NCWTS: Byron Fastest in First Friday Truck Practice

A five-week break had NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers feeling restless, but drivers were back on track in Martinsville this morning for their first practice of the day.

It was a gloomy morning session with dark clouds surrounding the track and possible rain on the horizon, but that didn’t stop William Byron from putting down the fastest lap of the morning. Byron was the first driver to break into the 19-second bracket. Byron ran a lap of 19.868, edging out Timothy Peters who ran a 19.995.

Kyle Busch put down the third fastest lap in practice. Busch comes into the weekend with two chances to win a grandfather clock. Busch has never won at Martinsville in any series, and looks to sweep the weekend.

A two-time Martinsville winner was fourth in practice this morning. Johnny Sauter won here in 2011 and 2013 for ThorSport Racing, but now comes to the track with a different team. Sauter already has one win this season with his new team GMS Racing at Daytona.

Rookie Cole Custer was fifth in practice. Custer had one of the fastest trucks at Martinsville in the spring race last year before getting spun out late in the going by Matt Crafton. Custer looks for redemption this weekend.

Tyler Young finished the session in sixth followed by Matt Crafton, Daniel Hemric, Ben Rhodes and Kyle Larson. Larson is making his first start of the season in a fourth GMS Racing truck. He is expected to run at least three or four more races in the No. 24 truck for GMS this season.

The session was mostly incident free with a red flag coming out late in the session for the stalled No. 10 truck of Claire Decker just before the entrance of pit road.

Only 35 trucks made a lap in practice. Cousins Paige and Natalie Decker opted out of the morning session along with rookie Bryce Napier.

With 38 trucks at Martinsville, six will not race tomorrow afternoon.