NextEra Energy Resources 250 Recap

Johnny Sauter’s used to being the wreck at Daytona as his history here, in the Truck Series looks like a Demolition Derby. Entering Friday night, his four starts were DNF, wreck; DNF, wreck; 17th after a late spin; DNF, wreck. It’s the type of disastrous start that’ll kill your confidence.

Until, of course, you put a different type of “w” on that resume: win. Sauter pushed through the field at the right time, taking control on lap 85 and holding it when a last-lap wreck behind him ended the race on its white-flag lap. That gave him the unexpected victory, his first at Daytona in what’s a huge boost for his Thorsport Racing program.

“The Truck Series has been a tough road to hoe for me here,” he said. “We came down here a couple years ago and crashed before the first half lap was over. Couple guys got together and we were in it. Last year, we were leading coming to the white, we got wrecked.”

“It’s a lot harder to win a restrictor race than you think. So proud of our effort. So proud of everybody. We were just in the right spot at the right time.”

Sauter’s teammate, Todd Bodine was running second until the race’s final laps when a freight train led by Kyle Busch shuffled him back. It appeared Busch, along with third-place Ron Hornaday, Jr. was preparing to make a move before the race-ending caution came out for a wreck involving Jeff Agnew, Joey Coulter, and others.

Justin Lofton was fourth in the race, while Jeb Burton was a career-best fifth driving the No. 4 Turner Scott Motorsports machine. Defending race winner John King was 18th while reigning champ James Buescher, after contact with rookie Darrell Wallace, Jr. on pit road struggled to a 13th-place finish. For more on this event, please check out Tom Bowles’ Tracking The Trucks column on the website.

NextEra Energy Resources 250: Unofficial Results
1) 98 – Johnny Sauter, Chevrolet
2) 51- Kyle Busch, Toyota
3) 9 – Ron Hornaday, Jr., Chevrolet
4) 6 – Justin Lofton, Chevrolet
5) 4 – Jeb Burton, Chevrolet
6) 3 – Ty Dillon, Chevrolet
7) 32 – Miguel Paludo, Chvrolet
8) 29 – Ryan Blaney, Ford
9) 88 – Matt Crafton, Chevrolet
10) 39 – Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet
11) 13 – Todd Bodine, Toyota
12) 54 – Darrell Wallace, Jr., Toyota
13) 31 – James Buescher, Chevrolet
14) 19 – Ross Chastain, Ford
15) 07 – Chris Cockrum, Toyota
16) 5 – Tim George, Jr., Ford
17) 57 – Norm Benning, Chevy
18) 33 – John King, Chevy
19) 60 – Dakoda Armstrong, Chevy
20) 1 – Dusty Davis, Chevy
21) 7 – John Wes Townley, Toyota
22) 18 – Joey Coulter, Toyota
23) 27 – Jeff Agnew, Chevy, -1, DNF, crash
24) 8 – Max Gresham, Chevy, -1, DNF, crash
25) 77 – German Quiroga, Jr., Toyota, -3
26) 68 – Clay Greenfield, Dodge, -5
27) 17 – Timothy Peters, Toyota, -8, DNF, crash
28) 30 – Ryan Truex, Toyota, -9, DNF, crash
29) 62 – Brendan Gaughan, Chevy, -26
30) 93 – Jason White, -36, DNF, crash
31) 81 – David Starr, -42, DNF, suspension
32) 99 – Bryan Silas, -46, DNF, crash
33) 14 – Brennan Newberry, -46, DNF, crash
34) 84 – Chris Fontaine, -47, DNF, crash
35) 10 – Jennifer Jo Cobb, -63, DNF, engine
36) 92 – Scott Riggs, -75, DNF, engine