Brian Scott: Returning to Site of One That Got Away

Every driver has a race, or several, that in the back of their mind was one where they had a vehicle capable of winning if it wasn’t for a bad break. For Brian Scott, the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta is one of those races. The Idaho native will have another chance to visit victory lane at the 1.5-mile Tri-oval Friday night, driving the No. 18 Dollar General Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) in the Kentucky 201, his first Truck Series start at the track since the 2009 race.

 

Scott, who qualified second, had the dominant truck in the early stages of the race. He took the lead from pole-sitter Ron Hornaday Jr. on lap two and remained on point until lap 29. The young driver had settled into the second position until the right front tire on his Toyota blew out on lap 36 and catapulted the truck into the outside retaining wall. Despite substantial damage to the right front fender, Scott’s crew was able to make repairs and remain on the lead lap. By race’s end, he had battled back to earn a hard-fought sixth-place finish.

 

Dollar General Racing crew chief Eric Phillips can relate with Scott on letting one get away at the 1.5-mile Tri-oval. After starting from the rear of the field in the 2010 September race, due to an improper adjustment, Kyle Busch took the lead on lap 54 and held point until he visited pit road for his final stop on lap 127. The race would proceed caution free for the final 55 laps, allowing several competitors on different pit sequences to make it to the end of the race, relegating Busch to a seventh-place finish.

 

Phillips and Busch were able to redeem themselves last season, leading a race-high 61 laps en route to victory in the UNOH 225 last July. Friday night, Phillips will take aim at helping Scott make amends in the Bluegrass State.

 

KBM PR