via press release
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Date: Aug. 31, 2012
Event: Jeff Foxworthy's Grit Chips 200 (Race 14 of 22)
Series: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga. (1.54-mile Quad-oval)
Start/Finish: 4th/2nd (Running, completed 130 of 130 laps)
Winner: Ty Dillon of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)
In his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start of 2012, Kyle Busch led eight times for a race-high 75 laps and appeared destined for victory before his Dollar General Tundra became loose-handling in the closing laps. Busch surrendered the lead to rookie Ty Dillon with six laps remaining and despite brushing the wall multiple times, was able to hold on to register a season-best second-place finish for his Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) team.
"I felt like the Dollar General Tundra was decent, but definitely we just didn't have a good enough handle on it in the long runs, so we kind of struggled there where those guys can keep accelerating and going," said Busch, who registered his 60th top-five finish in 102 career Truck Series starts. "Thanks to Dollar General, Toyota, Monster Energy, M&M's, Advanced Payment Services and everybody at Flexco. It's a good night -- I guess."
Busch, who qualified fourth, wasted little time in showing the Truck Series field that he would be a force to be reckoned with, making his way to the outside of Dillon - the pole sitter - through Turns 3 and 4. He was able to complete the pass and assumed the lead before the field crossed the start-finish line for the first time. The Las Vegas native paced the field until lap 10, when Dillon returned to the point.
KBM's owner-driver remained in the second position when a debris caution slowed the field for the first time on lap 30. He reported that the Dollar General Tundra was loose into and off the corners, before bringing his truck down pit road. The over-the-wall crew put on four fresh tires, with an air pressure adjustment, filled their Toyota with fuel and returned the boss back to the track scored in the fourth position.
This time it took the No. 18 Toyota two laps to make its way to the front, where it would remain for the majority of the middle stages of the race. Busch communicated to crew chief Eric Phillips that his truck had lost lateral grip in the waning stages of the long green-flag run. The 27-year-old driver had stretched his lead to over four seconds when he made a green-flag stop on lap 84.
The crew made a four-tire stop with a trackbar adjustment and returned their driver to the track scored in the eighth position. After green-flag stops had cycled through on lap 92, the Dollar General Tundra was over four seconds in front of second-place runner James Buescher. By the time a debris caution slowed the field for the final time on lap 105, Busch had stretched his lead to over five seconds.
The four-time Truck Series winner at Atlanta reported that his truck was "really good" before coming down pit road for the final time for four fresh Goodyear tires and one can of Sunoco fuel. The No. 18 Toyota returned to the track scored in the second position for the lap-110 restart.
Busch regained the lead by the time that the field entered the backstretch and set his sights on bringing home the first win of the season for his Truck Series team. With 15 laps remaining, the No. 18 Toyota had distanced itself by almost a second over Dillon's No. 3 truck.
As the Dollar General Tundra suddenly became ill-handling, Dillon slowly closed the gap and with six laps remaining the rookie worked his way to the inside of the Sprint Cup Series regular as the two entered Turns 1 and 2. As they approached the backstretch, Busch made contact with the outside wall and surrendered the lead. A resilient Busch gave his truck all it was worth - brushing the wall multiple times as he feverishly tried to chase down Dillon - but was forced to settle for a second-place finish, the 19th of his Truck Series career.
Dillon picked up his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory, becoming the 10th different winner in 14 races this season. Busch finished 3.227 seconds behind Dillon in the runner-up spot. James Buescher and Parker Kligerman finished third and fourth, respectively, while Aric Almirola rounded out the top-five finishers.
There were three caution periods for 16 laps. Ten drivers failed to finish the race.
The No. 18 Tundra gained two spots in the Truck Series Owner's point standings, moving into the ninth position. After 14 of 22 races, KBM's flagship Tundra sits seven points behind the No. 30 Turner Motorsports truck - which resides in the eighth position - and 81 points behind the series-leading No. 17 Toyota team.
Drew Herring will make his Truck Series debut for KBM, piloting the No. 18 Tundra in the American Ethanol 200 at Iowa Speedway in Newton on Sep. 15. The race begins at 8:00 p.m. ET, with live coverage provided by SPEED commencing with the NCWTS Setup Show at 7:30 p.m. ET.
-KBM-
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