BKR teammates look for first win at Iowa

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski will race in Sunday’s NASCAR XFINITY Series American Ethanol E15 250 presented by Enogen at Iowa Speedway.

One day earlier, two teammates of Brad Keselowksi Racing (BKR) will attempt to win their first race in Newton.

Daniel Hemric and Tyler Reddick will both take part in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Speediatrics 200 on Saturday.

Both are chasing truck series veteran Matt Crafton in the standings. Both also can lean on perhaps the most successful driver to ever race at Iowa Speedway in Keselowski, who has reached victory lane three times in Newton.

“It’s unbelievable working with (Keselowski),” Hemric said. “It’s a first-class organization. It’s an honor to be a part of, and I’m proud to be a part of his team.”

Hemric enters Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. NCWTS race in fourth in the point standings. His 168 points trail third-place William Byron (171), second place Timothy Peters (176) and points leader Crafton (194).

Reddick currently sits tied with John Hunter Nemechek in fifth with 153 points.

Reddick was second in the point standings last year and finished third at Iowa. In two career truck series races at Iowa, Reddick’s average finish is sixth.

“We have to qualify well and get a good pit stall,” Reddick said. “It’s hard to pass at Iowa, but there is plenty of side-by-side racing and you can race other drivers hard.”

Hemric is in his second season as a NCWTS driver, but 2016 is the first season with Brad Keselowski Racing.

Hemric finished eighth at Iowa last year in his only career start at the 7/8 mile short track.

“Track position is important at Iowa no doubt,” Hemric said. “The feel you get as a driver here is great. It is a short track that has a feel of a big track. And it’s challenging. That’s one of the reasons why I think so many drivers like it. We all like a good challenge.”

The entire field may be chasing Crafton on Saturday. In his five career starts at Iowa, Crafton has five top-five finishes and one victory. His average finish in those races is 4.4.

Another driver who has fared well at Iowa is Johnny Sauter, who currently sits in seventh with 151 points.

Sauter has been in the top five of all five of his starts and his average finish of 3.8 is actually a bit better than Crafton.

Peters has a win at Iowa to his credit. But that was his only top-five finish in five starts, and his average finish is 13.2.

Crafton and Byron, a 19-year-old who drives the No. 9 Liberty University Toyota, both have two wins on the NCWTS circuit in 2016.

Crafton, who once again drives the familiar yellow No. 88 Menards Toyota, has four top five finishes and six top 10 tallies in seven starts.

Hemric also has six top 10 finishes, but he is sitting fourth because he only has two top five tallies. Hemric can be found in the No. 19 Oakmont Management Group Ford F-150.

The other three drivers with wins on the NCWTS circuit this season include Sauter, Nemechek and Sprint Cup Series regular Kyle Busch.

Byron is part of Kyle Busch Motorsports. That means he can lean on a racing veteran who has won at Iowa before.

But other than Crafton and Sauter, no one has more an advantage than Hemric and Reddick, who can bounce questions off their boss in person about how to be successful at Iowa Speedway.

“To have Brad at your disposal is a huge asset to our teams,” Hemric said. “He steps in and helps us when he has to, but he also lets us make our own mistakes.”

Iowa Speedway is beginning its 10th season of racing in Newton. That means the asphalt between turns one and two will be even more important Saturday.

“There is a bump between turn one and two that you have to hit just right every time you go by,” Reddick said.

Hemric added, “you have to be prepared for that bump. It is the key to the entire track. You usually have to start up front to win, but you also have to hit that bump just right.”

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Speediatrics 200 kicks off Iowa Speedway’s Wide Opening Weekend at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The race can be seen on Fox Sports 1.