Lofton battles Martinsville running in the Top 10, cuts tires on final lap to finish 19th

With Martinsville (Va.) Speedway known for its short-track shenanigans and the wild bumping and banging style of racing,  Justin Loftonand the No. 6 Weekends Warriors Productions / Lofton Cattle Chevrolet battled inside the top 10 for most of the afternoon on Saturday; however, with just three laps to go, Lofton suffered a punctured left rear tire. Fighting to hold on to the truck, Lofton spun on lap 199, but managed to hobble across the finish line to end the day on the lead lap and in the 19th position.

Qualifying in the 14th position on the 0.526-mile oval, Lofton battled, beat and banged against the other NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) drivers. By the third caution on lap 92, Lofton had worked his way to the 10th position. As the leaders all pitted on Lap 95, the No. 6 crew gave Lofton four tires and fuel. The championship contender then set his sights on the remaining nine trucks between himself and the lead position.

 

As the race restarted on lap 98, Lofton began picking off the competition one-by-one, and by lap 102 he was scored in the seventh spot. On lap 150, the caution flag flew and Lofton pitted for just two left-side tires and fuel. The gamble paid off, putting Lofton in the fifth position on the lap 159 restart.

 

As the final caution waved on lap 186, Lofton was in the ninth position. The field restarted with just seven laps to go, and Lofton found himself in the seventh position. On lap 197, Lofton radioed to his No. 6 Weekend Warriors Productions / Lofton Cattle team that the truck felt like he had a left rear tire going down. Lofton was able to fight the ill-handling truck around the track for two laps, but on the white-flag lap, Lofton could no longer race on only three properly inflated tires, and the truck spun in turn two. Lofton turned his truck around to finish his day on the lead lap and in the 19th position.

 

“I felt like I was passing everybody on the track,” said Lofton. “Our Weekend Warriors Productions / Lofton Cattle Chevrolet was running so strong and the truck was really turning well. I thought that the team did all that they could to put me where I needed to be, and when we gambled on the two left-side tire stop, I thought that we had a great chance for a strong finish.”

 

Justin Lofton PR