CONCORD, N.C. (August 23, 2012) – John Wes Townley avoided the carnage typical of racing at Bristol Motor Speedway in Wednesday night’s UNOH 200 to bring home a clean Zaxby’s Toyota Tundra and a respectable 24th-place finish.
Townley completed both of the scheduled NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practices leading up to the 200-lap event, posting speeds fast enough for the ninth and 24th positions. In Wednesday afternoon’s qualifying session, he drove the No. 09 Zaxby’s Toyota Tundra to 25th on the starting grid.
From the drop of the green flag later that evening, Townley reported loose handling conditions were impeding his forward progress. The heat of the Tennessee morning that had his truck almost tight in practice had subsided and freed his RAB Racing-prepared Toyota Tundra up substantially. Though the Chris Rice-led team made adjustments to tighten Townley’s truck, the handling conditions coupled with the new configuration of the race track made it nearly impossible to pass his competitors and Townley took the checkered flag in the 24th position.
After the 13th race of the 2012 season, Townley and RAB Racing hold steady at 18th in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship and owner point standings, respectively.
“We had a good Zaxby’s Toyota Tundra in practice,” said Townley. “It’s a frustrating finish because we were so good here in the heat of the day, even a bit tight. I was really surprised by how much the truck freed up at night and it got us into a bad position. I was stuck where I was. Fortunately, we came out in one piece and it will be something to build on and apply this experience to the Nationwide Series race Friday night. I am really proud of my RAB Racing team. They do a great job bringing quality trucks to the track every weekend and I look forward to racing at my hometrack of Atlanta next weekend.”
The next stop for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will be Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday, August 31, 2012.
