Date: Aug. 11, 2018
Event: Corrigan Oil 200 (Race 15 of 23)
Series: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS)
Location: Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn (two-mile oval)
Format: Three Stages; 20 laps/20 laps/60 laps
Start/Finish: 3rd/4th (Running, completed 100 of 100 laps)
Winner: Brett Moffitt of Hattori Racing Enterprises (Toyota)
Noah Gragson started third, led 18 laps and finish fourth in Saturday’s Corrigan Oil 200 at Michigan International Speedway. The fourth-place result was the 20-year-old driver’s ninth consecutive top-10 finish this season and helped him maintain second place in the regular season championship standings with one race remaining before the start of the playoffs.
Stage One Recap:
- Gragson started the race from the third position and on lap five worked his way to the lead for the first time. After leading two laps, the Safelite AutoGlass Tundra got shuffled out of line and fell back to the fourth position.
- The Las Vegas native remained fourth at the completion of Stage One on lap 20. He communicated to crew chief Rudy Fugle that his Toyota was a touch loose.
Stage Two Recap:
- When pit road opened, Fugle summoned the Safelite Tundra to pit road for four fresh tires, a full tank of fuel and a trackbar adjustment.
- Stage Two went green on lap 26 with Gragson scored in the 12th position. When the second caution of the race occurred two laps later, he had advanced back inside the top 10.
- Gragson was running sixth when a one-truck accident slowed the field for the third time on lap 36. He brought the Safelite Tundra to pit road for a fuel-only stop with another chassis adjustment.
- Stage Two ended with a one-lap shootout which saw the No. 18 Toyota move from ninth on the restart to finish fourth again in Stage Two.
Final Stage Recap:
- With the top-three trucks hitting pit road between stages, Gragson would lead the field to the green flag to start the Final Stage on lap 46. He chose the outside lane, but when the inside lane got a better push on the start, he fell back to the runner-up spot.
- Gragson communicated “I’m just being patient,” as he rode behind Matt Crafton for several laps. On lap 64, the young driver decided it was time to make his way to the front and passed the veteran.
- The Safelite Tundra would remain out front until hitting pit road for a scheduled green-flag stop on lap 74. After getting fresh right-side tires and a full load of fuel, Gragson returned to the track in the 12th position.
- Shortly after returning to the track a two-truck accident slowed the field for the fifth and final time on lap 79. With all of the trucks in front of Gragson hitting pit road, the No. 18 Toyota was back out front when the field went back to green-flag conditions on lap 83.
- Gragson got shuffled out of line by his teammate, Todd Gilliland, battling for the lead and fell back to the fourth spot on lap 85.
- The Safelite Tundra was unable to gain back any of those positions over the final 15 laps and finished fourth.
Noah Gragson, driver of the No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports:
Where did you fall short today?
“I felt like we executed good at the beginning of the race. We were leading some laps there after I passed Matt Crafton and my truck was money — probably the best truck I’ve ever had. Come down pit road and put two tires on it and we just lacked on the execution to adjust and stay ahead of it. Way too tight there at the end to race with those guys, so we will learn for the future. I really felt confident in the way I prepared for the race this weekend and really felt confident in my Safelite AutoGlass Toyota Tundra. All weekend we’ve been fast and just came up short — really disappointed right now.”
Corrigan Oil 200 Recap:
- Brett Moffit collected his fourth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory of 2018 and the fifth of his career. Johnny Sauter finished 0.025 second behind Moffitt in the runner-up spot. John Hunter Nemechek finished third while Gragson and his KBM teammate Todd 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. Gragson led four times for 18 laps.
How Gragson’s KBM Teammates Fared:
- Todd Gilliland, driver of the No. 4 Toyota, finished fifth
- Spencer Davis, driver of the No. 51 Toyota, finished 22nd
NCWTS Championship Standings:
With his ninth consecutive top-10 finish of the season, Gragson remained second in the Truck Series championship standings, 56 tallies behind championship leader Johnny Sauter. Gragson has earned 12 playoff points this season.
The No. 18 team, which scored a runner-up finish with Erik Jones substitution for Gragson at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa., ranks second in the Owner’s championship standings, 14 tallies behind the No. 21 team
Next Race:
Gragson will be back behind the wheel of the No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Tundra when the Truck Series resumes action Aug. 16 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. Live coverage of UNOH 200 begins Thursday at 8:30 p.m. on FOX.
