Austin Dillon with Top-5 Finish in the Windy City

Austin Dillon made his seventh NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start of 2014. Dillon, a past winner at Chicagoland Speedway, had the mentality of returning to victory lane with partnership from Rheem. Dillon posted the sixth-quickest time in Thursdays opening 60 minute practice session and followed it up with the fourth-quickest time during the final 90 minute session. After a quick debrief with crew chief Chris Rice, the two felt they had a race-winning truck for 

Friday nights Lucas Oil 225. 

 

Mother Nature washed out all on-track activity for Friday, September 12th, including qualifying, and forced NASCAR to set the field per the rule book, lining Dillon up in the No. 20 Rheem / Young Supply Company Chevrolet on the outside of row two. With rain showers moving through Chicagoland Speedway all day, NASCAR postponed the sixth annual Lucas Oil 225 until Saturday, September 13th following the NNS Race, at 6 p.m. CST

 

Shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday evening, Dillon brought the No.20 Rheem/Young Supply Company Chevrolet to life, as he prepared for 150 laps at Chicagoland Speedway. When the green flag dropped, Dillon worked his way down into the preferred inside groove after sliding back to fifth, but by lap 20, Dillon made his way into second and on lap 23, Dillon took over the race lead. The first caution flag flew at lap 30 for the competition caution. Dillon pitted from the lead for four tires, fuel and a slight chassis adjustment. The green flag waved once again at lap 35, with five trucks racing for the top spot, Dillon continued to race inside the top five. The second caution flag flew at lap 61, Dillon, running third, came down pit road for four tires, fuel, and air pressure adjustment. With a mixture of strategies on pit road, Dillon restarted on the outside of row six.  

 

The green flag flew once again at lap 66 and by lap 69 he cracked back inside the top five. Dillon made his way to second at the halfway point of the evening. Dillon continued to run second, chasing down the leader before coming down pit road at lap 113 just before the third caution flag flew, Dillon was able to rejoin the field and remain on the lead lap. Dillon retained the lead after staying out during the caution period, and received the green flag at lap 118. He continued to show the way as the laps wound down. With 20 laps to go, Dillon came over the radio reporting his Rheem / Young Supply Company Chevrolet was getting a bit tight, forcing him to give up the bottom lane. Dillon eventually gave up the race lead and brought the No.20 Rheem / Young Supply Company Chevrolet Silverado home in third, for the sixth annual Lucas Oil 225 at Chicagoland Speedway. 

 

Inside the Driver’s Seat with Austin Dillon: “That was a good run for our Rheem/Young Supply Company Chevrolet. We really didn’t have anything for the No. 51 truck. We were just too tight, but the NTS guys worked really hard. Chris Rice made as many adjustments as we possibly could to free up the truck. We’ve got one win this year and we’re working hard this year to get more competitive. Tonight was a good run for us. I think we’ve got a few more races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in the NTS Truck, and hopefully we can pull off a win for them because I think it’s very possible. We tried hard tonight.”

 

On Top the Box with Crew Chief Chris Rice: It was a great weekend for all of NTS Motorsports, Austin Dillon did a great job in both practice sessions on Thursday and it paid dividends on Saturday evening. We learned a lot throughout the weekend and continue to build and move forward. It has been great having Austins input throughout the season and it has paid off for both Gray Gaulding and Brennan 

Newberry, when they are in the truck.

 

NTS Motorsports PR