From roofing to racing, Tennessee truck team revs into NASCAR playoffs

HICKMAN COUNTY, Tenn. (WZTV) — An elite Tennessee truck racing team has become the first state team ever to qualify for the NASCAR truck series playoffs.

Rackley W.A.R. is based out of tiny Hickman County, and has done what only the big teams in North Carolina have done: finished the season in the top 10.

Work never stops at the Rackley W.A.R. shop off of Highway 100. Getting ready for a NASCAR truck race is like trying to bottle lightning. Every bolt must be perfectly tightened, every measurement exact.

There is no room for error in the NASCAR truck series. Everyone is just too good.

Curtis Sutton has spent the last decade building Rackley Roofing into the biggest roofing company in Tennessee. So you can imagine what happened when he told people he was going to get into NASCAR.

“We were told we wouldn’t make it, that it was pretty much impossible in Tennessee,” said Sutton.

“We needed to move to North Carolina. Even up to last year people kept asking us if we were going to move the shop to North Carolina. We are here for the long run in Tennessee.”

Sutton’s partner, Willie Allen, is known as a perfectionist. His team of 30 people are competing against shops that might have 150 employees.

If you only have 30, they better be good.

“It’s a lifestyle, not a job,” said Allen. “It’s a lot of hours. A lot goes into it. You are always thinking about it. Away from here. We are blessed to have a great group of guys who get that and want to do the best each week.”

That first paid off in October, when the Rackley W.A.R. car won its first race. This team is for real.

Even better, the team put together six top 10 finishes in a row. Driver Matt DiBenedetto did a marvelous job and the crew put together a very fast, very reliable car.

Top 10 for the season. And now a chance to win it all.

“I think by making the playoffs you put yourself on the map,” said Sutton. “Now we are legit, now we have made the playoffs. We are not a one-race wonder. According to the experts, it's unlikely – but not to me and Willie and our crew chief Chad and our driver Matt. Our intentions were to be here. Our intentions are to go out there and shock the world.”

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