CONCORD, N.C. (September 24, 2012) – John Wes Townley and the Zaxby’s Racing team headed to Kentucky Speedway to compete under the lights in Friday night’s Kentucky 201, where the RAB Racing team proved the strength of their Toyota Tundra, taking the checkered flag in the 10th position.
Townley competed in two successful practice sessions on Friday, posting speeds fast enough for the 20th and 18th positions, respectively. Later that afternoon, the 22-year-old driver recorded a lap of 31.439 seconds, at an average speed of 171.761 mph, to earn the 23rd starting position for the 134-lap feature.
From the drop of the green flag later that evening, Townley wasted no time advancing position, piloting his Toyota Tundra into the top 10 by Lap 50. Following a restart on Lap 51, Townley was able to power the No. 09 into the third position, holding off the rest of the encroaching field for a staggering 30 laps. A late-race pit stop saw the Zaxby’s machine leave pit road in the ninth position, around which he would hold steady for the remainder of the event, finishing in the 10th position.
The top-10 finish allowed Townley to advance one position, to 16th, in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series point standings. With 16 of 22 races complete, he trails a spot in the top-15 by a mere 19 markers. RAB Racing continues to occupy the 17th position of the owner points standings.
“That was a finish that I think we can all be proud of,” said Townley. “I’ve got to thank everyone at RAB Racing for their hard work. We came to Kentucky earlier this season and couldn’t get a handle on things, but this weekend was the complete opposite of that. To come out of here with a 10th-place finish is what we needed. Our Zaxby’s Tundra was awesome all night, and that certainly gives me confidence heading into Las Vegas next week.”
The next stop for the NASCAR Nationwide Series will be Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 29, 2012.
