NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Kansas (spring race)

Pickup truck racing events in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series have been held annually in the spring at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas since 2001. Since 2020, the race has been 134 laps and 201 miles (323 km) long.

Heart of America 200
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
VenueKansas Speedway
LocationKansas City, Kansas, United States
Corporate sponsorAdventHealth
First race2001
Distance201 miles (323 km)
Laps134[1]
Stages 1/2: 30 each
Final stage: 74
Previous namesO'Reilly Auto Parts 250 (2001–2011)
SFP 250 (2012–2014)
Toyota Tundra 250 (2015–2017)
37 Kind Days 250 (2018)[2]
Digital Ally 250 (2019)[3]
Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 200 (2020, 1st)
e.p.t. 200 (2020, 2nd)
WISE Power 200 (2021)
Most wins (driver)Matt Crafton
Kyle Busch (3)
Most wins (team)Kyle Busch Motorsports (5)
Most wins (manufacturer)Toyota (11)
Circuit information
SurfaceAsphalt
Length1.5 mi (2.4 km)
Turns4

The races have had many different corporate sponsors over the years. As of 2024, it is known as the Heart of America 200.

History

edit
 
The race logo in 2021

The inaugural race was run on July 7, 2001, and was won by Ricky Hendrick.[4]

In 2020, the track had three Truck Series races, starting with a doubleheader in July due to the schedule changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[5] Also beginning in 2020, the track began hosting an annual fall race but it wouldn’t return after the 2024 season. The track's third race, the Clean Harbors 200, was added to the schedule as a replacement for the race at Eldora Speedway due to COVID-19.[6] This race, held on the same weekend as the NASCAR Cup Series' playoff race at the track, was added back on the series' schedule as a permanent race in 2022.

In 2021, WillCo Intelligent Stored Energy (WISE) Power became the title sponsor of the race.[7] In 2022, AdventHealth became the new title sponsor of the Cup and Truck Series spring races at Kansas, replacing Busch Beer and WISE Power, respectively. The Cup race was called the AdventHealth 400 but the name of the Truck Series race was decided by a contest for AdventHealth employees. The winning name was "Heart of America".[8]

Past winners

edit
Year Date No. Driver Team Manufacturer Race Distance Race Time Average Speed
(mph)
Ref
Laps Miles (km)
2001 July 7 17 Ricky Hendrick Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 167 250.5 (403.14) 2:00:09 125.094 [9]
2002 July 6 16 Mike Bliss Xpress Motorsports Chevrolet 167 250.5 (403.14) 2:03:43 121.487 [10]
2003 July 5 50 Jon Wood Roush Racing Ford 167 250.5 (403.14) 2:11:33 114.253 [11]
2004 July 3 99 Carl Edwards Roush Racing Ford 167 250.5 (403.14) 2:21:48 105.994 [12]
2005 July 2 30 Todd Bodine Germain Racing Toyota 170* 255 (410.382) 2:10:23 117.346 [13]
2006 July 1 10 Terry Cook ppc Racing Ford 167 250.5 (403.14) 2:14:42 111.581 [14]
2007 April 28 99 Erik Darnell Roush Fenway Racing Ford 167 250.5 (403.14) 2:00:49 124.405 [15]
2008 April 26 33 Ron Hornaday Jr. Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet 167 250.5 (403.14) 2:22:02 105.82 [16]
2009 April 25/27* 5 Mike Skinner Randy Moss Motorsports Toyota 132* 198 (318.65) 2:08:11 92.68 [17]
2010 May 2 13 Johnny Sauter ThorSport Racing Chevrolet 167 250.5 (403.14) 2:15:29 110.936 [18]
2011 June 4 2 Clint Bowyer Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet 167 250.5 (403.14) 2:04:32 120.691 [19]
2012 April 21 31 James Buescher Turner Motorsports Chevrolet 167 250.5 (403.14) 2:04:06 121.112 [20]
2013 April 20 88 Matt Crafton ThorSport Racing Toyota 167 250.5 (403.14) 2:25:53 103.028 [21]
2014 May 9 51 Kyle Busch Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota 167 250.5 (403.14) 2:20:25 107.039 [22]
2015 May 8 88 Matt Crafton ThorSport Racing Toyota 167 250.5 (403.14) 1:47:31 139.875 [23]
2016 May 6 9 William Byron Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota 170* 255 (410.382) 2:21:00 108.511 [24]
2017 May 12 51 Kyle Busch Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota 167 250.5 (403.14) 2:18:34 108.468 [25]
2018 May 11 18 Noah Gragson Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota 167 250.5 (403.14) 1:52:03 134.137 [26]
2019 May 10 45 Ross Chastain Niece Motorsports Chevrolet 167 250.5 (403.14) 2:01:41 123.517 [27]
2020* July 24 16 Austin Hill Hattori Racing Enterprises Toyota 134 201 (323.477) 1:35:27 126.349 [28]
July 25 88 Matt Crafton ThorSport Racing Ford 134 201 (323.477) 1:58:13 102.016 [29]
2021 May 1 51 Kyle Busch Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota 140* 210 (337.961) 1:45:22 119.582 [30]
2022 May 14 38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford 134 201 (323.477) 1:34:26 127.709 [31]
2023 May 6 23 Grant Enfinger GMS Racing Chevrolet 134 201 (323.477) 1:59:24 101.005 [32]
2024 May 4 11 Corey Heim Tricon Garage Toyota 134 201 (323.477) 1:30:52 132.722 [33]
  • 2005, 2016 and 2021: Race extended due to a NASCAR Overtime finish.
  • 2009: Race suspended on Saturday, finished on Monday and shortened due to rain.
  • 2020 I: Race postponed from May 30 to July 24 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The race distance was shortened from 250 to 200 miles due to the series having a second race at the track the next day.
  • 2020 II: Race moved from Chicagoland Speedway due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[34]

Multiple winners (drivers)

edit
# Wins Team Years Won
3 Matt Crafton 2013, 2015, 2020 (Race 2 of 2)
Kyle Busch 2014, 2017, 2021

Multiple winners (teams)

edit
# Wins Team Years Won
5 Kyle Busch Motorsports 2014, 2016-2018, 2021
4 ThorSport Racing 2010, 2013, 2015, 2020 (Race 2 of 2)
3 Roush Fenway Racing 2003, 2004, 2007
2 Kevin Harvick Inc. 2008, 2011

Manufacturer wins

edit
# Wins Make Years Won
11   Toyota 2005, 2009, 2013-2018, 2020 (Race 1 of 2), 2021, 2024
8   Chevrolet 2001, 2002, 2008, 2010-2012, 2019, 2023
6   Ford 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2020 (Race 2 of 2), 2022

References

edit
  1. ^ "Stage lengths for 2021 NASCAR season". NASCAR. January 25, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  2. ^ Wilson, Steven B. (May 3, 2018). "Kansas Speedway Partners With 37KindDays.Org For 37 Kind Day 250". Speedway Digest. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  3. ^ "Digital Ally Sponsoring Kansas Weekend". Motor Racing Network. April 17, 2019. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  4. ^ "2001 O'Reilly Auto Parts 250". Racing-Reference.info. USA Today Sports Media Group. Retrieved April 20, 2013.
  5. ^ "NASCAR unveils schedule updates through Aug. 2". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. June 4, 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  6. ^ Rosen, Jeff (August 6, 2020). "Kansas Speedway gains third NASCAR trucks race of season. That's never happened before". The Kansas City Star. McClatchy. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  7. ^ "WISE Power to serve as entitlement partner for Truck race at Kansas Speedway". Kansas Speedway (Press release). Jayski's Silly Season Site. April 8, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  8. ^ "Camping World Truck Series Race at Kansas Renamed Heart of America 200". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 5, 2022.
  9. ^ "2001 O'Reilly Auto Parts 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  10. ^ "2002 O'Reilly Auto Parts 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  11. ^ "2003 O'Reilly Auto Parts 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  12. ^ "2004 O'Reilly Auto Parts 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  13. ^ "2005 O'Reilly Auto Parts 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  14. ^ "2006 O'Reilly Auto Parts 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  15. ^ "2007 O'Reilly Auto Parts 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  16. ^ "2008 O'Reilly Auto Parts 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  17. ^ "2009 O'Reilly Auto Parts 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  18. ^ "2010 O'Reilly Auto Parts 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  19. ^ "2011 O'Reilly Auto Parts 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  20. ^ "2012 SFP 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  21. ^ "2013 SFP 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  22. ^ "2014 SFP 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  23. ^ "2015 Toyota Tundra 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  24. ^ "2016 Toyota Tundra 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  25. ^ "2017 Toyota Tundra 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  26. ^ "2018 37 Kind Days 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  27. ^ "2019 Digital Ally 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  28. ^ "2020 Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 200". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  29. ^ "2020 E.P.T. 200". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  30. ^ "2021 WISE Power 200". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  31. ^ "2022 Heart of America 200". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  32. ^ "2023 Heart of America 200". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  33. ^ "2024 Heart of America 200". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  34. ^ "NASCAR announces next installment in return to racing schedule". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. June 4, 2020.
edit


Previous race:
SpeedyCash.com 250
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Heart of America 200
Next race:
Wright Brand 250