Date: May 3, 2019
Event: JEGS 200 (Race 6 of 23)
Series: NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series
Location: Dover (Del.) International Speedway (one-mile oval)
Format: Three Segments; 45 laps/45 laps/110 laps
Start/Finish: 14th / 15th (running, completed 200 of 200 laps)
Winner: Johnny Sauter of ThorSport Racing (Ford)
Under sunny skies at Dover International Speedway, Todd Gilliland continued a streak of bad luck and was caught up in two on track incidents, resulting in a 15th-place finish. The young driver began the race in 14th after single-truck qualifying, but the team worked on the handling throughout the day until Gilliland’s lap times were equal to the leaders, but as he was on the move toward the front, he was caught up in two separate incidents, effectively ending his chances at a win.
Stage One Recap:
- In one round of single-truck qualifying, Gilliland put his No. 4 Tundra in the 14th starting position.
- After the JEGS 200 began, the teenager reported that his Tundra was free and skating off the corner.
- At the end of the stage, crew chief Marcus Richmond hoped to gain valuable track position by taking only two tires, but Gilliland was penalized for speeding on pit road, so the team returned to the pit stall to take the other two tires before restarting at the tail end of the field.
Stage Two Recap:
- Gilliland restarted the second stage in the 16th position, and was unable to gain track position.
- The young driver reported that his Tundra was “super loose,” and banging off the splitter.
- Richmond called the No. 4 to pit road for four tires, fuel and adjustments following the second stage.
Stage Three Recap:
- Gilliland began the final stage in the 16th position, but reported that his handling had improved and he was running lap times comparable with the race leaders.
- A victim of circumstance once again, Gilliland was moving toward the front, when he was collected when the No. 22 got loose in front of him, and sustained minor damage to the left front corner of the No. 4, which the team quickly repaired and sent him back out on track.
- A few laps later, the unlucky driver was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was collected as the No. 2 wrecked and pinched him against the inside wall. The No. 4 team was again able to clearance the tires and repair the damage, and Gilliland restarted 15th with 35 to go.
- Gilliland brought the mangled Mobil 1 Tundra home in the 15th position on the lead lap.
Todd Gilliland, driver of the No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports:
What happened today?
“Today was really bad. We qualified really bad. We started 14th and never really went anywhere from there. We kept coming down and making adjustments and were just getting the truck a little bit better, I felt like. I was actually passing people and catching people and then the 22 spun out right in front of me and I hit him. We came down pit road and right when we went back to green the 2 spun out and hit us down on the bottom. Just all around a really bad day, but we will keep working towards it and stay focused.”
JEGS 200 Recap:
- Johnny Sauter won the race by 0.603 seconds followed by Brett Moffitt, Harrison Burton, Grant Enfinger and Matt Crafton rounded out the top-five finishers.
- The race featured six cautions for 35 laps and 11 lead changes among six drivers.
How Gilliland’s KBM Teammates Fared:
Harrison Burton, driver of the No. 18 Toyota Tundra, finished 3rd
Raphael Lessard, driver of the No. 46 Toyota Tundra, finished 11th
Brandon Jones, driver of the No. 51 Toyota Tundra, finished 13th
NGOTS Championship Standings:
Gilliland and the No. 4 team lost one spot to ninth in the Gander Trucks Driver Championship Standings following the sixth race of the season, 70 points behind the leader, Grant Enfinger.
Next Race:
Todd Gilliland and the No. 4 team will be back on track Friday, May 10 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan. Live coverage of the Digital Ally 250 begins at 8:30 p.m. EST on FS1.
