It may have been his debut start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) rookie driver Ray Black Jr. earned his fourth straight Top-15 finish Saturday night when he finished 13th at the 1.5-mile track. This finish marks the driver of the No. 07 ScubaLife.com Chevrolet’s fourth straight and 11th overall Top-15 finish of the season.
After starting the Rhino Linings 350 from the back of the field, Black quietly made his way up by consistently gaining positions during the long green flag runs. Strategy also allowed him to lead a lap under a cycle of green flag pit stops, gaining a bonus point towards the championship standings.
“Vegas was great! The track has its own character to it with unique bumps and grooves. You can gamble on the track a little bit which is always fun and fits in with being in Vegas,” said Black. “We had to get a handle on the truck during practice, but once the race started we were solid. I was really impressed with what we were able to do in the middle of the race and our passing capabilities tonight.”
As the laps began winding down, fuel strategy came into play for the leaders but was not a threat to the end of Black’s race. He was able to run without any worry of running out and finish 13th.
“We were good on fuel at the end there. I know other teams had to worry, but we were in the clear,” Black explained. “It was really nice to just go hard to the finish and grab every spot we could without worrying.”
Black also continues to chip away at 10th place in the championship standings, as he now sits 28 points outside of it in 11th with five races remaining in the 2015 season.
Ray Black Jr. PR
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