The Round of 6 continued tonight at Texas Motor Speedway for the Striping Technology 350. Last week's winner Johnny Sauter, was looking to go win two races in a row, while teammate Spencer Gallagher was on the pole looking for his first career win. William Byron who won the June race, was looking for consecutive race wins as well. Cody Coughlin replaced John Wes Townley who was injured prior to the race.
The race shortly got underway, with Spencer Gallagher and Daniel Hemric leading the field to the green flag. There were troubles early, as Hemric spun his tires, and Gallagher was able to get out front. Ryan Truex also had troubles too, he brushed the wall, and caused a tire to rub on the fender. Truex's night continued to get worse, by receiving a pit road penalty, thus putting him three laps down. After action early on, the race went clean and green until Tommy Joe Martins brushed the wall on lap 32, there would be no caution. The caution clock expired on lap 38, bringing out the first caution of the night. Leaders hit pit road and Hemric won the race off pit road.
During the first round of pit stops, Ben Kennedy was penalized for over the wall too soon, and Timothy Peters, too fast entering.
Restart lap 43, Hemric jumped out to the lead, with William Byron following close behind. A couple of laps later, Christopher Bell takes second, and Gallagher takes third. This saw, Byron slipping back to the fifth position. Gallagher was up to second on lap 57. Gallagher finally regained the lead on lap 76 from Hemric. On lap 81, the caution clock once again expired. All the leaders made their pit stops, and Hemric won the race off pit road, with Gallagher, Bell, Matt Crafton, and Johnny Sauter rounding out the top 5.
The next restart came with 61 to go, Hemric got the advantage as Gallagher spun his tires. Gallagher was able to rebound and take the lead away. Bell started to reel in Gallagher with 55 to go, he tried to make a pass for the lead, but got loose underneath the leader. Bell was able to save his truck from contact with the wall, but slipped back to third in the process.
With 41 to go, Johnny Sauter took third from Hemric, and then second from Bell. He was able to lead until the caution clock expired with 23 to go. Sauter won the race off pit road, since Gallagher lost several positions due to having a slow pit stop. There was also a long list of pit road penalties. The list included, Rico Abreu, John Hunter Nemechek, Jennifer Jo Cobb, Jesse Little, and Matt Tifft.
Crafton, looking for a spot in the final four, took the lead on the restart with 18 to go. Sauter, though, rallied back by running the high line. The moment of the race came with two to go, as Sauter passed Crafton for the lead. Sauter was able to hold off Crafton for back to back wins in 2016.
There were three cautions for 12 laps
7 lead changes among 4 drivers.
Sauter led two times for 6 laps.
This was Sauter's third career win in 2016 and his third career win at Texas Motor Speedway.
With this win, GMS Racing has now scored three consecutive wins. (Talladega, Martinsville, and Forth Worth, TX)
Chaser Results
(1st) Johnny Sauter
(2nd) Matt Crafton
(6th) William Byron
(11th) Christopher Bell
(13th) Ben Kennedy
(14th) Timothy Peters
Chase Grid
(1st) Johnny Sauter
(2nd) William Byron
(3rd) Christopher Bell
(4th) Matt Crafton
(5th) Timothy Peters
(6th) Ben Kennedy
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to Phoenix International Raceway next Friday night, for the final race in the Round of 6. This race will also see two drivers be eliminated from title contention.
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