- Johnny Sauter picked up the victory in Saturday afternoon’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at Michigan International Speedway.
- Sauter crossed the finish line .43 seconds ahead of second-place Matt Crafton — Sauter’s teammate at ThorSport Racing.
- Tundra drivers Kyle Busch (fifth), German Quiroga (sixth), Timothy Peters (seventh), Jeb Burton (eighth) and Joe Nemechek (10th) all recorded top-10 finishes.
- Darrell Wallace Jr. finished 11th, but led the field three times for a race-high 48 laps (of 100).
- Other Tundra drivers to lead laps at the 1.5-mile Michigan oval included Sauter (21 laps), Busch (14 laps) and Crafton (seven laps).
- Tundra drivers have won 11 of 12 NCWTS races this season.
- Tundra race-winners in 2014 include Busch (five wins), Wallace Jr. (two wins), Crafton (two wins), Jones (one win) and Sauter (one win).
- Since 2004, Tundra drivers have recorded 123 NCWTS wins.
- Sauter now sits first in the unofficial NCWTS point standings after 12 races this year. He is nine points ahead of second-place Crafton. Wallace (fifth), Quiroga (sixth), Timothy Peters (seventh) and Jeb Burton (10th) are also in the top-10 in the standings.
JOHNNY SAUTER, No. 98 Nextant Aerospace/Curb Records Toyota Tundra, ThorSport Racing
Finishing Position: 1st
What were you thinking during the last yellow flag?
“I didn’t have a lot of thoughts, to be honest with you. I’m so proud of this team — everybody at ThorSport on this Nextant Aerospace Toyota, everybody at Triad and TRD — everybody that makes this possible. Duke and Rhonda Thorson. That last lap, I knew I just had to get on pit road right — no mistakes. And I hit it right. When I got to the line, I was at 4,800 in second gear and I was like, ‘That’s perfect.’ I’m so proud of Jeff Hensley (crew chief) — coming over here (for his first race). This is just a great day.”
How does it feel to lead the point standings?
“This is great. This is the thing we needed to swing it. I’m just so proud of this team — these guys. We’ve had a good year, but not a great year. We’ve been consistent. We finally got speed this weekend.”
How was your Tundra today?
“Well, just a great performance. We had a great truck — especially on long runs there we started moving towards the front. I think we were third or fourth at the time and I told them, ‘I don’t know what the air pressures are or what,’ but our Toyota was really, really strong on that middle run. Whatever adjustments you made, I don’t care, they were the right ones. We ran the last 40 laps on the floor, wide-open. Just proud of this effort from everybody at ThorSport. This is a great day for us. This puts us in the points lead, just halfway through the season — with some really good races coming up for us”
What were you thinking when you saw teammate Matt Crafton running second?
“I knew that he was pretty stout. They must have taken a little less fuel than we did. I saw him when I was coming off turn four — I was looking down pit road and I could see him. When I got to the restart line, I could see smoke coming off his tires. I don’t know if I got enough momentum to catch. Our truck was so strong — my hats off to these guys. Jeff Hensley (crew chief) — our first race together and we’re in victory lane. It’s so fun when you have a truck like this — especially at a race track like this that I’ve typically struggled at in the past. To get a victory here is just phenomenal.”
Is this a boost for the remainder of the season?
“It’s obviously a shot in the arm, there’s no question about it. It’s huge momentum for the guys. I was in the shop all week hanging out with them. Obviously, we’ve had some strong trucks all year. I don’t know what it means. I’m just going to relish in this win because this has been a tough, tough race track for me throughout my career. My Dad always said, ‘That place is easy.’ But, I never felt that way. Until today, I mean when you have a truck like this — it was just awesome.”
MATT CRAFTON, No. 88 Great Lakes Wood Floors/Menards Toyota Tundra, ThorSport Racing
Finishing Position: 2nd
How was your race?
“We had a very fast Menard’s Toyota Tundra. Track position was everything. We got shuffled back at one point and worked our way back up there. Like I said, if you got underneath somebody and didn’t get the pass done and you had the train that came on the outside — you would get shuffled back five spots. So, it was so hard to be in the right place at the right time. The Menard’s Toyota Tundra was pretty good all day. I think if we would have had the lead — definitely could have won the race. Track position was key.”
Did you consider staying on the track late in the race?
“The team said after the race, ‘Sorry, we should have tried to make it.’ But, we were just on the order of making it or not making it and it was a tough call. At the same time, were we are in the points, if we would have been fifth, sixth, or seventh in points — we could have rolled the dice and just go for the win. All in all, not a bad day.”
What do you think of the one-two finish for ThorSport Racing?
“That’s good. It’s good for Johnny (Sauter) and all for the momentum. At the same, I’m worried about this yellow Menard’s Toyota Tundra.”
KYLE BUSCH, No. 51 ToyotaCare Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports
Finishing Position: 3rd
GERMÁN QUIROGA, No. 77 Net10 Wireless Toyota Tundra, Red Horse Racing
Finishing Position: 6th
TIMOTHY PETERS, No. 17 Fast Eddie’s Car Wash/Valvoline Toyota Tundra, Red Horse Racing
Finishing Position: 7th
JEB BURTON, No. 13 Estes/Carolina Nut Company Toyota Tundra, ThorSport Racing:
Finishing Position: 8th
JOE NEMECHEK, No. 8 Smoke-N-Sear Toyota Tundra, NEMCO Motorsports
Finishing Position: 10th
DARRELL WALLACE JR., No. 54 ToyotaCare Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports
Finishing Position: 11th
MASON MINGUS, No. 35 Call 811 Toyota Tundra, Win-Tron Racing
Finishing Position: 16th
TRAVIS KVAPIL, No. 5 Zaxby’s Toyota Tundra, Athenian Motorsports
Finishing Position: 26th
