ROCKINGHAM, N.C. (April 15, 2013) – Looking to repeat last year’s success at Rockingham Speedway, James Buescher and the entire Rheem Turner Scott Motorsports team brought TSM-214, the chassis that Buescher won four races with in 2012. During NASCAR’s return to “The Rock” in 2012, Buescher also drove this chassis to a second-place finish. After a very strong qualifying effort that put him in the second starting spot, Buescher found himself jumping out to an early race lead. During the latter half of the race, while in heavy lap traffic, Buescher made contact with a lap-down truck, which sent Buescher spinning in turns one and two. After falling one lap down and running as low as 23rd place, Buescher and the No. 31 Rheem team battled back to finish on the lead lap and in 14th, earning the team’s third top-15 finish of the season.
After two up-and-down practice sessions on Saturday, Buescher and the No. 31 Rheem team felt like they hit on a good setup for the 200-lap race that would take place on Sunday afternoon. Before the race on Sunday, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series took to the track for their qualifying session, where Buescher narrowly missed recording his first pole of the 2013 season. Starting in the second position, Buescher was joined at the front of the field by teammates Jeb Burton and Kyle Larson, whom qualified first and third, respectively.
When the green flag flew, Buescher jumped out to an early lead over his teammate Burton. Buescher went on to lead a total of 17 laps of the scheduled 200-lap race. He eventually slipped back to the seventh spot before getting an opportunity to make a pit stop on lap 64. Buescher brought the Rheem Chevrolet Silverado down pit road for their first stop of the afternoon. Looking to tighten the truck up, the crew made a wedge and air pressure adjustment while taking four Goodyear Wrangler Tires and Sunoco fuel.
Still battling a loose race truck, Buescher found himself battling just outside the top five after the field went back to green. It was at the halfway mark of the race when Buescher brought his No. 31 back down pit road, under yellow, to reverse some of the changes from the previous pit stop and make a track bar adjustment. The Turner Scott Motorsports crew completed the stop, and Buescher restarted the event in the sixth position.
Knowing that that the team had to make one more pit stop, crew chief Michael Shelton and Buescher talked strategy for the late race push. Unfortunately, that race strategy didn’t pan out as planned. Running in the seventh spot on lap 143, Buescher tried to weave his way through heavy lapped traffic when he came into contact with another truck that sent his No. 31 Rheem Chevrolet spinning down turns one and two. In order to not sustain any more damage from a blown tire, Buescher decided it was best to fall a lap down to race leaders and take the time to fix the No. 31 Chevrolet Silverado on pit road.
With just under 50 laps remaining, Buescher found himself fighting to get back on the same lap as the leaders. Buescher finally fought his way back up the lucky dog position after a pit stop on 170 that gave him fresh sticker tires. A late race push from the No. 31 Rheem team leaped Buescher up to the 14th-running position and earned the team’s third top-15 finish of the season.
“It wasn’t the finish we were hoping for this weekend for the Rheem team,” said Buescher. “The guys worked really hard all weekend to give me a great truck, and unfortunately we got caught up in some trouble. We struggled with a loose truck most of the day, but I felt my Rheem team was making gains on it for the late-race run. When we start having some luck on our side, we will be really, really good.”
Practice Position: 24 Fastest Lap: 25.826 sec. Laps: 12
Final Practice Position: 11 Fastest Lap: 25.696 sec. Laps: 20
Qualifying Position: 2 Fastest Lap: 25.560 sec.
Race Position: 14 Laps Completed/Total: 205/205
About Turner Scott Motorsports: Turner Scott Motorsports was established in 1999 by Texas businessman Steve Turner, who was joined by partner Harry Scott Jr. as co-owner in 2013. This season will mark the fourth season of full-time NASCAR competition for the organization, which expanded in 2011 from a two-truck operation in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) to become the largest stand-alone multi-series team in NASCAR’s top-tier touring series. The team earned its first championship when James Buescher captured the NCWTS title in 2012. Turner Scott Motorsports operates out of an 110,000 square-foot state-of-the art facility in Mooresville, N.C. The Chevrolet-backed team has created alliances with General Motors’ powerhouse team Hendrick Motorsports, which provides engine support for both its NNS and NCWTS programs, and Earnhardt Technology Group for drive train and suspension technology assistance. For more information on Turner Scott Motorsports, visit www.TurnerScottMotorsports.com
