RCR Post Race Report
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Kroger 200
Martinsville Speedway
October 27, 2012
Race Highlights:
Richard Childress Racing teammates finished third (Joey Coulter), 12th (Kevin Harvick), 27th (Tim George Jr.) and 28th (Ty Dillon).
Dillon is second in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver championship point battle, 21 markers behind the leader; while Coulter ranks fifth in the standings.
The No. 3 Chevrolet team is second in the Camping World Truck Series owner championship point standings, with the No. 22 team fourth in the standings and the No. 2 team 10th.
Dillon leads the Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings ahead of Cale Gale.
According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Harvick earned the highest Driver Rating (130.2), while Coulter ranked seventh with a rating of 96.3. Harvick led the most laps (101) during the 200-lap event.
RCR drivers made a total of 85 Green Flag Passes during the 200-lap event with Coulter earning 35 passes, George with 21, Harvick with 20 and Dillon with nine passes.
Harvick scored the highest Average Running Position of 2.960, while Coulter ranked eighth with a 10.345 and Dillon ranked 11th with a 12.930.
George was the 11th-Fastest Driver on Restarts in Saturday’s affair.
Harvick ranked the third-Fastest Driver Early in a Run, while Coulter was the fifth-quickest and George ranked 20th.
Coulter spent 100 percent of the event in the top 15 ranking him first amongst the rest of the field, while Harvick ranked sixth (97.5 percent) and Dillon was scored in the top 15 for 76.5 percent of the race ranking him 11th in the category.
Denny Hamlin took the checkered flag at Martinsville Speedway and was followed to the line by Nelson Piquet Jr., Coulter, Matt Crafton and Scott Riggs.
The next scheduled Camping World Truck Series race is the Texas 350 at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday, Nov. 2. The 20th race of the 2012 season is scheduled to be televised live on SPEED beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on Motor Racing Network beginning at 7:45 p.m.
Kevin Harvick Cuts a Tire in the Final Laps of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Event at Martinsville Speedway
Kevin Harvick and the No. 2 Kroger/Tide team finished 12th at Martinsville Speedway after cutting a tire in the final laps of the Kroger 200. The 36-year-old driver started the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event from the second position and alerted crew chief Ernie Cope that the Kroger/Tide Chevrolet was incredibly loose prior to moving into the lead on lap 59. Cope called Harvick to pit road on laps 94 and 151 for four tires, fuel and chassis adjustments to combat the loose-handling condition the orange machine had developed. Back on track, Harvick informed the team that it felt like he had a tire going down as he began falling back in the field. The Bakersfield, Calif., native drove the Richard Childress Racing entry down pit road on lap 187 allowing the team to replace left-side tires under caution. Harvick returned to the track in the 15th position for the lap-193 restart and ultimately crossed the finish line in 12th.
Start – 2 Finish – 12 Laps Led – 101 Owner Points – 10
KEVIN HARVICK QUOTE:
“We had a good run today in the Kroger/Tide Chevrolet. We fought a loose-handling condition throughout the race, but were able to keep the truck up front until the end when we cut a tire. Wish we could have gotten the win today, but there are some things outside of your control. You win some, you lose some.”
A Cut Tire Relegates Dillon to 28th-Place Finish at Martinsville Speedway
Ty Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops team suffered a blown right-front tire with 50 laps remaining in the Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway, relegating them to a 28th-place result. Dillon started the 200-lap event from the sixth position and reported a loose-handling condition on his Chevrolet. The Richard Childress Racing driver fell to the 14th position before being called to pit road under caution on lap 93. The Marcus Richmond-led crew serviced the black and orange Chevrolet with four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment. Restarting from the 11th spot on the ensuing green-flag, Dillon improved his position to sixth by lap 138. As the field maneuvered around the half-mile short track on lap 151, the 20-year-old driver’s right-front tire blew. The No. 3 Bass Pro Shops team made four pit stops to repair the damage but was unable to stay on the lead lap. Dillon was scored six laps down to the leader in the 28th position when the checkered flag was displayed. The 28th-place result dropped Dillon to second place in the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point standings, 21 points outside the top spot.
Start – 6 Finish – 28 Laps Led – 0 Points – 2
TY DILLON QUOTE:
“This definitely isn’t the finish we were looking for this weekend. The No. 3 Bass Pro Shops team worked hard all day, and they deserved a top-10 finish. We’ll keep digging in Texas next weekend and make up some ground.”
Coulter Claims Third-Place Finish at Martinsville Speedway
Joey Coulter finished third in Saturday afternoon’s Kroger 200, collecting his second top-ten finish in four starts at Martinsville Speedway and gaining four points on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver championship point leader. The Richard Childress Racing team qualified the No. 22 Chevrolet in the 15th position for the 200-lap event and struggled with an ill-handling racer during the first 100 laps. When the caution flag flew on lap 93, Coulter radioed that the machine had developed a loose-handling condition, prompting crew chief Harold Holly to direct the 2011 Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year to pit road for four tires, fuel and air pressure adjustments. The pit crew’s fast work provided Coulter with necessary track position, placing him in the top 10 just past the halfway point. Numerous late-race caution periods allowed Coulter to stay close to the leaders and he was scored in fifth with 25 laps to go. The Miami Springs, Fla., native battled for the lead in the closing laps, ultimately crossing the finish line in the third position. Coulter remains fifth in the Camping World Truck Series driver championship point standings, 46 points behind the leader.
Start – 15 Finish – 3 Laps Led – 0 Points – 5
JOEY COULTER QUOTE:
“Overall, it was a great team effort for the (No.) 22 team this weekend. We stuck together, continued to battle, and were able to collect another top-five finish. We’ll go onto Texas (Motor Speedway) and try to continue this momentum.”
Blown Tire Relegates Tim George Jr. to a 27th-Place Finish at Martinsville Speedway
In his career-first NASCAR Camping World Series start at Martinsville Speedway, Tim George Jr. was improving his position when a blown right-front tire resulted in laps lost to the leader and relegated the No. 93 Applebee’s/Potomac Family Dining Group team to a 27th-place finish. Starting the Kroger 200 from the 33rd position, the New York City native exercised patience and methodically made his way into the 21st position by lap 89. On lap 93, the bead of the right-front tire melted with the heavy brake use that is typical at the Virginia-based short track, sending the No. 93 Chevrolet Silverado into the outside retaining wall. George drove the truck to pit road for four new Goodyear Eagles, fuel and minor repairs to the fender. Returning to the track in the 30th position, two laps down to the leader, George regained what ground he could in the remaining 100 circuits to bring home a 27th-place result.
Start – 33 Finish – 27 Laps Led – 0 Points – N/A
TIM GEORGE JR QUOTE:
“That was fun. Martinsville Speedway is a fun little track. The Applebee’s/Potomac Family Dining Group Chevrolet Silverado was fast. We should have had a better finish except for that (blown) tire. I learned a lot today, especially racing with (teammate, Kevin) Harvick. I can see how guys can either love or hate this place. It’s a real challenge to get it right here. Right now, I like it.”
