The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series took center stage today at the paperclip, Martinsville Speedway. It was the site for the start of the Round of 6 for the playoff drivers and the site for one driver who clinched his spot in the Championship 4 for the championship race at Homestead Miami.
Johnny Sauter collected his sixth win of the season and 23rd of his career after leading 148 of the scheduled 200 laps.
“You don’t get them (trucks) like that everyday,” Sauter told MRN Radio. “Just proud of Joe, everybody at GMS Racing. With our ISM Connect Chevrolet, it was a good day to be in a Chevrolet, that’s all I can tell you. Just pumped up. Just gotta thank everyone that helps us out. Maury Gallagher, the whole Gallagher family, this is a special win and obviously racing for a championship at Homestead.”
With qualifying early Saturday morning, Todd Gilliland won the pole with teammate, Harrison Burton alongside.
Stage 1 went for 50 laps and saw one minor incident that took place on lap 36, which saw Chad Finley spin and hit the wall. Under the yellow, Todd, Burton, Friesen along with others pitted.
Sauter assumed the lead with seven to go for the restart. He held on to win Stage 1. As soon as the caution came out, Sauter and team elected to stay out for Stage 2.
Stage 2 began on lap 60 and went to lap 100. There was one caution during the stage and it was after the restart, as Stewart Friesen had a left rear tire go down after contact from Jeb Burton.
The restart came on lap 67 and it went green for the remaining stage as Sauter came home again with the stage win.
After everyone pitted except for Kyle Benjamin, the final stage went green with 89 to go.
A few laps after the restart, Myatt Snider and John Hunter Nemechek made slight contact, thus giving Nemechek a left front rub.
Sauter was enjoying his five second lead until another caution was displayed with 48 to go, as Dawson Cram spun around off Turn 4 after slight contact from Friesen.
The final caution of the race fell with 41 to go. It saw Chase Purdy and Grant Enfinger spin around in Turns 1 and 2.
On the restart before the caution, Snider made a dive bomb and took the lead. However, with a restart of 33 to go, Sauter retook the lead.
From there, Sauter held on to win the sixth race of the season and the 23rd of his career.
“Believe it or not we came here with a completely different set-up when it all rained out,” he told MRN Radio. We were like now. Joe said, we have to put it back the way it was in the spring. I didn’t think we were that good in the spring. It was good today and track position is so important, and we played it right by passing those guys at the front early on and just pumped up!”
With today’s win at Martinsville, Sauter and the No. 21 GMS Racing team are now locked in to the Championship 4 at Homestead Miami. However, it’s not going to change the way he races at Texas and ISM Raceway.
“Do what we always do,” Sauter said to MRN Radio. “Race like hell, you know what I mean!? We race hard no matter what, I’m not changing the way we drive for points, you know what I’m saying? We’re in a position to win the race and get wiped out, that’s the way it goes. Just pumped up to be able to compete for the championship. We got a pretty good piece going on at Homestead. It would be awesome to get another win at Texas and Phoenix. Six wins this year, it’s been a dream season and we just have to cap this off with a championship.”
Other playoff drivers finished second (Brett Moffitt), Sixth (Justin Haley), Seventh (Noah Gragson), 13th (Matt Crafton), and 14th (Grant Enfinger).
Playoff Points
1. Johnny Sauter (W, Advanced at Homestead)
2. Noah Gragson +24
3. Brett Moffitt +15
4. Grant Enfinger +2
Below the cutline
5. Justin Haley -2
6. Matt Crafton -10
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race
Unofficial Race Results for the 20Th Annual Texas Roadhouse 200 Presented
By Alpha Energy Solutions – Saturday, October 27, 2018
Martinsville Speedway – Martinsville, VA – .526 Mile Paved
Total Race Length – 200 Laps – 105.2 Miles
| Pos | St | Car | Driver | Team | Make |
| 1 | 8 | 21 | Johnny Sauter (P) | ISM Connect | Chevrolet |
| 2 | 17 | 16 | Brett Moffitt (P) | AW N.C./AISIN Group | Toyota |
| 3 | 16 | 13 | Myatt Snider # | Louisiana Hot Sauce | Ford |
| 4 | 4 | 41 | Ben Rhodes | The Carolina Nut Co. | Ford |
| 5 | 5 | 17 | Kyle Benjamin(i) | Crosley Brands/DGR Crosley | Toyota |
| 6 | 13 | 24 | Justin Haley (P) | Fraternal Order of Eagles | Chevrolet |
| 7 | 3 | 18 | Noah Gragson (P) | Safelite AutoGlass | Toyota |
| 8 | 2 | 51 | Harrison Burton | Morton Buildings | Toyota |
| 9 | 12 | 46 | Christian Eckes | Craftsman | Toyota |
| 10 | 9 | 23 | Timothy Peters | AutosbyNelson.com | Chevrolet |
| 11 | 11 | 52 | Stewart Friesen | We Build America | Chevrolet |
| 12 | 1 | 4 | Todd Gilliland # | JBL/SiriusXM | Toyota |
| 13 | 10 | 88 | Matt Crafton (P) | Chi-Chis/Menards | Ford |
| 14 | 6 | 98 | Grant Enfinger (P) | Protect the Harvest | Ford |
| 15 | 22 | 30 | Jeb Burton(i) | Strutmasters.com/SparrowRanch.org | Toyota |
| 16 | 14 | 75 | Parker Kligerman | Global Building Contractors/Food Country USA | Chevrolet |
| 17 | 25 | 25 | Tyler Dippel | America First/Turning Point USA | Chevrolet |
| 18 | 19 | 54 | Tyler Ankrum Ma | y’s Hawaii/Crosley Brands | Toyota |
| 19 | 15 | 2 | Sheldon Creed | AM Ortega/United Rentals | Chevrolet |
| 20 | 7 | 02 | Austin Hill | Young’s Building Systems/Randco | Chevrolet |
| 21 | 27 | 99 | Chase Purdy | Bama Buggies | Chevrolet |
| 22 | 21 | 63 | Kyle Donahue | First Responder Racing | Chevrolet |
| 23 | 29 | 22 | Austin Wayne | Self GO TEXAN | Chevrolet |
| 24 | 23 | 83 | Dawson Cram | RGS Products/THP | Chevrolet |
| 25 | 24 | 49 | DJ Kennington | SobrietyNation.org | Chevrolet |
| 26 | 26 | 3 | Jordan Anderson | Commercial Property Services | Chevrolet |
| 27 | 28 | 45 | Justin Fontaine # | ProMATIC Automation/Superior Essex | Chevrolet |
| 28 | 31 | 15 | Brad Foy | Strutmasters.com | Chevrolet |
| 29 | 32 | 10 | Jennifer Jo | Cobb Driven2Honor | Chevrolet |
| 30 | 18 | 8 | John Hunter | Nemechek(i) Ollie’s Bargain Outlet | Chevrolet |
| 31 | 30 | 20 | Tanner Thorson | Go Share | Chevrolet |
| 32 | 20 | 33 | Chad Finley | Airlift/Strutmasters.com | Chevrolet |
