While the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup gets underway at Chicagoland Speedway, the Camping World Truck Series is coming down to the end of their championship run. It’s a tight three-way battle at the top of the points standings, but one mistake could turn the battle entirely upside down in the windy city.
Before the race would get underway, however, Mother Nature would hamper the efforts to rev the engines on Friday night. Qualifying on Friday afternoon was rained out, putting Kyle Larson (#00 Haas Automation Chevy) on pole after his fastest time in practice. The race, scheduled for Friday night, would be washed out and rescheduled for an early morning start on Saturday.
Once the race got underway, Kyle Larson would pick up where he left off in practice and lead handedly over his nearest competition. Meanwhile, not all the drivers would have a good morning, as Daniel Hemric (#14 California Clean Power Chevy) fought engine woes early and would be out of contention before the competition caution on Lap 30.
However, as the leaders came in to pit, many of them would be hit by penalties. All three of the lead trucks coming in, including Larson, Daniel Suarez (#51 Arris Toyota), and Matt Crafton (#88 Menards Toyota), would have to restart at the rear of the field. That would hand over the lead to drivers Tyler Reddick (#19 BBR Music Ford) and Johnny Sauter (#98 Nextant Aerospace Toyota).
The lead would continue to be both a blessing and a curse as the race wore past halfway. When Mason Mingus (#15 Call 811 Chevy) crashed hard in the grass entering pit road, Johnny Sauter was leading. He would come to pit, but was unable to re-fire his truck quickly getting out because he was low on fuel. That would hand the lead to Tyler Reddick.
On the extended caution, however, Reddick would run into issues as well. A fluid leak out the back of his truck would mean NASCAR would black flag the team, forcing them to pit road to attempt to repair the issue. This coupled with fuel strategy stops under the long yellow would put veteran driver Timothy Peters (#17 Toyota) in the lead.
As the race wore on to it’s conclusion, fuel mileage strategy would be on the minds of all the crews and teams. Timothy Peters would have to pit from the lead with fifteen laps to go, handing the lead back to Kyle Larson. But Larson too, would run out of fuel, handing the race lead to John Hunter Nemechek (#8 Chevy).
Nemechek, a second-generation driver at age 18, would win the American Ethanol 225 at Chicago on fuel mileage. It would be his first career victory in the Camping World Truck Series for his father’s team. The underfunded squad had no major sponsors this weekend, and a skeleton crew of six members. Coming in second would be Tyler Reddick, and Timothy Peters recovering to third.
Erik Jones (#4 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota) would have a rough weekend, but hang onto the points lead heading into the Granite State over Tyler Reddick and Matt Crafton. Next weekend, the Trucks rumble into New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and you can see that race next Saturday afternoon on FS1.
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