NCWTS: Byron Captures Second Career Victory at Texas Motor Speedway

William Byron captured his second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday in the Lone-Star State. Byron, who started the evening in sixth, led the less laps of any driver but the most important one to wheel his No. 9 Liberty University Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota to victory lane. The North Carolina native has two victories, three top five and four top 10 finishes through seven races in 2016.

“I found the top earlier in the race and it didn’t work very well lap 15 to 20 in the run,” Byron said in victory lane on FOX Sports 1. “Once I could get laps on the tires – it’s all about heart and you have to want it and my team wants it and I see that every day. We have a Vietnam Veteran here today with Liberty University and it’s really cool to have their support and have a fast Toyota Tundra.”

Matt Crafton came very close to winning his third consecutive race this season in his No. 88 Menards Toyota Tundra. Crafton started the evening in fourth and went on to lead the most laps of any driver throughout the night. He had some issues early on after losing a tire while leading the field. The California native will leave with a second-place finish.

“If I could have done it any differently, I would have. We just lost all drive off the corner for whatever reason there,” said Crafton on FOX Sports 1 after the Rattlesnake 400K. “We ran so hard at the beginning of that run that it had zero drive off. It says a lot about this team. If you look at the right side of this Tundra and how beat up this thing is, we led the most laps and should of, could of won this race. It’s all about these guys and never giving up.”

Pole sitter Johnny Sauter ended the 250-mile event in the third position when the checkers waved at the end. Sauter led the field for 10 laps behind the wheel of the No. 21 Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff Chevrolet for GMS Racing. The series veteran will leave with four top five and four top 10 finishes through seven races in 2016.

Rico Abreu came close to capturing his first NASCAR national series win on Friday in the No. 98 Safelite Auto Glass Toyota. Abreu started 13th and challenged for the lead with under six laps remaining. While gunning for race leader William Byron in second, Abreu got into the outside retaining wall and lost a number of spots. The dirt racing veteran salvaged a ninth-place finish.

“We’ll just build off of that. Obviously not the finishes we want. I’ve crashed so many trucks by these guys,” said Abreu after a tough night of racing. “Duke and Rhonda Thorson (owners), I just thank them for believing in me and giving me this opportunity at ThorSport Racing with Safelite and Curb Records – they’re all here because I’m here. I’m just really disappointed – I wish I could get them better finishes. I know we have speed, I just have a lot of drive and am never going to quit.”

Daniel Hemric showed some strength all throughout the night in his No. 19 DrawTite Ford for Brad Keselowski Racing. The young driver led the field two different times for 19 total laps. Hemric will leave the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway with a 10th-place finish.

Christopher Bell came into the night looking to have another solid run in the No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota Tundra after starting the race in ninth. But a gear issue forced them out of the event after not even a lap of racing. Bell will leave the track with a 32nd-place finish out of 32 trucks.

The next race for the Camping World Truck Series will be next weekend at Iowa Speedway on June 18. Race coverage will begin at 8:30 p.m. ET. on FOX Sports 1. The Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM Channel 90 will have the radio broadcast.

Brett Winningham
Follow Me