The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series headed to Bristol Motor Speedway tonight for the annual UNOH 200. The start was delayed due to rain and lightning in the area. With that in mind, NASCAR issued a competition caution on lap 40. There were also some drivers sent to the back for unapproved adjustments. These included Austin Cindric for Brad Keselowski Racing, and Parker Kligerman for Ricky Benton Racing. Rico Abreu went to the rear as well for being in a back-up truck.
The UNOH 200 shortly got underway, with Tyler Reddick and Daniel Suarez leading the field into turn 1, but pole sitter Reddick got the advantage and led lap 1. Suarez took the lead back a few laps later with Ben Rhodes following behind. Rhodes then started to close in on Suarez at lap 17. 10 laps later, a caution came out for drizzle/moisture on the track.
Restart lap 35, Suarez gets out in front, but teammate Christopher Bell and Ben Rhodes followed in hot pursuit. The competition caution came out five laps later on lap 40. Most of the leaders came down pit road for four tires and fuel.
Bell and Suarez took the green flag on lap 46. Both of them battled side-by-side, until Bell gets the advantage on the backstretch. The race went green for a few laps until lap 52, when Cole Custer made contact with Ben Kennedy and Custer went spinning in turns 1 and 2. This brought out the third caution of the race.
Restart lap 58, Bell and Suarez once again were the leaders. Bell was able to get away from Suarez as Cameron Hayley passed Suarez for second position. A few laps later, a caution came out on lap 62 for Tommy Joe Martins spinning in turn 4. Bryce Napier of the 49, and Matt Mills of the 07 was also involved as well.
After a long caution, Bell took the green flag on lap 71, and jumped to a big lead down the backstretch. Hayley and Suarez would stay right behind the leader Bell. There were problems for race contender Matt Crafton. Crafton had lost oil pressure and went behind the wall. Shortly after halfway, Christopher Bell continued to set a blistering pace, having only 20 trucks on the lead lap. With lap traffic getting in the leaders way, Suarez started to reel in his teammate on lap 124. Early contender Ben Rhodes was out of fuel one lap later.
Cameron Hayley cut a flat left front tire on lap 133 and brought out the fifth caution. Race leaders, Bell and Suarez pitted under caution along with others as well. Jesse Little of the 81 had problems, and was penalized for speeding on pit road. Ben Rhodes who had issues on lap 125 reported there was motor problems. This ended up putting him behind the wall.
Bell and Suarez lead the field to the green with 58 to go. But the leader Bell gets loose under Suarez, and spins off turn 2, which brought out the 6th caution of the night. Suarez was on the front row again with 52 to go, but this time had five time winner William Byron on the outside. Suarez was able to get in front, as Ben Kennedy followed closely behind. As the race laps started to click away, the action began to intensify. Bell tried to make it three wide under Kaz Grala and Bryce Napier, but all three of them make contact, as Napier was the unfortunate bystander and ended up in the wall. Therefore the 7th caution came with 38 to go. Cameron Hayley pitted too soon under caution and went to the rear of the field.
Just like the last restart, Byron and Suarez lead the field to green with 32 to go. But another caution came out with 28 to go, as Jordan Anderson went spinning around. Hayley continued to have problems and came down pit road to examine them.
Restart with 23 to go, Byron gets really high in the turn, and this allowed Suarez to take the lead once more. Byron regained his loose truck and took the lead back three laps later. Byron once again got too high, and this allowed Kennedy in the 33 to take the lead. Brett Moffitt also took second place and tried to run down Kennedy. But Suarez who had a dominating truck, had a right rear tire blow out with 14 to go.
Kennedy and Moffitt took the green flag with 7 laps left. Kennedy jumps to the lead, but Moffitt hung in there and stayed in contention. Moffitt put a bumper to Kennedy with a few laps remaining, but Kennedy held off a hard charging Moffitt for his first career win.
There were 9 cautions for 55 laps, with 5 leaders among 7 lead changes.
Ben Kennedy led 1 time for 20 laps to score his first career win.
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to Michigan International Speedway next Saturday on August 27.
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