In a Nutshell: Austin Hill scored his second Gander RV & Outdoors victory this season in Friday night’s World of Westgate 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. After struggling through much of the first two stages, Hill snagged the top spot via a strong restart with 39 laps remaining and held off a hard-charging Sheldon Creed, who had dominated much of the race.
LOOK. AT. THIS. ?@_AustinHill takes the lead away from @sheldoncreed during an incredible restart! pic.twitter.com/Ig6XMfEwbf
— NASCAR Camping World Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) September 26, 2020
Rookie Tanner Gray tied his career-best finish with a third-place run. Stewart Friesen, who scored his sixth top 10 in the last seven races, ended up fourth. Part-time driver Chandler Smith rounded out the top five.
Ticket … PUNCHED!
Retweet to congratulate @_AustinHill on advancing to the next round in the #NASCARPlayoffs! pic.twitter.com/Hyq3xmiIRr
— NASCAR Camping World Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) September 26, 2020
Race Rundown:
Ben Rhodes Struggles to 23rd-place Finish
Ben Rhodes definitely didn’t get the finish he wanted when he left Las Vegas in 23rd, but it’s incredible that he was even able to run the race to completion.
Under the competition caution, the driver of the No. 99 Ford reported smelling oil, and on a second stop under that yellow, the team did see a lot of oil under the truck.
"I smell oil." @benrhodes returns to pit road during the competition caution for a possible mechanical issue. pic.twitter.com/cmIhAeDZzP
— NASCAR Camping World Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) September 26, 2020
With no indication as to what the problem was, Rhodes went back out on the track and kept fighting. And he still ran well despite the problem, finishing fifth in stage one and sixth in stage two.
Just over 20 laps into stage three, contact with Friesen sent Rhodes spinning, and the No. 99 Ford backed into the inside wall.
Fans of @benrhodes are not going to like this.
Caution is out at @LVMotorSpeedway. (?: @FS1) pic.twitter.com/UYk5TjnVSN
— NASCAR Camping World Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) September 26, 2020
To make matters worse, there was also a fire under the truck as Rhodes drove it down pit road to the attention of his crew.
It goes from bad to worse for the No. 99. pic.twitter.com/MlfW6VLaTV
— NASCAR Camping World Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) September 26, 2020
But even with the different problems, he was able to continue racing, albeit a lap down. Rhodes limped his way through the remainder of the race and ended up 23rd, two laps down.
"Just another issue from Ilmor, it seems to plague us year after year. The day they can build motors is the day we'll get to the next round" @benrhodes tells @NASCARONFOX.
— Dustin Albino (el-bee-no) (@DustinAlbino) September 26, 2020
In the end, it’s hard not to recognize what the No. 99 team did at Las Vegas. Sure, the 23rd-place finish wasn’t ideal by any means, but it’s much better than what could have been if they had pulled the truck to the garage under that competition caution.
Rhodes could have easily parked with an unknown oil leak and called it a night with a 35th-place finish, but instead, the No. 99 team fought and finished 12 positions better, something that could end up making a big difference when it comes to making the Round of 8.
He currently sits ninth in the standings and six points below the cut line; however he would have missed out on 20 points if he had ended the race in 35th. A six-point deficit is a lot easier to make up than 26 would have been, especially facing the unknown that Talladega Superspeedway brings with it.
Natalie Decker Not Cleared to Race
Just before the race started, it was announced that Natalie Decker was “not medically cleared” to race and that she would be credited with a 36th-place finish.
"Natalie Decker won't race tonight. She is not medically cleared to race … She will be credited with a last-place finish."- @BobPockrass pic.twitter.com/YcsvAD52X1
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) September 26, 2020
During stage three, NASCAR announced that Decker had been treated and released from the infield care center, but no further details were available. There has been no indication as to what may have sidelined Decker, though the official results posted by NASCAR list the reason she retired as “fatigue.”
She missed the Pocono race in June due to hospitalization for complications from gall bladder surgery last December. She also has an autoimmune disease that she explained to her Twitter followers a couple of weeks ago.
Hello Everybody!! For all you new followers or for those of you who haven’t seen me post/talk about it!! Please read below ?? pic.twitter.com/sYwV8khV8X
— Natalie Decker (@NatalieRacing) September 14, 2020
There was talk about why Niece Motorsports wouldn’t have had a backup driver in place, and the simple answer is that the team likely didn’t expect that she would need one. And while there were other drivers available, her truck is set to fit her needs, and a last-minute sub wouldn’t be able to get the truck adjusted in time.
Unfortunately no one here would fit. Several of us could have fit in the seat, but the pedals were too close /: Hope she heals up quickly.
— Josh Bilicki (@joshbilicki) September 26, 2020
Saturday morning (Sept. 26), Decker tweeted an update, though there’s still no indication of what actually kept her from racing.
I know you are all wondering what happened and what is going on.
We are boarding soon to get back home where there will be more tests run so they can further evaluate and diagnose. I will let you know as soon as that is complete. Thank you for all your prayers and support— Natalie Decker (@NatalieRacing) September 26, 2020
Quick Hits:
- Conor Daly made his Truck Series debut Friday night and did exactly what he needed to. He started 27th and worked his way up to 18th and the first truck one lap down by the time the checkered flag came out. But what’s more important is that he quietly made his debut and didn’t bring any trouble to the playoff drivers even though he had zero experience in a truck before the green flag flew.
What an experience! So much fun. Massive respect to these @NASCAR_Trucks drivers. P18 crossing the line on fire ? seems about right! This @NieceMotorsport team is fantastic. Let’s line up another one @TravisPastrana ! @iRacing @Fatheadz @ElliottsTrailer @wienerschnitzel pic.twitter.com/QTj3gLF26J
— Conor Daly (@ConorDaly22) September 26, 2020
It started with a bet and ended with fire in Vegas.
All smiles for @TravisPastrana and @ConorDaly22 tonight.#NASCARonFS1 | @NASCAR_Trucks pic.twitter.com/0rsFpcMRdd
— Alan Cavanna (@AlanCavanna) September 26, 2020
How about this as well?! The highest my heart rate has been during a race all year. Probably because my body had absolutely no idea what it was doing ? @NieceMotorsport #TruckRacer @whoop pic.twitter.com/28PzoEVoWQ
— Conor Daly (@ConorDaly22) September 26, 2020
- Dylan Lupton made his first Truck Series start since Phoenix Raceway last season. Piloting the No. 17 DGR-Crosley Ford, the 26-year-old started 34th and quietly finished 14th. He has two more scheduled starts with the organization at Texas Motor Speedway and Phoenix.
Brought her home 14th tonight after starting 34th. Little rusty after a year and disappointed we couldn’t battle inside the top 10. We struggled with the balance of the truck, but the crew never gave up and I can’t wait to race with them in Texas! pic.twitter.com/4Zs4qFygnm
— Dylan Lupton (@LuptonDylan) September 26, 2020
- Here’s an interesting little tidbit about Creed and when he’s led the most laps in a race recently. He led a career-high 89 circuits but came up short with a runner-up finish.
As a matter of fact, Creed's average finish in the five races he's led the most laps in before tonight is 17.2.
He's finished top-15 just once in the five events. Weird.#NASCAR
— Aaron Bearden (@aaronbearden93) September 26, 2020
- Several drivers throughout the top three series donated their signature panels to the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation for the Las Vegas race weekend. Eight Truck Series drivers carried the name of a “cancer hero” and all funds raised through the auction of the signature panel go to the MTJ Foundation.
Several drivers have auctioned off the area above their door to be replaced this weekend with the name of someone fighting cancer or a medical provider who helps cancer patients. The proceeds go to the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation. Truex explains the initiative: pic.twitter.com/NZuaJBIiTS
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) September 25, 2020
?Introducing the @MTJFoundation CANCER HEROES riding along with the @NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoor Truck Series drivers tonight at @LVMotorSpeedway ! ? @NASCAR_FDN pic.twitter.com/hud5Akh5rx
— MTJFoundation (@MTJFoundation) September 26, 2020
Rookie Report
2020 Rookie of the Year Candidates
Tate Fogleman – No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet
Raphael Lessard – No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota
Spencer Davis – No. 11 Spencer Davis Motorsports Toyota
Zane Smith – No. 21 GMS Racing Chevrolet
Tanner Gray – No. 15 DGR-Crosley Ford
Christian Eckes – No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota
Derek Kraus – No. 19 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Toyota
Ty Majeski – No. 45 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet
Number of Rookies in Race: 7
Number of Rookies finishing in the Top 10: 3; Tanner Gray, finished third; Zane Smith, finished seventh; Christian Eckes, finished eighth
Rookie of the Race: Tanner Gray
.@tannergray5_ earned his second-consecutive third-place finish Friday night in the @NASCAR_Trucks race at @LVMotorSpeedway in the No. 15 @FordPerformance F-150#NASCAR
— David Gilliland Racing (@dgr_racing) September 26, 2020
Consistent night, p8 at the end. Too aggressive on the last restart and cost myself. The @safelite Tundra struggled with grip, still a better result then the last few weeks. Onto Dega, 6 above the cut.
— Christian Eckes (@christianeckes) September 26, 2020
Ended up 16th at Las Vegas. We lost 6 spots on pit road during our last stop and track position was everything. I learned a ton and I’m looking forward to Dega next weekend. Thanks for the support.
— Tate Fogleman (@tate_fogleman) September 26, 2020
Had a really good night going. Ran inside the top 5 all night long and then I fell back on a restart and lost the nose off of 2 and caught the fence. @BMR_NASCAR guys bring me bad fast tundras, I just have to capitalize on them. ??
— Derek Kraus (@derek9kraus) September 26, 2020
(1/2) P15 at the start of the race, we had two flat tires in the first laps and had to get in the pits twice (under the green). P34 with 4 laps down at the beginning of the second stage, we never backed down and gave everything we had. pic.twitter.com/YqLgYHm4YX
— Raphaël Lessard (@raphael_lessard) September 26, 2020
(2/2) We were able to caught up 3 laps and finished the race P20. Onto Talladega! Many thanks to @Mobil1 and Frameco, our partners whose support is so much appreciated ? pic.twitter.com/rIRTv8OKgy
— Raphaël Lessard (@raphael_lessard) September 26, 2020
Points Update: Sheldon Creed moved into the point lead with his two stage wins and a runner-up finish. He knocks teammate Brett Moffitt, who finished 15th, to second. Rookie Zane Smith sits third, followed by Grant Enfinger. Tyler Ankrum and Matt Crafton are tied for fifth, though Ankrum takes the tiebreaker between the pair.
Race winner Austin Hill sits seventh, followed by Christian Eckes. Sitting six points below the cut line is Ben Rhodes, and Todd Gilliland, who’s 19 points behind Eckes, rounds out the top 10. Hill is the only driver heading into Talladega Superspeedway that’s guaranteed his spot in the Round of 8.
Derek Kraus continues to lead the rest of the field by 61 markers over Tanner Gray, who moved up a spot to 12th. Raphael Lessard’s struggles throughout the Las Vegas race dropped him to 13th after a 20th-place finish. Stewart Friesen and Johnny Sauter round out the top 15.
Series-regular winners this season: Grant Enfinger (Daytona, Atlanta, Richmond), Sheldon Creed (Kentucky, Daytona road course, Gateway), Austin Hill (Kansas 1, Las Vegas 2), Matt Crafton (Kansas 2), Zane Smith (Michigan, Dover), Ben Rhodes (Darlington)
Tweetable:
Holy Shit what a night! @_AustinHill did an amazing job closing that one. So proud of this group. @ToyotaRacing #Angels #Grateful pic.twitter.com/VuZAWT7ZjX
— Scott Zipadelli (@SZipadelli) September 26, 2020
You can see the disappointment on his face.
After leading a career-high 89 laps, @sheldoncreed reacts to a P2 result. pic.twitter.com/qFpobzLCv1
— NASCAR Camping World Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) September 26, 2020
4th place last night at @LVMotorSpeedway, tonight you can catch us at Penn Can Speedway with the @ShortTrackSS. Thanks to our @NASCAR_Trucks team and our Dirt Modified team for making what we do possible. #halmar #halmarinternational pic.twitter.com/AYVMHTYzuh
— Stewart Friesen (@StewartFriesen) September 26, 2020
Not the night we wanted @LVMotorSpeedway but made the most of it! P6. Ready for the home track next week. @ThorSportRacing @ChampionPowerEQ @CurbRecords @FordPerformance
— Grant Enfinger (@GrantEnfinger) September 26, 2020
Clean race but radio connection and some other issues set us back almost 10 laps to start the race. I think we started 8 laps down then lost more laps each time I pitted to figure out the issues. It happens though, no fault to anyone, racing has good and bad days but we finished pic.twitter.com/HeA1BtNibI
— Jesse Iwuji (@Jesse_Iwuji) September 26, 2020
Ahhhh man. Rough night. Blown RR tire at the start of stage 2 and then a broken track bar mount ended our night. Not what we were hoping for at all. Back at it again next week in Talladega.. thank you to everyone at @FirstMatePet for making this weekend so special! pic.twitter.com/Yk2wxNv4Un
— Jordan Anderson (@j66anderson) September 26, 2020
https://www.instagram.com/p/CFlXF82hjAk/?igshid=155ozuoqmb42k
Up Next: The Truck Series heads to Talladega Superspeedway next Saturday afternoon for the third and final race in the Round of 10. Coverage for the Sugarlands Shine 250 begins at 1 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1; the race can also be heard on your local MRN affiliate or SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90.