Date: June 16, 2019
Event: M&M’s 200 (Race 10 of 23)
Series: NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series
Location: Iowa Speedway in Newton (0.875-mile oval)
Format: Three Stages; 60 laps/60 laps/80 laps
Start/Finish: 26th/15th (Running, completed 199 of 200 laps)
Winner: Brett Moffitt of GMS Racing (Chevrolet)
Riley Herbst came from the 26th starting position to finish 15th in Sunday’s M&M’s 200 at Iowa Speedway. Herbst, who was making his second start of the season for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM), was forced to start 26th after Saturday’s qualifying session was rained out and the field was set by Gander Trucks Owner’s points. Herbst was competing for the No. 46 team, which had only made three starts prior to Sunday’s event.
The Las Vegas native battled a tight-handling Monster Energy/Advance Auto Parts Tundra throughout the race as he ran just outside the top 15. Herbst crossed the stripe in the 16th position but moved up one spot in the official results when Ross Chastain’s truck failed post-race inspection.
Stage One Recap:
- Herbst started the 200-lap event from the 26th spot after Saturday’s qualifying session was cancelled due to rain and the field was set based on Gander Trucks owner’s points.
- By lap 15 he had made his way inside the top 20, but stalled out at the 18th position has he communicated that his Tundra was tight. He had just gotten lapped by teammate Chandler Smith when the first caution of the race occurred on lap 53. After getting awarded the Lucky Dog, he brought his No. 46 Tundra to the attention of the over-the-wall crew who administered a four-tire and fuel stop.
- The Monster Energy/Advance Auto Parts Tundra took the lap-58 restart from the 18th spot and gained one position over the final two laps of Stage One.
Stage Two Recap:
- Herbst took the green flag for Stage Two in the 16th position and was running 17th when he got lapped on lap 117. He ended Stage Two scored in the 18th position.
Final Stage Recap:
- Crew Chief Marcus Richmond summoned Herbst to pit road for a four-tire and fuel stop with a wedge adjustment in an effort to improve the handling for his young driver.
- The No. 46 Toyota was scored in the 21st position when the Final Stage went green on lap 129. When the fourth and final caution of the race occurred on lap 137, Herbst once again was awarded the Lucky Dog and returned to the lead lap. Richmond brought his driver down pit road for a full tank of fuel and a chassis adjustment.
- Herbst restarted from the 16th spot on lap 144. The race went to the finish on a long green-flag run and he crossed the stripe in the 16th position.
- Ross Chastain’s unofficial winning truck was disqualified in post-race technical inspection, moving the No. 46 team up to 15th for the official results.
Riley Herbst, driver of the No. 18 Monster Energy/Advance Auto Parts Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports:
What did you struggle with in today’s race?
“I was just really, really tight all day long. The guys at KBM tried to get the truck a little bit better and they did at the end, but we just lacked long-run speed.”
M&M’s 200 Recap:
- Ross Chastain crossed the finish line first but was disqualified after his truck failed post-race inspection. Brett Moffitt was awarded the win despite having never led a lap in the race. Ben Rhodes finished 5.596 seconds behind Moffitt in the runner-up spot. Harrison Burton came home third, Grant Enfinger was fourth and Stewart Friesen rounded out the top-five finishers.
- The race featured four cautions for a total of 25 laps. There were three lead changes among four drivers.
How Burton’s KBM Teammates Fared:
- Harrison Burton, driver of the No. 18 Toyota, finished third
- Chandler Smith, driver of the No. 51 Toyota, finished eighth
- Todd Gilliland, driver of the No. 4 Toyota, finished 10th
Next Race:
Chandler Smith will be behind the wheel of the No. 46 Tundra when the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series resumes action June 22 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in Madison, Ill. Live coverage of the Carshield 200 begins Saturday at 10 p.m. ET on FS1.
Herbst’s next Gander Trucks start will come at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ont., on Aug. 25.
