Kaulig Racing Post-Race Report | Richmond Raceway

Chandler Smith, No. 16 Quick Tie Chevrolet

• Per the rulebook, Chandler Smith started eighth in the ToyotaCare 250, as qualifying was canceled due to inclement weather.
• Smith raced up to the lead early, and went on to win stage one.
• In stage two, Smith’s drive off the corner kept him in front of the field for the majority of the stint. Near the end of the 75-lap green flag run, he started losing speed and dropped to fourth, where he finished stage two.
• Another long, green-flag run in the final stage led to Smith falling off the pace of the leader by six seconds before a timely caution came out, setting up a 23-lap sprint to the checkered flag.
• Smith took second place before another caution came out, and on the next restart, he took the lead.
• The final yellow flag waved with Smith in the lead, restarting with six laps remaining.
• Smith and John Hunter Nemechek fought for the win, and Smith won the battle, earning his first-career NXS win.

“This feels great. It’s a testimony to what happened in Las Vegas. We dominated that race, and didn’t win it. It was all in God’s timing. He said something great was coming. Here we are at Richmond, my favorite race track, sitting in Victory Lane. I’m super thankful for Matt Kaulig, Chris Rice, and everyone at Kaulig Racing – this is unbelievable.”

– Chandler Smith

Derek Kraus, No. 10 International Order of T. RooseveltChevrolet

• Per the rulebook, Derek Kraus started 11th in the ToyotaCare 250, as qualifying was canceled due to inclement weather.
• Kraus raced up to seventh prior to the competition caution on lap 37.
• At the competition caution the No. 10 was fighting tight and lacked front-end drive. Crew chief, Alex Yontz called Kraus to pit road for adjustments under caution.
• Restarting ninth, Kraus spun his tires on the restart shuffling him back to 14th where he finished the opening stage.
• Continuing to battle a tight-handling Chevy Camaro, Kraus and his team worked on his line and restart approach, all while making subtle air pressure adjustments during each of the four pit stops throughout the race. He finished 12th in the second stage.
• Kraus went on to earn a top-10 finish in his NXS debut.

“I am excited with how today went in my Xfinity Series debut. We had a solid car all day, just a little bit on the tight side. I learned how important restarts and track position are throughout the race. Overall, I am very happy with how the race went, and I am looking forward to the next one. I can’t thank Kaulig Racing enough for the opportunity!”

– Derek Kraus

Justin Haley, No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1

• Per the rulebook, Justin Haley started 29th in the Toyota Owners 400, as qualifying was canceled due to inclement weather.
• During the opening stage, Haley’s No. 31 Camaro ZL1 handled tight, as he slid back a few positions. After an air pressure adjustment, Haley radioed that his car was decent, as he went on to finish the stage in 25^th. He told crew chief, Trent Owens, to continue making changes in that direction.
• During the start of the second stage, Haley’s No. 31 car began running extremely tight. He pit for adjustments during the first caution of the stage, improving the handling of the car. Haley eventually fell a lap down to the leaders and finished the stage in 23^rd.
• A miscommunication and pit-road mishap on Haley’s final green-flag pit stops caused him to lose a few positions. Fortunately, Haley was able to take the wave around, putting him just one lap down, as he went on to finish 29^th.

“It wasn’t our best day collectively as a team. We made some great adjustments throughout the day and were moving in a positive direction. Unfortunately, some miscommunication put us in a bad spot, and we just couldn’t quite make up our track position. I think we made improvements and learned a lot; we just need to button some things up and execute in other areas to get the most out of our day.”

– Justin Haley