Johnny Sauter started the 2013 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season with a win on Friday night, claiming victory in the season-opening Nextera Energy Resources 250 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
"I'm just so proud of this team," Sauter said in victory lane.
The win was Sauter's first at Daytona, but the seventh-straight for manufacturer Toyota. It was also the 100th victory, overall, for the manufacturer.
Another Toyota driver, Kyle Busch, claimed runner-up honors -- his third second-place finish in Truck Series action at Daytona.
"We would've had a really good race if it had been 100 laps, but it was 99," Busch said after the race.
The yellow flag waved for the sixth and final time in the 100-lap event on the final circuit to slow things down at the end when a multi-car wreck that involved Joey Coulter and Jeff Agnew, among others, happened as the leaders were en route to the checkered flag.
Austin Dillon dominated the first half of the race after taking the lead on lap six. After a 10-truck wreck on lap 54 that involved drivers including Brendan Gaughan, German Quiroga, pole sitter Brennan Newberry, Max Gresham, Tim George Jr., Ryan Truex and John King, Sauter moved into the lead on a restart.
Dillon was back up front with 39 laps to go, just before another caution came out for Jason White's expired engine. Under caution, several trucks headed down pit road to top off their fuel, but Todd Bodine stayed out and inherited the lead.
Busch got by Bodine to claim the top spot with just over 25 laps to go. The yellow flag waved again with 23 laps to go, and on the restart that followed, The ThorSport Racing teammates of Sauter and Bodine found themselves mired back in the field. The two made their ways back toward the front, though, reclaiming the top-two positions with 15 laps to go.
"Tonight, it was all about track position, and I thought we were in trouble. We were about 14th with 30 to go," Sauter said.
Bodine fell back through the field, again, on another restart following a caution with nine laps to go. This time Sauter was able to hold on up front, and Busch moved into the second spot. Bodine was able to move back up to finish 11th.
Ron Hornaday finished third, Justin Lofton was fourth and Jeb Burton rounded out the top-five. Ty Dillon was sixth, Miguel Paludo seventh and Ryan Blaney was eighth. Matt Crafton overcame a late-race tire issue to finish ninth, and Ryan Sieg was 10th.
To be notified when new articles are posted, follow me on Twitter @NASCARexaminer or like NASCAR Examiner on Facebook.
Comments