Even though the NASCAR Cup Series is off for the weekend, the NASCAR Truck Series is in full swing Easter Weekend, and on Friday, April 18 the Black’s Tire 200 takes place at Rockingham Speedway in Rockingham, N.C.
The race is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. EDT and will be broadcast on FS1. Fans looking to watch this NASCAR Truck Series race for free can do so by using DirecTV Stream, which offers a free trial, or with FuboTV, which also offers a free trial as well as up to $25 off your first month. Sling TV does not offer a free trial but does have other promotional offers available.
Corey Heim comes into the weekend at the top of the standings thanks to a pair of wins and four top five finishes. Chandler Smith is in second and Daniel Hemric is in third. Ty Majeski is in fourth, and Tyler Ankrum, who is tied with Heim in top five finishes, is fifth in the standings.
What: Black’s Tire 200
When: Friday, April 18 at 5 p.m. EDT
Where: Rockingham Speedway in Rockingham, N.C.
Stream: DirecTV Stream (free trial); FuboTV (free trial); Sling TV
Betting: Check out our MA sports betting guide, where you can learn basic terminology, definitions and how to read odds for those interested in learning how to bet in Massachusetts.
What is DirecTV Stream?
DirecTV Stream offers practically everything DirecTV provides, except for a remote and a streaming device to connect to your television. Sign up now and get three free months of premium channels including MAX, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and Starz.
What is FuboTV?
FuboTV is an internet television service that offers more than 200 channels across sports and entertainment including Paramount+ with SHOWTIME. From the UEFA Champions League to the WNBA to international tournaments ranging across sports, there’s plenty of options available on FuboTV, which offers a free trial and up to $25 off the first month for new customers.
What is Sling TV?
Sling TV offers a variety of live programming ranging from news and sports and starting as low as $20 a month for your first month. Subscribers also get a month of DVR Plus free if they sign up now. Choose from a variety of sports packages without long-term contracts and with easy cancellation.
RELATED CONTENT:
Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin renew rivalry at Bristol with their seventh 1-2 finish
By NATE RYAN Associated Press
A second consecutive victory at Bristol Motor Speedway was especially sweet for Kyle Larson, and one reason loomed large in his rearview mirror.
The Hendrick Motorsports star fended off several challenges for the lead by Denny Hamlin as they ran in the top two positions for 251 of 500 laps — and with Larson always in first on the 0.533-mile oval.
In the best current rivalry on NASCAR’s premier circuit, it was the seventh 1-2 finish for the duo, but the first time that Larson emerged on top.
And with his 31st Cup victory, Larson prevented Hamlin from winning a third consecutive race — a point he gleefully made while celebrating on the frontstretch.
“If Denny is in front of me, it could be a totally different story and be really hard to pass him, but glad to stop his three-peat,” Larson said, pausing to laugh with a lighthearted point at the crowd. “We hate to see him win, as I’m sure you guys do, too.”
Though Bristol had no contact or flared tempers as in their past skirmishes at Kansasand Pocono, Larson and Hamlin seem on a collision course for the 2025 championship heading into NASCAR’s only off weekend of the season.
Larson is ranked second and Hamlin third in NASCAR advanced metrics that evaluate drivers on passing, defense, speed, restarts and pit stops. In the regular-season points standings, Hamlin is second and Larson fourth despite recent stumbles.
The pit crew of Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet was overhauled before Darlington Raceway, where he crashed twice in the April 6 race (the latter wreck brought out a caution that helped Hamlin earn his second win in a row ).
Larson rebounded mightily over three consecutive days at Bristol, finishing second in the Truck Series race and winning the Xfinity and Cup races. He dedicated the results to Jon Edwards, the Hendrick Motorsports director of communications whose death was announced last Thursday.
“It’s crazy how this week played out for us,” crew chief Cliff Daniels said. “Of course, the loss of Jon was a whole other blow, but our team maintained a lot of positivity.”
Hamlin, who has combined with Larson to win six of the past nine Cup races at Bristol, also has been in an upbeat mood while adapting to new crew chief Chris Gayle.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver is off to his best start since 2021 (the last time he qualified for NASCAR’s championship race finale), and he took the loss to Larson in stride.
“It’s been a great run here over the last month,” Hamlin said. “We’ve been really good. Just got to continue this momentum, and it all starts tomorrow. You go back to work, and you figure out how you can get just a little bit better.”
Tire talk
Larson has led 872 of the past 1,000 laps in consecutive victories at Bristol, which hasn’t been the same since a track-record 54 lead changes in the March 2024 race won by Hamlin. There were four lead changes Sunday, the fewest for a 500-lap race at the track in nearly 43 years.
Larson and other drivers attributed the difference to a durable tire negating the two- and three-wide racing that is a byproduct of managing wear.
Jeff Gordon, a five-time winner at Bristol before retiring to become the vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, said he was “disappointed” with Sunday’s tire but added there’s a fine line in striking the balance between excessive and minimum wear.
“Goodyear has a tough job,” he said. “We have a heavy car. We have these high-banked tracks, heavy loads, abrasive surfaces. There’s just a lot of things that are very difficult for them to make a tire that’s durable and perform well. To ask for them on top of that to have a tire that falls off and wears but doesn’t wear too much, that’s a tall task.”
Triple future
After winning two of three on race weekends at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway, Larson has no further tripleheaders scheduled this season. He still yearns to be the second to sweep NASCAR’s top three national series in a weekend (which Kyle Busch did at Bristol in 2010 and 2017).
Larson said he’d consider trying again next year at Homestead, Bristol and possibly Kansas Speedway (which played host to all three series last September but has no tripleheader this year).
“I’ll be selective,” he said. “I have to feel I have a shot to win all three and also pick the tracks I enjoy.”
The Associated Press contributed to this post
More sports, gear and tickets
- Watch Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars free live stream: Stanley Cup Playoffs
- Watch WrestleMania 41 Night 1 live stream, replay
- Watch Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers free NBA live stream
- Watch St. Louis Blues vs. Winnipeg Jets free live stream: Stanley Cup Playoffs
- Watch Detroit Pistons vs. New York Knicks free NBA live stream
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
