Trackin’ Trucks: John Hunter Nemecheck wins at Martinsville

Credit: Charlotte Bray for Skirts and Scuffs

by Courtney Horn

John Hunter Nemechek earned his sixth career Camping World Truck Series victory on Monday, two days after the Alpha Energy Solutions 250 was delayed by a snowstorm.

Nemechek led 31 laps and finished .106 seconds ahead of Kyle Benjamin for his first win at the .526-mile track, earning the famous grandfather clock trophy along the way.

“I felt pretty confident going into today about our truck,” Nemechek said, “We unloaded with a lot of speed. We just kept working on our truck all day. I kept telling (crew chief) Gere (Kennon) kinda what I thought I needed.  He made a couple slight adjustments, but really nothing.”

Nemechek took the lead on Lap 220 and held off a charging Benjamin, who got to the bumper of the No. 8 Chevrolet in the final lap but ran out of time to make a pass for the victory.

Benjamin, who was making his Martinsville debut, led 74 of 250 laps before finishing second.

“We had a really good truck, mostly for long runs, and unfortunately, it came down to a short run,” said Benjamin. “It’s Martinsville, so I figured I had to give him a run for his money in the last corner.”

Brett Moffitt finished third after pitting late for fresh tires, while Grant Enfinger and Noah Gragson rounded out the top five.

A multi-truck accident on Lap 87 occurred when the No. 4 of Todd Gilliland pushed Johhny Sauter into the No. 52 of Stewart Friesen. Harrison Burton, Cody Coughlin, and Tyler Matthews were also involved.

Burton recovered to finish eighth.

Pole sitter Ben Rhodes picked up where he left off on Saturday, when he led 23 laps before rain and snow forced the event to be postponed until Monday, March 26th, by leading the most laps and winning Stage 1 and Stage 2, however, he struggled on pit road on Lap 145 and that resulted in the ThorSport Racing driver finishing in the 12th position.

Matt Crafton and Sauter were involved in a wreck on Lap 224 after the No. 21 suddenly lost power. Crafton spun after getting into the rear-end of Sauter but finished 15th.

Sauter finished 19th after losing two laps to change the battery in his Allegiant Airlines Chevrolet.

A Look Ahead 

The Camping World Truck Series returns on Friday, May 4th at Dover International Speedway.

Sauter won the event one year ago after leading 33 laps. Sauter leads the 2018 points standings by 29 over Enfinger and 31 markers ahead of Moffitt.

Don’t miss the CWTS action when they return on May 4, 2018. Coverage starts at 5 p.m ET on Fox Sports 1.