TOYOTA NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS)
Post-Race Notes & Quotes
Rockingham Speedway – April 14, 2013
Tundra driver Johnny Sauter (fourth) was the highest finishing Toyota in Sunday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at North Carolina’s Rockingham Speedway.
Tundra drivers Matt Crafton (sixth) and Erik Jones (ninth) also finished in the top-10 at the historic one-mile oval.
Toyota drivers John Wes Townley (11th), Joey Coulter (13th), German Quiroga (19th), David Starr (20th), Timothy
Peters (26th), Darrell Wallace Jr. (27th), Tyler Reddick (30th) and Todd Bodine (32nd) were also in the field.
Sauter holds a 16-point lead over second-place Jeb Burton in the unofficial NCWTS point standings following the third race of the season. Fellow Tundra drivers Crafton (third) and Wallace (10th) are also in the top-10.
JOHNNY SAUTER, No. 98 Carolina Nut Company/Curb Records, ThorSport Racing
Finishing Position: 4th
Did you enjoy racing at Rockingham?
“It was fun as always — probably one of the best race tracks we go to all year. I can’t thank Andy Hillenburg (track president) enough and everybody. Our Carolina Nut Company/Curb Records Toyota was really, really strong — we knew it was in practice yesterday and we just had a couple mishaps in the pits. We didn’t qualify as well as we wanted to. We started second and I think we came out of the pits 10th or whatever. We got back up to second or third and came to pit road and came back out seventh. Gave up track position, but we didn’t have a good enough truck to win there at the end. I just got too tight. We had to adjust the truck during the race, tighten it up a little bit and then the clouds came in and I just couldn’t roll the middle like I had. All in all, great day for us. Top-five are what we need to do if we’re going to be serious about this championship.”
What is it like to start the season with two wins and a top-five finish?
“It’s great — we were trying to become the only guy to win three to start off the season, but just wasn’t meant to be. I couldn’t be more proud of my guys and everybody at ThorSport for doing such a great job. We have a lot of new guys going over the wall this year so we just have to work on that a little bit. Two wins and a fourth, I don’t know anybody that would shake their head at that. I’m proud of everybody and we just need to keep digging. We’re having fun and that’s half the battle.”
MATT CRAFTON, No. 88 IdealDoor/Menards Toyota Tundra, ThorSport Racing
Finishing Position: 6th
How did the truck handle in the race?
“We missed it. We could make something happen for a few laps, but we were just trying something a little bit different this weekend and it bit us to be totally honest. It just wasn’t consistent — it was a learning curve and we said at the beginning of the day that if we could get out of here with a top-five finish and if we stumble on it, it’s a win for us. All in all, I’m proud of these guys and we made a lot of changes and a lot of adjustments on every pit stop. Our pit stops were absolutely phenomenal all day besides the first one when I drove through the pit stall. I was making fun of the Cup guys last night that were all driving through their stalls and what do I do? I do the same thing, I guess that’s karma.”
ERIK JONES, No. 51 Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports
Finishing Position: 9th
How was the race?
“Long day — wow, long day. We started dead last, shotgun on the field. The truck hit the track in qualifying. We went a lap down early, got the lucky dog and then went around and got another caution. Our Toyota Tundra was fast all day — it really was. Track position was our factor that killed us all day. We were a little better than the finish again, but going to Iowa here next for me — got a little bit of off time, which is kind of disappointing. I would like to stay in the truck and keep this momentum going. We’ll be good there and just looking forward to getting to the next race.”
JOHN WES TOWNLEY, No. 7 Zaxby’s Toyota Tundra, Red Horse Racing
Finishing Position: 11th
JOEY COULTER, No. 18 Darrell Gwynn Foundation Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports
Finishing Position: 13th
GERMAN QUIROGA, No. 77 Net 10 Wireless Toyota Tundra, Red Horse Racing
Finishing Position: 19th
DAVID STARR, No. 81 Toyota Tundra
Finishing Position: 20th
TIMOTHY PETERS, No. 17 Parts Plus Toyota Tundra, Red Horse Racing
Finishing Position: 26th
How was the race and what happened that took you out of the race?
“We just never could get a handle on our Parts Plus Tundra all weekend. I felt like 93 (Chris Jones) could have cut us a little slack, but nonetheless it’s just a bad weekend. They don’t call it big time auto racing for nothing. We’ll swallow it and go to Kansas next week and try to rebound.”
DARRELL WALLACE JR., No. 54 ToyotaCare Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports
Finishing Position: 27th
What is your response to Ron Hornaday Jr. saying he only meant to ‘brush you up?’
“If he (Ron Hornaday Jr.) wanted to brush me up then I brushed him up earlier in the race so he should have took note of that. He just flat out wrecked us. It’s unfortunate. It was fun — we just couldn’t hit it all weekend. Put it up to the top with that last restart and we were making up some ground. Got to him and he wasn’t going to give me the top so I knew what to do — I had to take his line away. I didn’t put him in the fence or anything and he just pulls that bonehead move. I will go have a word with him — I’m all happy, I’m not going to throw a punch of anything.”
TYLER REDDICK, No. 52 Broken Bow Records Toyota Tundra
Finishing Position: 30th
TODD BODINE, No. 13 Sealmaster Toyota Tundra, ThorSport Racing
Finishing Position: 32nd
