Bama Buggies Driver Finishes Sixth at Nashville
Date: June 23, 2023
Event: Rackley Roofing 200 (Race 13 of 23)
Series: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Location: Nashville Superspeedway (1.33-mile, D-shaped oval)
Format: Three Stages; 45/50/55
Start/Finish: 12th/6th (Running, completed 150 of 150 laps)
Winner: Carson Hocevar of Niece Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Chase Purdy was running eighth with 10 laps remaining in Friday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Nashville Superspeedway when a late-race caution set up a three-lap shootout to the finish. After discussing whether to hit pit road for the final set of sticker tires or remain on track, crew chief Jimmy Villeneuve elected for track position and the No. 4 Bama Buggies Silverado lined up on the inside of the second row for the final restart after a handful of trucks scored in front of him elected to pit.
Purdy got a strong surge on the restart and propelled Carson Hocevar past the outside lane. After giving Hocevar the push, Purdy lost momentum and would find himself trying to fend off several drivers that were carrying more speed than him into Turn 1. The 23-year-old driver would fall back to sixth position by the time the field crossed the line with two laps remaining and remain there at the end of the race.
It was the seventh top-10 finish across 13 races this season for Purdy, who began the year with five top 10s across his first 52 Truck Series starts. Despite the strong finish, he remains 13th in the Truck Series standings and will have to make up 39 points or win one of the final three races to make the playoffs.
Chase Purdy, driver of the No. 4 Bama Buggies Chevrolet for KBM:
Talk about your race.
“We had really good long-run speed early in the race but didn’t qualify as well as we needed to and weren’t able to get any track position, which unfortunately meant we weren’t able to get any stage points. Finally, we were able to advance our way into the top 10 late in the race and then Jimmy (Villeneuve, crew chief) made a good call to stay out and give us a shot at the win on the final restart. I got a really good launch and gave Hocevar a good push, but when I went to shift from second to third the truck just kind of bogged down and everybody behind me was able to get a run on me. Heading into Turn 1 I was just on defense trying to salvage the best finish that we could. Proud of everybody on this Bama Buggies team for giving me a fast Silverado and the pit crew did a great job tonight as well. We’ve got three more races to try to earn a spot in the playoffs and we’re going to go out and give it all we have.”
Rackley Roofing 200 Recap:
- Carson Hocevar won Friday’s Rackley Roofing 200. It was his second NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory of 2023 and second of his career. Zane Smith finished second, while Nick Sanchez, Corey Heim and Bayley Currey rounded out the top five.
- There were seven cautions for 43 laps and nine lead changes among seven drivers.
Craftsman Truck Series Driver Point Standings:
Purdy remained 13th in the Craftsman Truck Series point standings. After 13 races he sits 39 points below the cutoff line for making the post season with three races remaining.
-KBM-
