Austin Dillon Dominates In Historic Win At New Hampshire

Austin Dillon capped off a three-race stint as driver of the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet with a dominant performance in Saturday’s UNOH 175 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS). Dillon swept the weekend being the fastest in both Friday practice sessions; he went on to capture the Keystone Light Pole Award, setting a new track record in the process. The victory by Dillon marks a historic day for GMS Racing, as the win is the team’s first victory in a NASCAR national series event.

The Welcome, N.C., native led the field to green and held the position through the first 43 laps of the 175-lap event, reporting a tight on exit handling condition when the second caution flag of the day waved on lap 37. Crew chief Shane Huffman called Dillon to pit road for four tires, fuel and an air-pressure and track-bar adjustment. Dillon was first off pit road but lost the lead on the lap-44 restart, falling back to third. With green-flag pit stops approaching, Dillon reported he needed more turn in the front tires without losing grip in the rear. The 25-year-old driver came to pit road on lap 113 for tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment, working his way back into the top five just 12 laps later. Dillon and the Rheem Chevrolet were scored in the third position when the yellow flag waved on lap 137. Dillon remained on track and reclaimed the lead with 37 laps to go. Despite two additional late-race cautions, the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet team never looked back, securing many firsts on the day with bringing home GMS Racing’s first NCWTS win, Dillon’s first NCWTS victory at NHMS, and the first NCWTS win for Shane Huffman in his role as crew chief.

With Dillon’s win, the No. 33 team advanced two positions, to eighth, in the NCWTS owner championship points standings with six races remaining on the 2015 schedule.
 

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:

“We won everything we could this weekend, from both practices, to all three qualifying sessions and then to finish off with the race, it means a lot. It’s real easy to give these things away even when you’re the fastest truck. It was just an impressive day for us in the Rheem Chevrolet. Shane (Huffman, crew chief) made a good adjustment there to go ahead and free us up, and we communicated well the whole time. This is just a very special win. I owe a lot to the Camping World Truck Series for getting me where I am today. I have to thank GMS Racing for the effort they put in. They built a wonderful Rheem Chevrolet, and it’s awesome to sit up here with Shane  and Maury (Gallagher, owner GMS Racing) and get their first win in the 500th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race.”

GMS Racing PR