The Nascar Camping World Truck Series,
took place at the Gateway Motorsports Park on Saturday Night. But
before anything could get started, mother nature canceled qualifying
with rain showers in the area. Therefore, the starting lineup would
be based on final practice speeds. This meant Ben Rhodes would be on
the pole for the start of the race. Rico Abreu also had problems, as
his clutch went to the floor. This made Abreu come to pit road at the
start. After a hour long rain delay, the track was dried, and the
trucks took the green flag.
Johnny Sauter was able to get in front
of Rhodes on the backstretch, and would go onto led lap one. As
Sauter tried to pull away, Rhodes, and Nemechek stayed in contention.
The top three contenders would stay like this, until the first
caution came out on lap 15. Jake Griffin of the #63 engine blows up
causing the yellow flag. All the leaders stayed out as it was too
early to pit under this yellow.
Sauter and Rhodes, took the restart on
lap 24. Although, Sauter had another strong restart, and took the
lead once again. But the caution waved one lap later, as the 51 of
Erik Jones and Cameron Hayley make contact. Replays show that Jones
got loose in turns 3 and 4, and both drivers ended up hitting the
wall. This time all leaders make their pit stops under yellow, as
most of them take four tires, and fuel.
Tyler Reddick and Daniel Hemric played
strategy, as both of them stayed out for track position. Restart on
lap 31, Reddick was able to pull away from Hemric. Lap 33 saw Matt
Crafton and Christopher Bell, make little contact with each other.
From lap 36-39, Sauter tried to take the top spot away from Reddick.
But Sauter couldn't pull the pass off, as he would get loose, and
gets passed by William Byron for 2nd on lap 59. Just a few
laps later, the caution clock expired for the first time of the night
on lap 65. All the leaders came down pit road, and made their
scheduled pit stops. Most of the field, take four tires, fuel, and
air pressure adjustments. William Byron wins the race off pit road.
William Byron and Tyler Reddick, was
on the front row for the lap 71 restart. Byron gets the advantage on
the straightaway, with Matt Crafton following him close behind. But
as they say “cautions breed cautions”, as the yellow waved again
one lap later. Daniel Hemric spun in turn 4 after getting loose, and
made minimal contact with the wall. None of the leaders pit and this
would setup a restart on lap 78.
Byron and Crafton led the field down
into turn 1. With the advantage of the high line, Byron took the lead
off of turn 2. Byron started to check out a little bit, but Crafton
started to reel him in on lap 96. The two battled for the lead, until
the caution clock expired for the second time of the night on lap
113. Leaders came down pit road to make their pit stops. Sauter won
the race off pit road as he only took two tires. Crafton had
struggles with his pit stop, therefore dropping tons of positions.
Restart with 42 to go, Christopher
Bell takes the lead for the first time of the night. One lap later,
there would be a red flag for a crash involving Jennifer Jo Cobb,
Austin Wayne Self, and Jordan Anderson. Cobb and Wayne Self crashed
hard in turn 1. Both drivers were ok following the incident.
The red flag was lifted after a
lengthy cleanup. The leaders took the restart four laps later with 37
to go. Bell got another good start, and got out in front of his
teammate Byron. John Hunter Nemechek started to come into play with
34 laps to go, as he took second place from William Bryon. Nemechek
kept trying to reel in Bell for the lead, until a caution came out
with 17 to go. John Wes Townley spins out and makes contact with the
wall.
The green flag went back in the air
with 13 to go. Bell and Nemchek continued to battle it out for two
laps, until there was a big crash in turns 3 and 4. This brought out
another red flag. Replays show, that after the wild restart, Ben
Rhodes had tons of momentum, and gave a little bump to Reddick
causing the melee. Several trucks involving Crafton, Nemechek,
Reddick, Spencer Gallagher, and others were involved. Some were able
to get away with minor damage. Finally, after a little bit of cleanup
the next restart came with 7 to go.
Rhodes and Bell was on the front row.
But Bell gets out in front and takes the lead. Except another yellow
was waved once more, as Gallagher and Townley make heavy contact. The
contact was too severe ending their night early. But both were upset
as the two started trading punches with each other. The fight went
for a couple of minutes, until the Nascar officials stopped the two
drivers. Townley and Gallagher were called to the Nascar hauler.
After the completion of the red flag, this setup a two lap shootout
to the finish.
Bell and Rhodes again was at the front
of the field. Both of them battled for the lead, but Bell got the
advantage off of turn 2. Bell would onto the top spot, and take the
checkered flag at Gateway. Scoring his 2nd career win in
the truck series. This was also Kyle Busch Motorsports 50th
career win.
The Camping World Truck Series takes a
week off next week, before they head to Kentucky Speedway on Thursday
night July 7th.
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