When the green flag falls on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) LiftKit4Less.com 200 at Darlington Raceway on May 7, there will be not one, but two Black’s Tire / BTS Tire and Wheel Distributors Ford F-150s in the field.
David Gilliland Racing’s No. 17 entry will carry the Black’s Tire colors for the second time this year with the team owner behind the wheel. Todd Gilliland’s No. 38 Front Row Motorsports F-150 will have a throwback paint scheme honoring Ricky Benton Racing’s 1998 NASCAR Winston Racing Series Atlantic Seaboard Late Model Stock Car championship.
Benton is the owner of Black’s Tire and Service Inc. and BTS Tire and Wheel Distributors.
“Our race team had such a great season in 1998,” said Benton. “It’s always special to win a championship, but to do it in NASCAR’s 50th-anniversary season was that much sweeter. It is going to be great to see Todd on track in a truck that looks like the 1998 car that meant so much to us.”
“It’s special for us to be running this throwback,” said Todd, “especially with a sponsor with so much history racing around the Darlington area. It’s a clean scheme and looks really cool on the truck.”
David Gilliland’s F-150 will have the same Black’s Tire paint scheme that he drove to a 14th-place finish at Daytona in February.
“It’s always fun when we get to partner with Ricky at the race track,” said David, who drove for Ricky Benton Racing in the NCWTS in 2015 and in the 2018 Daytona 500. “To be representing the Black’s Tire family with Todd in Darlington is special; this is essentially a home game for those guys and we are looking forward to putting on a good show for them.”
For Todd, leaning on his experience in last year’s impromptu NCWTS race at Darlington is going to be key for a good finish at The Track too Tough to Tame.
“Darlington has quite the reputation - and it’s well deserved,” he said. “It is a tough track to get around. Last year was the first time I was able to get any laps in there, but I learned a lot and the team learned a lot that we can use to improve. I am looking forward to going back and doing it again.”
Continuing the relationship with both Gillilands is something that Benton has been looking forward to, but to be able to do it at Darlington adds an extra measure of excitement.
“Darlington is such a great place, not just because of the history, but because we have so many great partners and Black’s Tire family members in the area,” said Benton. “We are proud to have David and Todd representing all of our team on track this week.”
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) LiftKit4Less.com 200 gets underway at 7:30 p.m. on May 7. FS1 will be handling the television coverage and MRN and SIRIUSXM Channel 90 will be covering the action on radio.
