Sparta, KY (07-07-2011) – Brendan Gaughan has had many great finishes at Kentucky Speedway, including two fourth-place results in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Thursday night, Gaughan ran into some difficulties in front of the 30,000 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series fans in attendance for the UNOH 225, but, with the help of his Germain Racing pit crew, the Las Vegas driver pushed the No. 62 South Point Hotel & Casino Tundra to its best finish of the 2011 season.
“I destroyed our South Point Hotel & Casino Tundra early in the race. I right-sided it in the turn four wall. I had the splitter tucked up under it. The Germain Racing pit crew did an amazing job getting the truck back together. I think it took five trips to pit road, but, they did it and then it was my turn to get to work making up ground on restarts. I learned restart tricks from the best when I first came to the Truck Series. Jack Sprague and Ron Hornaday Jr. showed me some old-school tricks that drivers just don’t use anymore. On two restarts I made it from eleventh to third – I passed everybody. I was in my favorite position – racing on the outside. I’m happy to come out of here with a third place finish and run to Iowa Speedway,” smiled Gaughan, who made a total of eight trips to pit road before the 225-mile race was complete.
Gaughan was all smiles after leading laps for the second race this season and earning his fourth top-ten finish. He enjoyed watching runner-up finisher Parker Kligerman battle the race winner in the closing laps, though he certainly considered that the rookie could make a mistake.
“Parker did a great job there at the end. I definitely knew he could’ve made the wrong decision and he and Kyle (Busch, race winner) could’ve wrecked each other and I could’ve scored the win. But, I am impressed. He made the right decisions and a lot of young drivers don’t make the right decisions anymore. It was nice to see that some do that and he got the great finish,” said Gaughan.
With the points race now a 60-point battle from first to Gaughan, the South Point Hotel & Casino Tundra crew and driver are anxious to get on track next weekend at Iowa Speedway. After ten of 25 races, Gaughan ranks tenth in Truck Series standings, 60 points behind the leader and a mere 25 points out of fifth place.
Follow Gaughan at www.BrendanGaughan.com or on Twitter @Brendan62.
About South Point.The South Point (http://www.SouthPointCasino.com) is a 2,200-room resort in Las Vegas, Nevada providing affordable luxury while catering to visitors and locals alike. This casino destination features a world-class spa, bowling center, eight restaurants, showroom, equestrian arena, convention center, exhibit hall, bingo and all of the casino games that made Las Vegas famous. The South Point opened in December 2005.
