Catchfence

Chalk up the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Auto Club Speedway as the latest victim of the slumping economy.

The Fontana track lost its 100-lap truck race, a staple on the race calendar since 1997, when NASCAR released its 2010 schedule earlier in the week. The San Bernardino County 200 was part of the NASCAR weekend in February since 2005.

There will be no change to the track’s Sprint Cup and Nationwide dates. The 2010 Auto Club 500 weekend is set for Feb. 20-21 and the Pepsi 500 weekend, part of the Chase, is scheduled for Oct. 9-10.

However the truck series, created in Bakersfield by off-road racers Dick Landfield, Jimmy Smith, Jim Venable and Frank “Scoop” Vessels and first run in 1994, has moved to Pocono (Pa.) Raceway as part of a doubleheader on July 31. The series will remain at 25 races.

- Inland Valley Daily Bulletin