- Darrell Wallace Jr. captured the checkered flag in Saturday afternoon’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at Virginia’s Martinsville Speedway.
- Wallace started from the pole and led the field four times for a race-high 97 laps (of 200) in the Kyle Busch Motorsports Tundra representing the induction of Wendell Scott into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
- It was the fourth career NCWTS win in a Tundra for Wallace who earned his career-first victory a year ago at the Virginia half-mile oval. 127th for Toyota in the NCWTS since joining the series in 2004.
- It marks the 12th NCWTS win for a Tundra driver at Martinsville, which ties Texas Motor Speedway for the most NCWTS wins for Tundra drivers.
- Tundra drivers have won 15 total races this season — equal to the most for Toyota in a single season (2010).
- The win marks the 127th for Tundra since joining the NCWTS in 2004.
- Tundra drivers Timothy Peters (second), Matt Crafton (third), Erik Jones (fourth), Johnny Sauter (seventh) and German Quiroga (10th) also earned top-10 finishes at Martinsville.
- Crafton continues to lead the unofficial NCWTS points standings by 18 points over second-place Ryan Blaney. Tundra drivers Wallace (third), Sauter (fourth), Peters (fifth), Quiroga (seventh) and Jeb Burton (ninth) are also in the top-10 in the point standings with three races remaining in the 2014 season.
DARRELL WALLACE JR., No. 34 Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports
Finishing Position: 1st
Were you worried about the other drivers on the final restart?
“I wasn’t worried about anybody honestly. They kept telling me where everybody was and I said I didn’t care. It’s our weekend and we’re going to come out and take this clock home with us and we just did that. That was so fun. Martinsville is my favorite place to come to. Without the support of NASCAR and Toyota — the whole Wendell Scott family is here and this is a special moment. Just a perfect weekend for us. It’s a true honor to have Wendell Scott on our Toyota Tundra and to be able to put it in victory lane — I know he (Scott) just said up there, ‘Hell yeah.’ This is cool.”
What happened when the 77 truck went four wide for the lead?
“That was exciting — always try to add excitement to the races that we’re in. That was cool — I like that we came out on top on that. Just had to survive that restart. I think the last race last fall we had like seven laps to go on a restart. I’m so stoked for my team and my guys have worked tremendous hours all year long. Three wins right now and contending for a championship. This is cool and I’m so proud to have Wendell Scott’s whole family here — this is cool.”
What does it mean to carry Wendell Scott on the truck to victory lane?
“It means a lot — I know I had a guardian angel looking over me this weekend. To be able to put it in victory lane, you couldn’t ask for a better weekend. You thought last year was special, but this definitely beats it.”
How were you able to be patient throughout the race?
“Jerry (Baxter, crew chief) and I came up with a game plan and we said, ‘if they want to go, let them go.’ We would sit and just bide our time and be patient. That’s what we had to do. We had some tough competitors behind us. Cool to see Timothy (Peters) finish second and Matt (Crafton) third — all Toyota’s so awesome. That’s cool and cool to be able to win here again — second clock for us.”
How does this win compare to your first here one year ago?
“This is a touch sweeter having the tribute truck — the No. 34 Wendell Scott Hall of Fame inductee on our Toyota Tundra — you couldn’t ask for a better weekend. I continue to say that. Qualified on the pole, had a great clean race for the most part and we were able to come away with another clock. Having the Wendell Scott family here, having my family here, having my Mom here, my girlfriend here and getting them their first win — this is special. Special for myself, my family, my team, sponsors and everybody involved. The whole sport of NASCAR — this is a big moment and excited to see what the future holds.”
JERRY BAXTER, crew chief, No. 34 Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports
Were you worried about the trucks behind you on the final restart?
“It’s tough to get one right here, but it’s just as tough to race the other trucks out there. You know everybody wants to win. At the end of that race there were six Tundras lined up there that were all fast. Fortunately, we were at the right spot at the right time. He (Darrell Wallace Jr.) did call for a little bit of an adjustment there — we needed a little bit of forward drive. We fixed that and he actually ran his fastest lap of the race at lap 188 I believe it was. That was good to see.”
KYLE BUSCH, team owner, Kyle Busch Motorsports
How special is this win for Kyle Busch Motorsports?
“It feels good for all the guys — everyone back at the shop and everyone at Kyle Busch Motorsports that work so hard and puts in all the hours and does such a great job building some great equipment. Both trucks were really good today. Darrell (Wallace Jr.) obviously sitting on the pole and being able to lead some laps there early. Then biding his time and being able to run a smart race and just putting his mind to it and knowing what he wanted to do and knowing that he wanted a trophy at the end of the day. I thought it was a great race by both Jerry (Baxter, crew chief) and Bubba and they put it together and were able to win tonight. From there just excited about the opportunity to have the NASCAR Hall of Fame Wendell Scott inductee Tundra in victory lane with Bubba driving — I think that was special for everyone including their family, but also just the KBM family being able to put all that together as well and again, just the success that these guys have had here. The success that Darrell has had here and also KBM — this is three fall races in a row we’ve won here. It’s pretty cool to win here in Martinsville — close to home for everybody, but with a short track race anything can happen here and our guys were the smartest I feel like today.”
TIMOTHY PETERS, No. 17 Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra, Red Horse Racing
Finishing Position: 2nd
What happened between yourself and Johnny Sauter in the closing laps?
“I cut him a break earlier and it’s just Martinsville. I can’t thank these guys enough. They prepare a great truck at the shop and we showcased it last week and this week. Great points day for us. (Johnny) Sauter is Sauter — I’ll buy him a beer next week at Texas. I can’t thank Toyota enough — all the guys that are really associated with this team. Really excited this week and we’ll take that and run the last three. Whatever the outcome is at Homestead, we’ll take it.”
How was the race?
“Great Toyota Tundra by this Red Horse Racing team. It’s Martinsville — tempers are going to flare. We showcased it last week with a win and we got second in my hometown. Couldn’t be more excited. We need to get on a roll like this to make it at Homestead.”
How did the truck handle late in the race?
“It was tight on the short run and really good on the long run. We just ran out of laps. If it was 50 more, we would have a good shot at it. With the way the outcome can come here, as we saw at the end, I’ll take second.”
MATT CRAFTON, No. 88 Menards/Fishers Toyota Tundra, ThorSport Racing
Finishing Position: 3rd
How was the race today?
“Eventful — definitely eventful. We had a very, very good truck. Took off in the middle and got the lead. The 98 (Johnny Sauter) ran into me and moved me up the track. It is what it is at that point and we just tried to survive there at the end and just tried to make the best of the day. We got mired back in traffic so bad at that point and just tried to pick them off one by one. I’m happy to be where we are, but definitely not satisfied.”
ERIK JONES, No. 51 ToyotaCare Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports
Finishing Position: 4th
How was the race?
“It was a fight for sure. Just weren’t as good as we needed to be all weekend. Never really found it, but fought hard and even had a shot there at the win for a little bit. Just a good overall points day for the owner’s points and we need to keep this 51 up front. We’ll come back and have a little bit better Tundra next time.”
JOHNNY SAUTER, No. 98 Smokey Mountain/Curb Records Toyota Tundra, ThorSport Racing
Finishing Position: 7th
GERMAN QUIROGA, No. 77 Otterbox Toyota Tundra, Red Horse Racing
Finishing Position: 10th
JEB BURTON, No. 13 Estes Toyota Tundra, ThorSport Racing
Finishing Position: 12th
JOHN H. NEMECHEK, No. 8 SWM Toyota Tundra, NEMCO Motorsports
Finishing Position: 13th
PEYTON SELLERS, No. 35 Danville Toyota Tundra, WinTron Racing
Finishing Position: 17th
JOHN WES TOWNLEY, No. 05 Zaxby’s Toyota Tundra, Athenian Motorsports
Finishing Position: 33rd
What happened in the accident?
“We were out there racing pretty good up until that point. We had made a decent recovery — we fell back a little bit earlier in the race. I guess my spotter just cleared me and I wasn’t clear and told me to come down. It is what it is — it’s a racing incident. It happened so fast, but it just sucks. We had a decent truck.”
