Another NASCAR driver is returning to his roots by running a Late Model Stock Car at North Wilkesboro Speedway on Wednesday, May 17. This time it’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Tyler Ankrum, who will be piloting the No. 98 machine owned by AK Performance and sponsored by the TCU Flying T Club in the CARS Tour’s Window World 125.

The California native cut his teeth in the Late Model Stock Car ranks after moving to North Carolina as a young teenager. In fact, Ankrum finished fifth in the inaugural CARS Tour season standings back in 2015. Ankrum scored six top-five finishes in 10 races with a runner-up performance at Southern National Motorsports Park as the highlight of his season.

“North Wilkesboro is synonymous with NASCAR’s roots, and the CARS Tour is part of my roots,” said Ankrum. “I grew up racing Late Models and competed in the CARS Tour in 2015, so it’s special to be able to compete in the series at North Wilkesboro. The names and faces have changed since I’ve run in the series, but the fierce competition and grassroots racing is still the same.”

Ankrum is currently 14th in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points standings with one top-five finish in eight starts with Hattori Racing Enterprises. That top five was a fourth-place run on the twisty road course of Circuit of the Americas back in March. 

Ankrum is a winner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series as well. He led 40 of 150 laps on his way to victory lane at Kentucky Speedway back in 2019.

Wednesday’s CARS Tour race is just the start of Ankrum’s week at North Wilkesboro Speedway. The Craftsman Truck Series takes to the historic oval on Saturday afternoon. While Wednesday’s 125-lap feature, plus all of the practice time across Tuesday and Wednesday, will give Ankrum plenty of laps ahead of Saturday’s Truck race, Ankrum said Wednesday is more about having fun.

“This race will be a great opportunity to get experience for Saturday, but I think it’ll be fun to showcase what I can still do in a Late Model, compete with some of the series’ full-time drivers, and share the track with some of the Cup drivers and legends of our sport.”

Ankrum is far from the only driver with NASCAR ties competing in a Late Model at North Wilkesboro Speedway next week. He joins NASCAR Hall of Famer, Dale Earnhardt Jr, as well as 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick, 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski, 2022 NASCAR Cup Series runner-up Ross Chastain, Daniel Suarez and Chase Briscoe who are all competing in Wednesday’s CARS Tour Window World 125.

Then there are drivers like 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott, multi-race winners William Byron and Erik A few of Ankrum’s fellow NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series drivers are running that race as well with Ty Majeski, Grant Enfinger and Carson Hocevar all filing entries for the ECMD 150 on Tuesday.

Race fans can watch Ankrum compete with the CARS Tour on Wednesday, May 17 live exclusively on FloRacing. Fans can subscribe to FloRacing by clicking here.