DGR NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race Recap: Knoxville Raceway

Hailie Deegan, No. 1 Toter Ford F-150

Start: 4th

Finish: 21st

• Deegan competed in the first qualifying heat race and scored 13 passing points to earn her the fourth starting spot in the inaugural race at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway.
• Early in Stage 1, Deegan went a little too high and got into the cushion causing her F-150 to wiggle, but she was able to save it. The first caution came out on lap 14 and the California native reported her Toter Ford was tight. 
• The second caution came out with 10 laps to go in the stage for a spin ahead of Deegan. She was in the 22nd position and stayed out on the track. Another caution in the closing laps brought Stage 2 to an end with Deegan in 19th.
• The Toter driver started Stage 2 in 19th. During the lap-65 caution Deegan reported her truck was tight in the center and remained on the track to restart 20th. 
• With 11 laps to go in the second stage, Deegan made contact with another competitor which resulted in a slight tire rub and dropped her from 16th to 22nd. 
• Deegan started the final stage 23rd after pitting for four tires, fuel and adjustments to loosen up her F-150. Just after the green flag, the caution came out and Deegan reported her truck felt much better and she restarted 21st. The next caution was displayed with 45 laps to go in the event and Deegan lined up 18th.
• Another caution occurred on lap 115 and Deegan restarted 20th. The caution came back out with 21 laps remaining while Deegan was in the 19^th position.
• Several more cautions followed, including one that involved Deegan spinning with three laps to go in the scheduled distance of the race. She pitted with a flat tire and returned to the track to battle through several overtime restarts.
• With a damaged No. 1 F-150 Deegan finished the race 21st. 

Tanner Gray, No. 15 Ford Performance F-150

Start: 27th

Finish: 31st

• Gray started the inaugural Truck Series race at Knoxville from the 27th position after starting and finishing in sixth in the first qualifying heat race.
• The Ford driver had advanced up to 22nd when the caution flag waved on lap 15, but lost some ground during the next run and was back to 29th when another caution came out on lap 30. He would finish Stage 1 in 28th.
• The team chose to pit during the stage break for tires and an adjustment to the right rear to help with forward drive. After restarting 28th for Stage 2, the Ford Performance F-150 was back up to 24th by lap 60.
• A yellow flag late in Stage 2 meant Gray had to restart in the less desirable outside lane and fell to 28th, but he was able to gain two positions and finish the stage in 26th. He pitted again for tires and adjustments at the break.
• Gray started the final stage from 28th after a few tracks stayed out during the break. He was up to 21st when the caution waved on lap 105 and was in 17th when the caution waved on lap 115.
• When the yellow flag was displayed yet again on lap 139, the 22-year-old driver was in 13th. The race resumed with five laps remaining, but a quick caution came out and he was up to ninth.
• The ensuing restart was a green-white-checkered scenario and a multi-truck pileup on the restart left the No. 15 F-150 battered and unable to continue. Gray was credited with a 31st-place finish.

Donny Schatz, No. 17 Little Giant Ford F-150

Start: 22nd

Finish: 32nd

• Schatz started his first ever NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race from the 22nd position after starting seventh and finishing sixth in qualifying heat race two.
• The North Dakota native quickly adapted to the heavy truck and was in 12th when the yellow flag waved on lap 15. He was in 11th when the yellow waved again on lap 30 and he ultimately finished Stage 1 there.
• Crew chief Chad Johnston made the call to stay out at the stage break and the Little Giant F-150 would lead the field to green to start Stage 2. Schatz was shuffled into the middle lane entering turn one on the restart and fell to 14th before he was able to tuck back in line on the bottom.
• The caution flag waved on lap 65 and the No. 17 was in the 13th position. He moved into ninth on the restart and would hold steady there until the end of Stage 2.
• The team pitted for four tires and adjustments at the stage break and restarted the final stage from the 12th position.
• Caution flag waved on lap 105 and Schatz was in 12th. When it waved again on lap 115 he had fallen to 15th after restarting in the outside lane.
• He remained in 15th when the yellow flag came out on lap 139 and restarting on the inside lane allowed him to pick his way forward to the 11th spot.
• Schatz would restart in the outside row in 10th for the first attempt at a green-white-checkered finish and a multi-truck pileup on the restart left him with nowhere to go ultimately ending his night. The NASCAR rookie was credited with 32nd in the final results.

Next event: Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York on August 7 at 12:30 p.m. ET.