of 23 of the 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series|Pole_Time=19.504|Course_km=0.847|Course_mi=0.526|Race_Name=Kroger 250|Year=2015|Distance_mi=135|Announcers=Adam Alexander, Phil Parsons, and Michael Waltrip}}

The 2015 Kroger 250 was the 3rd stock car race of the 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and the 17th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, March 28, 2015, in Ridgeway, Virginia at Martinsville Speedway, a 0.526 mile (0.847 km) permanent paper-clip shaped short track. The race was originally scheduled to be contested over 250 laps, but was increased to 258 laps, due to a NASCAR overtime finish. Joey Logano, driving for Brad Keselowski Racing, would hold off Matt Crafton on the final restart, and would earn his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win. Logano would also become the 26th driver to win a race in all three of NASCAR's national series. Logano and Crafton would dominate the entire race, leading 150 and 100 laps, respectively.{{Cite web |last=Bonkowski |first=Jerry |date=March 28, 2015 |title=Perfect restart leads Joey Logano to first career Truck win |url=https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2015/03/28/perfect-restart-leads-joey-logano-to-first-career-truck-win/ |access-date=November 28, 2023 |website=NASCAR Talk {{!}} NBC Sports |language=en}} To fill out the podium, Crafton, driving for ThorSport Racing, and Erik Jones, driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

Background

File:Martinsville_Speedway_track_map.png, the circuit where the race was held.]]

Martinsville Speedway is a NASCAR-owned stock car racing short track in Ridgeway, Virginia, just south of Martinsville. At {{convert|0.526|mi|m}} in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved oval tracks in stock car racing, being built in 1947 by partners H. Clay Earles, Henry Lawrence, and Sam Rice, nearly a year before NASCAR was officially formed.{{Cite web |title=HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 76 |url=https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?001+ful+HJ76ER+pdf }} It is also the only race track that has been on the NASCAR circuit from its beginning in 1948. Along with this, Martinsville is the only oval track on the NASCAR circuit to have asphalt surfaces on the straightaways and concrete to cover the turns.

= Entry list =

  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
  • (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"

!#

!Driver

!Team

!Make

!Sponsor

00

|Cole Custer

|JR Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|Haas Automation

1

|Travis Kvapil

|MAKE Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|Bubba Burger, Kioti Tractors

02

|Tyler Young

|Young's Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|Randco, Young's Building Systems

4

|Erik Jones (R)

|Kyle Busch Motorsports

|Toyota

|Toyota

05

|John Wes Townley

|Athenian Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|Zaxby's

6

|Norm Benning

|Norm Benning Racing

|Chevrolet

|Norm Benning Racing

07

|Ray Black Jr. (R)

|SS-Green Light Racing

|Chevrolet

|ScubaLife

7

|Gray Gaulding

|Red Horse Racing

|Toyota

|Krispy Kreme

08

|Korbin Forrister (R)

|BJMM with SS-Green Light Racing

|Chevrolet

|Tilted Kilt

8

|John Hunter Nemechek (R)

|SWM-NEMCO Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|D. A. B. Constructors

10

|Jennifer Jo Cobb

|Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing

|Chevrolet

|[https://driven2honor.org Driven2Honor.org]

11

|Ben Kennedy

|Red Horse Racing

|Toyota

|Local Motors

13

|Cameron Hayley (R)

|ThorSport Racing

|Toyota

|Cabinets by Hayley

14

|Daniel Hemric (R)

|NTS Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|California Clean Power

15

|Mason Mingus

|Billy Boat Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|Billy Boat Performance Exhaust

17

|Timothy Peters

|Red Horse Racing

|Toyota

|Red Horse Racing

19

|Tyler Reddick

|Brad Keselowski Racing

|Ford

|DrawTite

23

|Spencer Gallagher (R)

|GMS Racing

|Chevrolet

|Allegiant Travel Company

25

|Matt Tifft

|Venturini Motorsports

|Toyota

|Clinical RM, Honoring Ebola Fighters

29

|Joey Logano (i)

|Brad Keselowski Racing

|Ford

|Cooper-Standard Automotive

31

|James Buescher

|NTS Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|ERT Investments

33

|Brandon Jones (R)

|GMS Racing

|Chevrolet

|Masterforce Tool Storage

35

|Tommy Regan

|B. J. McLeod Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|Blue Diamond Almonds, American Tactical

50

|Cody Ware

|MAKE Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|Burnie Grill

51

|Daniel Suárez (i)

|Kyle Busch Motorsports

|Toyota

|Arris

54

|Justin Boston (R)

|Kyle Busch Motorsports

|Toyota

|ZLOOP

63

|Jake Griffin

|MB Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|Mittler Bros. Machine & Tool

74

|Paige Decker

|Mike Harmon Racing

|Chevrolet

|Seubert Calf Ranches

75

|Caleb Holman

|Henderson Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|Food Country USA, Morning Fresh Farms

86

|Brandon Brown

|Brandonbilt Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|Brandonbilt Foundations

87

|Chuck Buchanan Jr.

|Charles Buchanan Racing

|Ford

|Spring Drug

88

|Matt Crafton

|ThorSport Racing

|Toyota

|Hormel Pepperoni, Menards

92

|David Gilliland (i)

|RBR Enterprises

|Ford

|Black's Tire Service, Goodyear

94

|Wendell Chavous

|Premium Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|Testoril, The Glow Zone

98

|Johnny Sauter

|ThorSport Racing

|Toyota

|Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff

99

|Bryan Silas

|T3R2

|Chevrolet

|Kapoya Premium Energy Drink

colspan="5" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20150418012254/http://www.jayski.com/news/campingworld/2015/story/_/page/2015cts03martinsville-entry Official entry list]

Practice

The first and only practice session was held on Friday, March 27, at 3:00 PM EST, and would last for 2 hours and 30 minutes.{{Cite web |title=2015 Truck Series Martinsville Spring Race Info |url=https://www.jayski.com/news/campingworld/2015/story/_/page/2015cts-03martinsville |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418010718/https://www.jayski.com/news/campingworld/2015/story/_/page/2015cts-03martinsville |archive-date=April 18, 2015 |access-date=November 28, 2023 |website=Jayski's NASCAR Silly Season Site |language=en-US}} Cole Custer, driving for JR Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 19.711, and an average speed of {{Convert|96.068|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{Cite web |last=Bearden |first=Aaron |date=March 27, 2015 |title=Cole Custer Paces 2015 Kroger 250 Practice at Martinsville |url=https://frontstretch.com/2015/03/27/cole-custer-paces-truck-martinsville-practice/ |access-date=November 28, 2023 |website=Frontstretch |language=en-US}} Three practice sessions were scheduled to take place, but due to constant rain showers, only one lengthy session was run.

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"

!Pos.

!#

!Driver

!Team

!Make

!Time

!Speed

1

|00

|Cole Custer

|JR Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|19.711

|96.068

2

|13

|Cameron Hayley (R)

|ThorSport Racing

|Toyota

|19.803

|95.622

3

|98

|Johnny Sauter

|ThorSport Racing

|Toyota

|19.822

|95.530

colspan="7" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20170801164425/http://www.jayski.com/cts/next/2015/pdfs/cts_03martinsville2015prac1.pdf Full first practice results]

Qualifying

Qualifying was held on Saturday, March 28, at 11:15 AM EST. The qualifying system used is a multi car, multi lap, three round system where in the first round, everyone would set a time to determine positions 25–32. Then, the fastest 24 qualifiers would move on to the second round to determine positions 13–24. Lastly, the fastest 12 qualifiers would move on to the third round to determine positions 1–12.{{Cite web |title=NASCAR Qualifying Rules |url=http://www.jayski.com/news/pages/story/_/page/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup-Series-Qualifying-Rules |access-date=November 28, 2023 |website=Jayski's NASCAR Silly Season Site |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150303175127/http://www.jayski.com/news/pages/story/_/page/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup-Series-Qualifying-Rules |archive-date=2015-03-03 |language=en}}

Joey Logano, driving for Brad Keselowski Racing, would win the pole after advancing from the preliminary rounds and setting the fastest time in Round 3, with a lap of 19.504, and an average speed of {{Convert|97.088|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{Cite web |last=Ifeguni |first=David |date=March 28, 2015 |title=Spin & Win: Joey Logano Wins 2015 Kroger 250 Pole at Martinsville |url=https://frontstretch.com/2015/03/28/spin-and-win-joey-logano-wins-martinsville-truck-qualifying/ |access-date=November 28, 2023 |website=Frontstretch |language=en-US}}

Wendell Chavous, Brandon Brown, Paige Decker, and Chuck Buchanan Jr. would fail to qualify.

= Full qualifying results =

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"

!Pos.

!#

!Driver

!Team

!Make

!Time (R1)

!Speed (R1)

!Time (R2)

!Speed (R2)

!Time (R3)

!Speed (R3)

1

|29

|Joey Logano (i)

|Brad Keselowski Racing

|Ford

|19.951

|94.913

|19.839

|95.448

|19.504

|97.088

2

|00

|Cole Custer

|JR Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|19.986

|94.746

|19.702

|96.112

|19.598

|96.622

3

|13

|Cameron Hayley (R)

|ThorSport Racing

|Toyota

|20.080

|94.303

|19.722

|96.015

|19.623

|96.499

4

|4

|Erik Jones (R)

|Kyle Busch Motorsports

|Toyota

|20.154

|93.957

|19.796

|95.656

|19.652

|96.357

5

|05

|John Wes Townley

|Athenian Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|19.955

|94.894

|19.777

|95.748

|19.725

|96.000

6

|33

|Brandon Jones (R)

|GMS Racing

|Chevrolet

|20.046

|94.463

|19.862

|95.338

|19.737

|95.942

7

|19

|Tyler Reddick

|Brad Keselowski Racing

|Ford

|19.969

|94.827

|19.830

|95.492

|19.755

|95.854

8

|92

|David Gilliland (i)

|RBR Enterprises

|Ford

|20.014

|94.614

|19.837

|95.458

|19.782

|95.723

9

|98

|Johnny Sauter

|ThorSport Racing

|Toyota

|20.072

|94.340

|19.810

|95.588

|19.801

|95.632

10

|02

|Tyler Young

|Young's Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|20.018

|94.595

|19.851

|95.391

|19.858

|95.357

11

|51

|Daniel Suárez (i)

|Kyle Busch Motorsports

|Toyota

|20.034

|94.519

|19.815

|95.564

|19.873

|95.285

12

|7

|Gray Gaulding

|Red Horse Racing

|Toyota

|20.134

|94.050

|19.824

|95.521

|19.883

|95.237

colspan="11" |Eliminated in Round 2
13

|88

|Matt Crafton

|ThorSport Racing

|Toyota

|20.055

|94.420

|19.866

|95.319

|–

|–

14

|14

|Daniel Hemric (R)

|NTS Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|20.056

|94.416

|19.868

|95.309

|–

|–

15

|31

|James Buescher

|NTS Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|20.150

|93.975

|19.880

|95.252

|–

|–

16

|8

|John Hunter Nemechek (R)

|SWM-NEMCO Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|19.980

|94.775

|19.892

|95.194

|–

|–

17

|17

|Timothy Peters

|Red Horse Racing

|Toyota

|20.031

|94.533

|19.896

|95.175

|–

|–

18

|23

|Spencer Gallagher (R)

|GMS Racing

|Chevrolet

|20.063

|94.383

|19.898

|95.165

|–

|–

19

|25

|Matt Tifft

|Venturini Motorsports

|Toyota

|20.018

|94.595

|19.921

|95.055

|–

|–

20

|15

|Mason Mingus

|Billy Boat Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|20.148

|93.985

|19.932

|95.003

|–

|–

21

|54

|Justin Boston (R)

|Kyle Busch Motorsports

|Toyota

|20.131

|94.064

|19.949

|94.922

|–

|–

22

|11

|Ben Kennedy

|Red Horse Racing

|Toyota

|20.163

|93.915

|20.091

|94.251

|–

|–

23

|75

|Caleb Holman

|Henderson Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|20.069

|94.354

|20.159

|93.933

|–

|–

24

|63

|Jake Griffin

|MB Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|20.213

|93.682

|20.160

|93.929

|–

|–

colspan="11" |Eliminated in Round 1
25

|99

|Bryan Silas

|T3R2

|Chevrolet

|20.265

|93.442

|–

|–

|–

|–

26

|07

|Ray Black Jr. (R)

|SS-Green Light Racing

|Chevrolet

|20.265

|93.442

|–

|–

|–

|–

27

|08

|Korbin Forrister (R)

|BJMM with SS-Green Light Racing

|Chevrolet

|20.289

|93.331

|–

|–

|–

|–

colspan="11" |Qualified by owner's points
28

|50

|Cody Ware

|MAKE Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|20.510

|92.326

|–

|–

|–

|–

29

|6

|Norm Benning

|Norm Benning Racing

|Chevrolet

|20.565

|92.079

|–

|–

|–

|–

30

|35

|Tommy Regan

|B. J. McLeod Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|20.676

|91.584

|–

|–

|–

|–

31

|10

|Jennifer Jo Cobb

|Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing

|Chevrolet

|20.843

|90.851

|–

|–

|–

|–

colspan="11" |Past champion provisional
32

|1

|Travis Kvapil

|MAKE Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|20.719

|91.394

|–

|–

|–

|–

colspan="11" |Failed to qualify
33

|94

|Wendell Chavous

|Premium Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|20.560

|92.101

|–

|–

|–

|–

34

|86

|Brandon Brown

|Brandonbilt Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|20.901

|90.599

|–

|–

|–

|–

35

|74

|Paige Decker

|Mike Harmon Racing

|Chevrolet

|21.009

|90.133

|–

|–

|–

|–

36

|87

|Chuck Buchanan Jr.

|Charles Buchanan Racing

|Ford

|22.385

|84.592

|–

|–

|–

|–

colspan="11" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20150919144630/http://www.jayski.com/cts/next/2015/pdfs/cts_03martinsville2015qualresults.pdf Official qualifying results]
colspan="11" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20170801180926/http://www.jayski.com/cts/next/2015/pdfs/cts_03martinsville2015lineup.pdf Official starting lineup]

Race results

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"

!Fin{{Cite web |title=2015 Kroger 250 - Racing Reference |url=https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/2015_Kroger_250/C/ |access-date=November 28, 2023 |website=Racing-Reference.info}}

!St

!#

!Driver

!Team

!Make

!Laps

!Led

!Status

!Pts

!Winnings

1

|1

|29

|Joey Logano (i)

|Brad Keselowski Racing

|Ford

|258

|150

|Running

|0

|$51,336

2

|13

|88

|Matt Crafton

|ThorSport Racing

|Toyota

|258

|100

|Running

|43

|$31,542

3

|4

|4

|Erik Jones (R)

|Kyle Busch Motorsports

|Toyota

|258

|2

|Running

|42

|$25,488

4

|9

|98

|Johnny Sauter

|ThorSport Racing

|Toyota

|258

|0

|Running

|40

|$19,518

5

|7

|19

|Tyler Reddick

|Brad Keselowski Racing

|Ford

|258

|0

|Running

|39

|$18,458

6

|11

|51

|Daniel Suárez (i)

|Kyle Busch Motorsports

|Toyota

|258

|0

|Running

|0

|$16,574

7

|15

|31

|James Buescher

|NTS Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|258

|0

|Running

|37

|$14,158

8

|5

|05

|John Wes Townley

|Athenian Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|258

|0

|Running

|36

|$16,352

9

|19

|25

|Matt Tifft

|Venturini Motorsports

|Toyota

|258

|0

|Running

|35

|$16,297

10

|21

|54

|Justin Boston (R)

|Kyle Busch Motorsports

|Toyota

|258

|0

|Running

|34

|$17,191

11

|3

|13

|Cameron Hayley (R)

|ThorSport Racing

|Toyota

|258

|0

|Running

|33

|$16,186

12

|14

|14

|Daniel Hemric (R)

|NTS Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|258

|0

|Running

|32

|$16,046

13

|26

|07

|Ray Black Jr. (R)

|SS-Green Light Racing

|Chevrolet

|258

|0

|Running

|31

|$15,990

14

|18

|23

|Spencer Gallagher (R)

|GMS Racing

|Chevrolet

|258

|0

|Running

|30

|$15,935

15

|6

|33

|Brandon Jones (R)

|GMS Racing

|Chevrolet

|258

|0

|Running

|29

|$16,252

16

|2

|00

|Cole Custer

|JR Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|258

|2

|Running

|29

|$15,769

17

|12

|7

|Gray Gaulding

|Red Horse Racing

|Toyota

|257

|0

|Running

|27

|$13,663

18

|17

|17

|Timothy Peters

|Red Horse Racing

|Toyota

|257

|0

|Running

|26

|$15,658

19

|22

|11

|Ben Kennedy

|Red Horse Racing

|Toyota

|257

|0

|Running

|25

|$15,602

20

|10

|02

|Tyler Young

|Young's Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|257

|0

|Running

|24

|$16,019

21

|23

|75

|Caleb Holman

|Henderson Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|257

|0

|Running

|23

|$13,241

22

|20

|15

|Mason Mingus

|Billy Boat Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|256

|4

|Running

|23

|$13,213

23

|27

|08

|Korbin Forrister (R)

|BJMM with SS-Green Light Racing

|Chevrolet

|255

|0

|Running

|21

|$15,436

24

|31

|10

|Jennifer Jo Cobb

|Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing

|Chevrolet

|250

|0

|Running

|20

|$14,130

25

|30

|35

|Tommy Regan

|B. J. McLeod Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|248

|0

|Running

|19

|$14,197

26

|24

|63

|Jake Griffin

|MB Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|218

|0

|Handling

|18

|$12,992

27

|28

|50

|Cody Ware

|MAKE Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|216

|0

|Vibration

|17

|$12,964

28

|29

|6

|Norm Benning

|Norm Benning Racing

|Chevrolet

|174

|0

|Rear Gear

|16

|$12,716

29

|16

|8

|John Hunter Nemechek (R)

|SWM-NEMCO Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|173

|0

|Transmission

|15

|$12,660

30

|8

|92

|David Gilliland (i)

|RBR Enterprises

|Ford

|132

|0

|Brakes

|0

|$12,160

31

|25

|99

|Bryan Silas

|T3R2

|Chevrolet

|120

|0

|Overheating

|13

|$10,660

32

|32

|1

|Travis Kvapil

|MAKE Motorsports

|Chevrolet

|83

|0

|Rear Gear

|12

|$9,660

colspan="11" |[https://web.archive.org/web/20170801200157/http://www.jayski.com/cts/next/2015/pdfs/cts_03martinsville2015results.pdf Official race results]

Standings after the race

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

;Drivers' Championship standings

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
! Pos

! Driver

! Points

align="left"| 10px 1

| style="text-align:center;"| 1

| Matt Crafton

| style="text-align:center;"| 128

align="left"| 10px 1

| style="text-align:center;"| 2

| Tyler Reddick

| style="text-align:center;"| 126 (-2)

align="left"| 10px

| style="text-align:center;"| 3

| Erik Jones

| style="text-align:center;"| 122 (–6)

align="left"| 10px

| style="text-align:center;"| 4

| Johnny Sauter

| style="text-align:center;"| 112 (–16)

align="left"| 10px

| style="text-align:center;"| 5

| James Buescher

| style="text-align:center;"| 100 (–28)

align="left"| 10px 6

| style="text-align:center;"| 6

| John Wes Townley

| style="text-align:center;"| 90 (–38)

align="left"| 10px 1

| style="text-align:center;"| 7

| Ray Black Jr.

| style="text-align:center;"| 89 (–39)

align="left"| 10px 7

| style="text-align:center;"| 8

| Cameron Hayley

| style="text-align:center;"| 84 (–44)

align="left"| 10px 4

| style="text-align:center;"| 9

| Spencer Gallagher

| style="text-align:center;"| 84 (–44)

align="left"| 10px 3

| style="text-align:center;"| 10

| Ben Kennedy

| style="text-align:center;"| 83 (–45)

colspan="9"|[https://web.archive.org/web/20170801191125/http://www.jayski.com/cts/next/2015/pdfs/cts_03martinsville2015driverpoints.pdf Official driver's standings]

  • Note: Only the first 10 positions are included for the driver standings.

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References

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Category:NASCAR races at Martinsville Speedway

Category:March 2015 sports events in the United States

Category:2015 in sports in Virginia