Date: August 11, 2018
Event: Corrigan Oil 200 (Race 15 of 23)
Series: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Location: Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn (two-mile oval)
Format: Three Segments; 20 laps/20 laps/60 laps
Start/Finish: 2nd / 5th (running, completed 100 of 100 laps)
Winner: Brett Moffitt of Hattori Racing Enterprises (Toyota)
Although there are no restrictor plates used at Michigan International Speedway, drafting plays a huge role throughout the 100-lap race. Rookie Todd Gilliland used every lap of practice, qualifying and the race to learn the fastest way around the two-mile oval. He learned quickly and brought his No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra home in fifth place and was the highest finishing rookie of the race.
Stage One Recap:
- Gilliland started second after missing the pole by just a fraction of a second. It was the fourth race in a row he started from the outside of the front row.
- He took the lead from his KBM teammate Noah Gragson on lap seven and led for five laps before John Hunter Nemechek got by him.
- When the stage ended on lap 20, Gilliland was third. He pitted on lap 23 for fuel only.
Stage Two Recap:
- He started the second 20-lap stage from second place, but fell back to eighth on the restart.
- A caution just a few laps before the end of the stage brought Gilliland to pit road for four tires so he could capitalize on track position by staying out when the stage ended.
- He was eighth at the end of Stage Two on lap 41.
Stage Three Recap:
- After staying out during the stage break, Gilliland restarted the final 60-lap stage in fourth.
- He said his Mobil 1 Tundra was tight, but remained in the top five.
- Since nobody could make it to the end of the race on fuel, Gilliland pitted under green on lap 74 for right-side tires and a track bar adjustment to free up his Tundra.
- Luckily, he was on the lead lap when a caution came on lap 79 and the trucks who had not stopped under green came to pit road.
- Gilliland was second when the race resumed on lap 84 and took the lead for another three laps until Johnny Sauter passed him.
- While working on his racing line, he held on to finish the race fifth.
Todd Gilliland, driver of the No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports:
Talk about how your race went today?
“We had a really fast Mobil 1 Toyota Tundra today and we just needed something, a little bit more to compete with those guys – (Johnny) Sauter and (Brett) Moffitt this weekend. We’re getting there every week for sure, but it kind of hurts to be that close. I felt like we were one adjustment away and in these races, you get like one-and-a-half chances at it. That’s just something I’m not used to and I need to get a little better.”
Corrigan Oil 200 Recap:
- Brett Moffitt won race followed by Johnny Sauter, John Hunter Nemechek, KBM’s Noah Gragson and Gilliland rounded out the top-five finishers.
- The race featured five cautions for a total of 22 laps. There were 16 lead changes among nine drivers. Gilliland led eight laps while Gragson led 18 laps.
How Gilliland’s KBM Teammates Fared:
- Noah Gragson, driver of the No. 18 Toyota, finished 4th
- Spencer Davis, driver of the No. 51 Toyota, finished 22nd
NCWTS Owner Championship Standings:
The No. 4 team remains seventh in the Truck Series Owner’s Championship Standings, while Gilliland remains 12th in the Driver Championship Standings.
Next Race:
The Truck Series returns to action next week on Thursday, Aug. 16 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. Live coverage of the race begins at 8:30 p.m. ET on FOX.
