Brendan Gaughan Powers his way to the Win at Kentucky Speedway
Brendan Gaughan won his second Nationwide Series race of the 2014 season passing Chase Elliott and teammate Ty Dillon for the lead late in the VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 at the Kentucky Speedway Saturday night. His other victory was at Road America in June. Brian Scott finished second with Dillon finishing third making a 1-2-3 sweep for Richard Childress Racing. Elliott finished fourth and Regan Smith rounded out the top five.
Dillon was the class of the field all night leading 155 of the 200 lap race. Elliott had gained the lead from Dillon on lap 174 when Eric McClure hit the wall bringing out the caution flag. Two caution periods, one for Sam Hornish Jr., driving the No.54 Kyle Busch Motorsports entry, who hit the wall after contact with Regan Smith, and the second for debris, closed up the field with less than 20 laps to go. On the last restart, when Elliott and Dillon were battling for the lead, Gaughan pounced, passing them both and pulled away.
“I love restarts, and when that caution came out and we were fourth, I got really excited because I knew we were on the outside and thought we had a good group, and we did,” said Gaughan.” You have to choose a teammate, so I chose Ty and pushed him down the back straightaway, and he had a launch into turn three, but it was just too much. When they got side by side and I’ve been doing this a long time and an area opened up just enough, I couldn’t believe we were able to take off like that.”
Scott said after the race, “I thought it was the right call to take four tires at the end. I restarted sixth and got a good restart and got up to fourth and I thought we were going to win this race. But, unfortunately, we didn’t get any long runs and our Shore Lodge Camaro was a little too tight.”
Dillon clearly disappointed after his dominant performance said, “I spun the tires a bit there at the end and it really cost us. Elliott was able to get a nose ahead of us there before that last caution came out, and that gave our teammate with four tires a chance to get up there and take the win.”
“It was really good, hard racing there at the end,” Dillon continued. “These cars are under-powered and aero becomes a big deal, and on the restarts, when you get the side draft on those guys and the guy behind you get such a great run, it’s hard to hold them both of them off.”
The four cautions over the last 31 laps had significant impact on the outcome of the race but it was Gaughan’s restart and power move that won him the race.
Elliott retains the series lead by 20 points over Regan Smith. Ty Dillon, (-38), Brian Scott (-55) and Elliott Sadler (-51) round out the top five.
The Nationwide Series travels to Dover International Speedway September 27. The race is scheduled for 3:30 pm ET and will be televised on ESPN2.
Complete Finishing Order:
| POS. | CAR | DRIVER |
| 1 | 62 | Brendan Gaughan |
| 2 | 2 | Brian Scott |
| 3 | 3 | Ty Dillon |
| 4 | 9 | Chase Elliott |
| 5 | 7 | Regan Smith |
| 6 | 33 | Cale Conley |
| 7 | 60 | Chris Buescher |
| 8 | 22 | Michael McDowell |
| 9 | 20 | Justin Boston |
| 10 | 80 | Ross Chastain |
| 11 | 16 | Ryan Reed |
| 12 | 42 | Dylan Kwasniewski |
| 13 | 11 | Elliott Sadler |
| 14 | 99 | James Buescher |
| 15 | 6 | Trevor Bayne |
| 16 | 4 | Jeffrey Earnhardt |
| 17 | 39 | Ryan Sieg |
| 18 | 5 | Austin Theriault |
| 19 | 43 | Dakoda Armstrong |
| 20 | 31 | Chase Pistone |
| 21 | 51 | Jeremy Clements |
| 22 | 93 | Kevin Swindell |
| 23 | 28 | J.J. Yeley |
| 24 | 19 | Mike Bliss |
| 25 | 44 | Blake Koch |
| 26 | 40 | Matt DiBenedetto |
| 27 | 55 | Jamie Dick |
| 28 | 52 | Joey Gase |
| 29 | 1 | Landon Cassill |
| 30 | 54 | Sam Hornish Jr |
| 31 | 14 | Eric McClure |
| 32 | 23 | Cody Ware |
| 33 | 70 | Derrike Cope |
| 34 | 17 | Tanner Berryhill |
| 35 | 72 | Harrison Rhodes |
| 36 | 89 | Morgan Shepherd |
| 37 | 87 | Josh Reaume |
| 38 | 74 | Mike Harmon |
| 39 | 46 | Ryan Ellis |
| 40 | 10 | Jeff Green |
Custer Makes His Stand – Youngest Winner in NASCAR
Cole Custer out dueled some veterans of the Camping World Truck Series on a restart with four laps remaining to become the youngest victor in a NASCAR touring series. Custer is 16 years, 7 months and 28 days old and on this day his truck was the class of the field. Late in the race, on lap 147 of the 175 lap race, a caution was called when the No. 63 truck of Jr. Heffner was helped into the wall by the No. 9 truck of Brennan Newberry.
Custer was called into the pits for tires and fuel while the No. 51 truck of Erik Jones stayed out. Many other trucks including Matt Crafton only took two tires while Custer’s crew chief, Joe Shear Jr., opted to put four fresh tires on the dominant truck of the day. There were several more caution periods and Custer closed in on the leaders until the pinnacle restart with four to go. With Crafton leading and Custer lining up right next to him it appeared that Crafton spun his tires on the restart. As he and Custer went into turn one, Bubba Wallace dove low making it three-wide and Custer came out with the lead, Wallace in second and Crafton in third and that was how they finished. Johnny Sauter came in fourth and John Hunter Nemecheck rounded out the top five.
Custer started on the pole and led the majority of the race. “I was really worried,” Custer said in victory lane.” It was so hard to pass, even lappers. I couldn’t believe we got through all of those guys. The air affected it so much. We had some great restarts, which helped us a lot. I can’t believe it’s happening right now.”
Sitting on the pit road wall after the race Crafton was clearly unhappy with himself. “Started at the back, drove to the front, got beat at the end,” Crafton said.” I spun the tires and couldn’t get it in fourth gear, to be totally honest. Once I spun the tires, I was screwed right there. Then I couldn’t get it in gear, and everybody had a run on me. My bad.” Crafton started at the back due to reported electrical problems with his truck during qualifying.
Wallace, who finished third, said after the race, “Once again I would have had to wreck him to get by him. I think I gave it up a little too much into (turn) three — when he got clear, could have got to him on the bumper. Four tires prevailed for him (Cole Custer). So, congratulations to Cole. I told him he’d get the pole. The kid is always fast so it’s always cool to see a new winner. I just hate a Toyota wasn’t in victory lane. Our Toyota Care Tundra was okay. We were a top-three truck — a top-five truck at the beginning of the race. Just couldn’t get off the corner, but we saw some stuff late in the race. We’ll go on to Las Vegas. Proud of my guys. They never gave up. Pit stops were incredible. Gained us some spots, just come up one spot short. I’m pumped. I’m all good. We’ll go on to Vegas with our Toyota Care Tundra and be ready to win.”
Custer was asked if he believed this was happening and he replied, “I’ve been coming since I was really young. Really young, I just can’t believe it.”
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race Number 16
Unofficial Race Results for the 17Th Running Unoh 175 – Saturday, September 20, 2014
New Hampshire Motor Speedway – Loudon, NH – 1.058 Mile Paved
Total Race Length – 175 Laps – 185.15 Miles – Purse: $490,725
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Fin. St. No. Driver Team Make
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1 1 00 Cole Custer Haas Automation Chevrolet
2 3 54 Darrell Wallace Jr. ToyotaCare Toyota
3 30 88 Matt Crafton Slim Jim/Menards Toyota
4 18 98 Johnny Sauter Nextant/Curb Record Toyota
5 10 8 John H. Nemechek Smoke-N-Sear/SWM Toyota
6 2 32 Cameron Hayley Cabinets by Hayley Chevrolet
7 7 51 Erik Jones ToyotaCare/Project Pink Toyota
8 6 19 Tyler Reddick # DrawTite Ford
9 9 21 Joey Coulter Allegiant Travel Chevrolet
10 4 29 Ryan Blaney Cooper Standard Ford
11 8 17 Timothy Peters Red Horse Racing Toyota
12 15 13 Jeb Burton Estes/Carolina Nut Company Toyota
13 13 31 Ben Kennedy # Heater.com Chevrolet
14 5 9 Brennan Newberry Qore-24 Chevrolet
15 14 77 German Quiroga NET10 Wireless Toyota
16 11 20 Gray Gaulding # Gemini Southern/Krispy Kreme Chevrolet
17 12 35 Mason Mingus # Call 811 Toyota
18 17 05 John Wes Townley Zaxby’s Toyota
19 21 86 Brandon Brown Dominion Recycling Chevrolet
20 16 99 Bryan Silas Bell Trucks America Inc. Chevrolet
21 20 08 Ray Black Jr. ScubaLife Chevrolet 171 23 47.1 $8,500 Running
22 25 10 Jennifer Jo Cobb Oohrah! Hydration Drink Chevrolet
23 23 63 JR Heffner Park East Sales LLC Chevrolet
24 19 02 Tyler Young # Randco/Young’s Bulding Systems Chevrolet
25 24 50 TJ Bell Dedicated to Electrical Linemen Chevrolet
26 22 07 BJ McLeod Geneva-Liberty Steel Chevrolet
27 27 6 Norm Benning Chevrolet
28 26 0 Caleb Roark Grimes Irrigation & Construction Chevrolet
29 28 36 Justin Jennings Mittler Bros Machine & Tool/Ski Soda Chevrolet
30 29 57 Ted Minor Chevrolet
Taylor Ferns to Make World of Outlaws Debut at Eldora
SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. — September 18, 2014 —In sprint car racing, the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series is the top of the mountain. The best sprint car drivers in the world race for the best purses in short track racing at some of the most famed dirt tracks in the world. Racing nearly 90 times a year the series is unmatched. Taylor Ferns will get her first opportunity to race with the “Greatest Show on Dirt” this week at the legendary Eldora Speedway in Ohio, as part of the Four-Crown Nationals.
The World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series portion of the Four-Crown Nationals takes to the track on Friday, September 19. Hot laps will open the festivities, followed by heat races, a dash, Last Chance Showdown and 30-lap A-Feature.
“One of our goals all season was to race with the World of Outlaws before the year ended,” said Ferns, who drives the Jimmy’s Towing/Indy Race Parts Maxim. “I know we’ll be facing the best competition and at a place like Eldora, and that’s a big challenge, but I am really looking forward to it. The World of Outlaws are the best of the best and that’s who every driver wants to compete against.”
Ferns has raced in the Four-Crown Nationals in each of the last two years. Last season, she pulled double duty, finishing a career-best fourth with the Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series at the high-banked half-mile, while she was 11th with the Honda USAC National Midget Series. In the Silver Crown race, the native of Shelby Township, Michigan, who now calls the Indianapolis area home, carved her way through the field after starting 13th, which earned her the Hard Charger Award.
Prior to racing at Eldora last year during the Four-Crown Nationals, she also hit the track at Kentucky Speedway with the ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards, coming home 12th, making for a three-race day/night.
The winningest female driver in USAC history made her Eldora debut in 2012, during the Honda USAC National Midget Series portion of the Four-Crown Nationals, finishing 11th.
“Anytime you have laps at a track helps, even if it’s in different cars, like my laps at Eldora are,” she noted. “Having those laps and an idea of how to drive the track helps you adjust and I’ll certainly have to make some adjustments driving the winged car at a place like Eldora. We are hoping to qualify well, make through the heat and earn a spot in the main event, and that will make for a good trip to Eldora.”
Last weekend, Ferns competed in the Jim Ford Classic at Fremont Speedway in Ohio, with the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions. She finished18th in the opener and just missed qualifying for the main event in the finale. Eldora Speedway will mark the eighth track she has raced at in the state of Ohio this season.
Ferns earned her first 410-winged sprint car win earlier this season at Southern Ohio Speedway with the Ohio Valley Sprint Car Association. Racing at a variety of tracks across the Midwest this season, she has picked up seven top-10 finishes.
In addition to competing with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series this weekend at Eldora, Ferns is tentatively scheduled to race with the series in the season-ending World Finals at the Dirt Track at Charlotte in November.
Taylor Ferns and Ferns Racing would like to thank their valued partners: Jimmy’s Towing Recovery & Transport, Indy Race Parts, Motor City Auto Transport Inc., National Auto Placement, Project Podium, Women’s Sports Foundation, Lyn St. James Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation, FK Rod Ends, Lucas Oil, K&N Filters, Lansing Sanitary Supply (LSS), Simpson Race Products, ButlerBuilt, Allstar Performance, Stanton Racing Engines, Hoosier Tire Midwest, Race4Girls and Racing2Cure.
Keep up to date
For the latest news, results and information on Taylor Ferns and Ferns Racing and to view a full 2014 schedule, visit TaylorFerns.com. Follow Taylor on Twitter at@TaylorFerns and like her on Facebook.
Keselowski Wins Coors Light Pole Award at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
