Race Highlights:
- Richard Childress Racing teammates finished first (Kevin Harvick), second (Ty Dillon) and 30th (Joey Coulter).
- Harvick and Dillon ranked first and second, respectively, in NASCAR’s Loop Data category for Fastest Drivers Early in a Run and Fastest Drivers Late in a Run.
- According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Harvick and Dillon spent 100 percent of the race running in the top-15.
- Harvick scored a perfect driver rating of 150, the best of the event while Dillon scored the second-best driver rating of 121.
- Combined, RCR led all of the contested laps during the Kroger 250.
- Harvick earned his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win of the 2012 season and was followed across the finish line by Dillon, James Buescher, Justin Lofton and Timothy Peters.
- The next Camping World Truck Series race is the Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200 at Rockingham Speedway on Sunday, April 15. The third race of the 2012 season is scheduled to be televised live on SPEED beginning at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on Sirius XM Satellite Radio.
Harvick Dominates at Martinsville Speedway to Claim Victory
Start – 1 Finish – 1 Laps Led – 248 Owner Points – 6
KEVIN HARVICK QUOTE:
“It’s been a long time since we’ve dominated like that and actually won. We made a lot of changes over the offseason, moving teams to RCR, and this is what we’d hope for — to make what was a good Camping World Truck Series team even better.”
“I knew we had a little bit better truck than what they (Ty Dillon and the No. 3 Chevrolet team) had but I didn’t want him to get hung on the outside. They’re racing for a championship, and it’s our job as the No. 2 team to go out there and help them and try to make sure they win the championship and we win races.”
Ty Dillon Finishes Second in his Short Track Debut at Martinsville Speedway
Ty Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet team finished second in the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway in their first appearance at the half-mile short track. Dillon took to the track Friday for two practice sessions ending the day with the 20th fastest time, but that didn’t stop the 20-year-old from posting the second-quickest lap in Saturday’s qualifying. The Welcome, N.C., native took the green flag from the second position for Saturday afternoon’s 250-lap affair. Crew chief Scott Naset and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops team made minor chassis adjustments on the first pit stop to improve the handling on the black Chevrolet. As the halfway point of the race neared, Dillon reported the handling had improved and didn’t need any adjustments on the last stop of the day. While not running outside the top-three at all during the 250-lap event, Dillon held on to all of his fenders driving the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet to a second-place result at Martinsville Speedway jumping to fourth in the Camping World Truck Series driver championship point standings.
Start – 2 Finish – 2 Laps Led – 2 Points – 4
TY DILLON QUOTE:
“I’m so proud of Flash (crew chief Scott Naset) and the guys. We struggled a lot yesterday, but they worked hard and made us fast. The No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet was great. On a few of the last runs, I told Flash not to touch it because the handling was so good. I’m really happy to finish second to my teammate Kevin Harvick. I learned a lot from him these past two days. This second-place finish almost feels like a win seeing how it was my first time in a truck at Martinsville (Speedway).”
Tire Issues Plague Joey Coulter at Martinsville Speedway
Joey Coulter and the No. 22 Steak-umm Chevrolet team finished 30th at Martinsville Speedway after cutting a tire before the halfway mark derailing their run. Starting the 250-lap race in the 21st position, Coulter reported to crew chief Harold Holly early on that the Chevrolet Silverado was a little tight in the center of the 11-degree banked corners of the half-mile paperclip-shaped short track. Holly advised the 21-year-old NASCAR Camping World Truck Series sophomore to adjust his brake fans under the first caution-flag period of the day instead of making a pit stop. Coulter remained on track, but a tire issue on lap 76 sent Coulter into the outside retaining wall, causing significant damage to the right side of the No. 22 machine. The Miami Springs, Fla., native was able to drive the battered truck down pit road for repairs, but went several laps down to the leader in the process. Once returning to the track, Coulter raced competitively for the remaining laps and gain five crucial positions. He wrapped up his third-career start at Martinsville with a 30th-place effort and now sits 24th in the Camping World Truck Series driver championship point standings, 42 points in arrears to current leader John King.
Start -21 Finish – 30 Laps Led – 0 Points – 24
JOEY COULTER QUOTE:
“It was a tough day for the No. 22 Steak-umm Chevrolet. While I was happy we were able to get back on the track and gain some positions, we needed a good run to gain some points after the race in Daytona.”
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