Nemechek Battles Through the Field to a Runner-up Finish

John Hunter Nemechek (second), Kyle Busch (third), Ben Rhodes (fourth) and Chandler Smith (fifth) led Toyota with top-five finishes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series XPEL 225 at Circuit of the Americas on Saturday afternoon.

 

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Circuit of the Americas

Race 4 of 23 – 42 Laps, 143.22 Miles

 

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

1st, Zane Smith*

2nd, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK

3rd, KYLE BUSCH

4th, BEN RHODES

5th, CHANDLER SMITH

6th, CHRISTIAN ECKES

7th, TYLER ANKRUM

9th, STEWART FRIESEN

13th, MATT CRAFTON

16th, CHASE PURDY

18th, TATE FOGLEMAN

20th, BRAD PEREZ

21st, WILL RODGERS

22nd, TIMMY HILL

30th, TY MAJESKI

33rd, MATT JASKOL

*non-Toyota driver

 

TOYOTA QUOTES

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, No. 4 ROMCO Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, Kyle Busch Motorsports 

Finishing Position: 2nd

Can you describe those closing laps and how good this run was for you?

“The season has been frustrating for sure. We never give up at KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports). We never give up as an organization. I didn’t have the fastest truck today. We struggled most of the day. I got spun by Zane (Smith). I’m a little ticked off there. That’s two weeks in a row that we’ve got screwed by the 38. On to next week. I’m going to run the Richmond Xfinity race. Thanks to ROMCO Equipment, Toyota, everyone at KBM, TRD for all they do for us. Hopefully, we can keep this ship righted the right way and take this and carry the momentum. It’s way better finishing second than 24^th, 25^th, 24^th in the first three. Still got a lot to go, a lot to learn and a lot to build on, but a long season ahead.”

 

KYLE BUSCH, No. 51 Safelite AutoGlass Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, Kyle Busch Motorsports 

Finishing Position: 3rd

What did you see at the end that happened that forced you to give up the lead at that point?

“We had a great race all day. I really appreciate everyone at KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports) and their hard work and everyone there who does a good job building such fast trucks. I felt like we deserved that one, but it doesn’t matter if you deserve it or not. It’s just a matter if you get it. You have to be the first one to the checkered flag to win these things and we just weren’t.”

 

BEN RHODES, No. 99 Tenda Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, ThorSport Racing

Finishing Position: 4th

How are you feeling after a top-five finish?

“I’m definitely glad it is over. I’m pretty tired, I’m not going to lie. Not as bad as I’ve been at some other places. Daytona road course really wore me out a few years ago, but overall our Tenda Toyota Tundra was pretty fast. We made some improvements from last year. I wanted one more spot. I wanted a podium in front of Kyle Busch. I was hoping some of those guys were going to run out of gas. I could feel mine start to sputter and I thought, man, there is hope, but fourth-place isn’t bad. It’s a good points day and we are going to go on to the next one and see what we can do.”

 

CHANDLER SMITH, No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, Kyle Buch Motorsports

Finishing Position: 5th

What was the biggest challenge for you today at COTA?

“Track position and then at the very end – we probably would have ran second if everything had went good. We just had a loose wheel and had to come in and get tires, and we still ended up salvaging a top-five at the very end with the green-white-checkered. Happy with my whole Safelite, ChargeMe Toyota KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports) group and on forward.”

TRD PR