Dakoda Armstrong NCWTS Post Race Report- Chicagoland Speedway

 

After recording a solid run and top-15 finish in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Chicagoland Speedway in July, Dakoda Armstrong was primed for a stout performance in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) EnjoyIllinois.com 225 on Friday night. Following his 21st place qualifying effort, Armstrong and his No. 60 WinField team made every attempt to improve their performance throughout the night, but came up just shy of eclipsing the 22-year-old driver’s best career finish at the 1.5-mile oval. 

Within the first 10 laps  of the 150-lap race, Armstrong reported to crew chief Joe Shear, Jr. that the tight handling condition they had experienced throughout both practice sessions had not been cured. Struggling to get off the corners on both ends of the track, Armstrong tiptoed through the first segment of the race and continued to wrestle his Silverado after the first round of pit stops on Lap 12. Bumps in the surface of the aging asphalt provided another challenge that continued throughout the night for Armstrong, further complicating the problems he battled. Shear, Jr. continued to call for major chassis adjustments and air pressure changes to the WinField Silverado, bringing the driver down pit road three more times before Lap 100. 

Though all efforts were made, Armstrong could not overcome the issues his No. 60 machine continued to produce. One final swing at the handling came during the caution on Lap 103, with one more pit stop and several changes. Once again unresponsive to the adjustments, Armstrong was forced to wheel his WinField Silverado to a 17th place finish. 

Quotes:

“I have to thank my WinField crew for never giving up during this race and all weekend,” Armstrong said after the race. “We threw absolutely everything we could think of at this truck and it just never would turn for me. Joe Shear, Jr. made a lot of calls during the race to try and get us a shot at a good finish and free us up; I just wish we could’ve gotten a better finish to show for all the effort. Just going to look forward to Las Vegas and hope that all of the things we’ve learned over the past few weeks will help us have a shot there.”

Dakoda Armstrong PR