Date: June 26, 2021
Event: CRC Brakleen 150 (Race 13 of 22)
Series: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Location: Pocono (Pa.) Raceway (2.5-mile tri-oval)
Format: Three Stages; 15 laps/15 laps/30 laps
Start/Finish: 22nd/2nd (Running, completed 60 of 60 laps)
Winner: John Hunter Nemechek of Kyle Busch Motorsports (Toyota)
Kyle Busch earned a runner-up finish in his fifth and final NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start of 2021. The 36-year-old started the race from the 22nd position but worked his way up to the third position by the end of the first stage. Busch started the final stage from the front row in the No. 51 Cessna Tundra, but was unable to hold off teammate John Hunter Nemechek on the final restart.
Busch ended the 2021 season with two wins and three-runner up finishes, all to Nemechek, across his five events.
Stage One Recap:
- Busch began the race in the 22nd position, but by the ninth lap had worked his way into the top five.
- He reported to crew chief Mardy Lindley that his Tundra was really loose in and a little tight off.
- He finished the first stage in the third position, despite the handling issues on the No. 51 Cessna Tundra.
Stage Two Recap:
- During the stage break, Lindley kept the No. 51 on the track.
- When the green flag flew, Busch quickly jumped out in front from the third position but got loose and fell back to second place.
- Near the end of the stage, Lindley called Busch to pit road for a green-flag pit stop. The over-the-wall crew changed four tires, made adjustments and filled the Cessna Tundra with fuel.
- When the green-checkered flag flew, Busch was scored in the 20th position.
Final Stage Recap:
- During the break, Busch inherited the top spot as the trucks in front of him hit pit road for service and he was able to stay out.
- Busch remained out front with 12 laps to go, and restarted side-by-side with teammate John Hunter Nemechek, who was able to wrestle the lead away.
- Contact with the No. 2 truck with three laps to go kept Busch from gaining on his teammate.
- As the checkered flag flew, Busch crossed the finish line in the second position, earning his 18th first or second-place finish in his last 19 Camping World Truck Series starts.
Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 51 Cessna Tundra for KBM
Walk us through that final restart, and how John Hunter was able to get away?
“I didn’t get the best restart, but we were all even going down into the corner. The 2 (Sheldon Creed) truck got off of me a little early pushing me, so I guess he didn’t launch me into the corner. That gave John Hunter (Nemechek) a little bit more to clear me, slide up in front of me, and once he slid me, I couldn’t get back to turn alongside of him. We were still going to have a few more laps to try to figure it out and see what we were going to do. We know how fast these KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports) trucks are and how fast the 4 truck is. It was going to be a high task to get him, but I got drilled in the left rear with a couple to go and was never going to be able to make up that distance and he handed the win to the 4 truck. That was our day, and that was our year, and when all is said and done, we move to ’22.”
CRC Brakleen 150 Recap:
- Nemechek scored the Camping World Truck Series victory, beating Busch to the checkered flag by 1.337 seconds. Sheldon Creed, Tyler Ankrum and Austin Hill rounded out the top-five finishers.
- There were four cautions for 13 laps. There were eight lead changes among seven drivers.
How Busch’s KBM Teammates Fared:
- John Hunter Nemechek, driver of the No. 4 Toyota, finished 1st.
- Chandler Smith, driver of the No. 18 Toyota, finished 25th.
Camping World Trucks Owner’s Championship Standings:
After 13 races, the No. 51 team sits fourth in the owner’s championship standings, 132 points behind the No. 4 team.
Next Race:
The No. 51 returns to the track with dirt racing ace Brian Brown behind the wheel when the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series resumes action on Friday, July 9 at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway. Live coverage will be on FS1, Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM at 9 p.m. ET.
