Date: June 23, 2017
Event: M&M’s 200 (Race 9 of 23)
Series: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Location: Iowa Speedway in Newton (0.875-mile oval)
Format: Three Segments; 60 laps/60 laps/80 laps
Start/Finish: 1st / 6th (running, completed 200 of 200 laps)
Winner: John Hunter Nemechek of Nemco Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Noah Gragson started from the pole in his No. 18 Switch Tundra for the second time this season. After leading the first 16 laps he survived a wild late-race restart to finish sixth. It was his sixth top-10 and fifth consecutive of the season.
Stage One Recap:
- Gragson started from the pole and led the first 16 laps before he was passed by KBM teammate Christopher Bell. With no cautions to slow the first stage, Gragson finished second behind Bell. The KBM team brought him to pit road for four tires and a slight wedge adjustment to help the handling.
Stage Two Recap:
- Gragson was sixth to start stage two and moved up to fifth by lap 94. The first true caution of the race came on lap 110. The team decided to pit before the segment ended hoping to gain track position, but another caution shortly after the restart ended stage two under caution.
Stage Three Recap:
- The final 80-lap stage began on lap 133 with Gragson running fourth. He moved up to third on the restart and he and John Hunter Nemechek battled for position for several laps. By lap 165, Gragson took command of third place ahead of Nemechek until a late-race caution slowed the field. On lap 188, Gragson brought the Switch Tundra to pit road for a two-tire stop. He returned to the race in third for the restart with seven laps to go. As the field bunched up while fighting for track position, Gragson was shuffled back a few spots, but crossed the finish line in sixth place.
NOAH GRAGSON, driver of the No. 18 Switch Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports:
Talk about your race?
“That was so much fun. We were dicing it up for the lead and running three or four-wide at times. It’s a blast to have a fast Switch Toyota Tundra. I was third on that final restart and I felt like I got a good restart. I lagged back and got a run on the guy in front of me, but then the guy behind me was double my speed because he lagged on me and got a big run on me and made it four-wide, but it was still really cool. I’m already looking forward to our next race at Kentucky.”
M&M’s 200 Recap:
- John Hunter Nemechek won the race followed by Johnny Sauter, Brandon Jones, Grant Enfinger and KBM’s Christopher Bell rounded out the top-five finishers.
- The race featured four cautions for a total of 34 laps. There were five lead changes among five drivers. KBM’s Christopher Bell led 99 laps, the most of any driver and Gragson led 16.
How Gragson’s KBM Teammates Fared:
Christopher Bell, driver of the No. 4 Toyota, finished 5th
Harrison Burton, driver of the No. 51 Toyota, finished 11th
NCWTS Driver Championship Standings:
Gragson moved up one position to ninth in the Truck Series Championship Standings, 25 points out of eighth, the final playoff position.
Next Race:
After a weekend off, the Truck Series returns to action on Thursday, July 6 at Kentucky Speedway. Live coverage of the Buckle Up in Your Truck 225 begins with the NCWTS Setup Show at 7 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.
