Nemechek Beats Busch for Vegas Truck Win

Getty Images

LAS VWGAS, NV – RIS – John Hunter Nemechek led early and led often and late to win the NASCAR Camping World truck race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Friday night. He our ran his truck owner Kyle Busch who finished second.  It was the first win for Nemechek on the 2021 season. Busch, NASCAR's biggest race winner over the past decade, had thoroughly dominated the NASCAR Truck Series and was the favorite to win his fourth straight truck race at Las Vegas. But John Hunter Nemechek got the better of his teammate and boss Friday night, winning in his No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports truck

Nemechek was pushed to the lead by Busch on the night’s final restart with six laps to go, then kept Busch at bay to the checkered flag.

“He was faster than me in Stage 2, so I really didn’t know,” Nemechek told FS1 about whether he could hold off Busch on the restart. “It was all about using our truck to the best we could possibly do – wrapping the bottom, taking the dirty air away. He had to run up and it created more lap time for him.”

Austin Hill, Stewart Friesen, and Matt Crafton completed the top five finishers.

Nemechek won Stage one and went on from there.

Busch, NASCAR's biggest race winner over the past decade, had thoroughly dominated the NASCAR Truck Series and was the favorite to win his fourth straight truck race at Las Vegas. But John Hunter Nemechek got the better of his teammate and boss Friday night, winning in his No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports truck.

"We came back to the truck series with the hashtag #heretowin. We're here to win, and we proved that tonight," John Hunter Nemechek said. "... It's an awesome victory.," Nemechek said.

That's all we can ask for," Kyle Busch said. "It's cool to see the 4 truck in victory lane and John win."

The race had several multi-truck accidents on the night collecting many drivers including rookie Hallie Deegan.

Nemechek and his boss were running 1-2 when Busch had trouble with 46 laps to go. Busch slowed with a flat tire, and then spun on pit road while trying to get to his pit. Busch was not happy about the setback. He came back to challenge Nemechek in the end.

Unofficial Results: 4th Annual Bucked Up 200 - March 5, 2021, Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Fin, Str, Driver, Truck, Laps, St1, St2, Tms, Laps, Playoff Pts, Pts, Status
1) 3, John Hunter Nemechek, No. 4 Mobil 1 Toyota, 134, 1, 2, 4, 94, 6, 59, Running
2) 29, Kyle Busch(i), No. 51 Cessna Toyota, 134, 4, 1, 1, 16, , 0, Running
3) 31, Austin Hill, No. 16 Ibaraki Toyopet Toyota, 134, , 6, , , , 39, Running
4) 9, Stewart Friesen, No. 52 Halmar International Toyota, 134, 5, 3, 1, 4, , 47, Running
5) 4, Matt Crafton, No. 88 SlimJim/Menards Toyota, 134, 3, 4, , , , 47, Running
6) 32, Zane Smith, No. 21 MRC Construction Chevrolet, 134, , , , , , 31, Running
7) 18, Grant Enfinger, No. 9 Camping World Chevrolet, 134, 10, 7, , , , 35, Running
8) 40, Parker Kligerman, No. 75 Food Country USA/Camping World Chevrolet, 134, , , , , , 29, Running
9) 5, Christian Eckes, No. 98 ProtectTheHarvest.com Toyota, 134, 6, 9, , , , 35, Running
10) 1, Ben Rhodes, No. 99 Bombardier LearJet 75 Toyota, 134, 8, 5, , , , 36, Running
11) 17, Brett Moffitt, No. 45 The Strat Chevrolet, 134, , , 1, 13, , 26, Running
12) 22, Tanner Gray, No. 15 Ford Performance Ford, 134, , , , , , 25, Running
13) 6, Todd Gilliland, No. 38 Speedco Ford, 134, , , , , , 24, Running
14) 12, Austin Wayne Self, No. 22 AIRBOX Air Purifiers Chevrolet, 134, , , , , , 23, Running
15) 11, Johnny Sauter, No. 13 Vivitar/RealTree Toyota, 134, , , , , , 22, Running
16) 19, Timothy Peters, No. 25 Rackley Roofing Chevrolet, 134, , , , , , 21, Running
17) 26, Danny Bohn, No. 30 North American Motor Car Toyota, 134, , , , , , 20, Running
18) 2, Sheldon Creed, No. 2 Camping World Chevrolet, 134, 2, , 2, 7, , 28, Running
19) 7, Chandler Smith #, No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Toyota, 134, 9, , , , , 20, Running
20) 20, Tate Fogleman, No. 12 Solid Rock Carriers Chevrolet, 134, , , , , , 17, Running
21) 23, Dawson Cram, No. 41 Camping World Chevrolet, 134, , , , , , 16, Running
22) 33, Spencer Boyd, No. 20 Credit MRI Chevrolet, 134, , , , , , 15, Running
23) 21, Chase Purdy #, No. 23 BamaBuggies.com Chevrolet, 134, , , , , , 14, Running
24) 10, Carson Hocevar #, No. 42 Circle B Diecast Chevrolet, 133, , , , , , 13, Running
25) 15, Kris Wright #, No. 02 First National Bank Chevrolet, 132, , , , , , 12, Running
26) 39, BJ McLeod(i), No. 34 Camping World Toyota, 132, , , , , , 0, Running
27) 28, Jordan Anderson(i), No. 3 Camping World Chevrolet, 132, , , , , , 0, Running
28) 30, Hailie Deegan #, No. 1 Toter/Engine Ice Ford, 130, , , , , , 9, Running
29) 34, Jennifer Jo Cobb, No. 10 Fastener Supply Chevrolet, 130, , , , , , 8, Running
30) 13, Raphael Lessard, No. 24 Camping World Chevrolet, 130, , , , , , 7, Running
31) 37, Jesse Iwuji, No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet, 129, , , , , , 6, Running
32) 8, Derek Kraus, No. 19 Hunter Nation/South Point Hotel Toyota, 126, , , , , , 5, Running
33) 35, Norm Benning, No. 6 Camping World Chevrolet, 123, , , , , , 4, Running
34) 16, Tyler Ankrum, No. 26 LiUNA! Chevrolet, 122, , 10, , , , 4, Accident
35) 25, Tyler Hill, No. 56 Camping World Chevrolet, 112, , , , , , 2, Accident
36) 27, Cory Roper, No. 04 CMN Hospitals/CarQuest Ford, 111, , , , , , 1, Accident
37) 38, Bret Holmes, No. 32 SOUTHERN STATES BANK Chevrolet, 106, , , , , , 1, DVP
38) 24, Ryan Truex, No. 40 Jacob Companies Chevrolet, 103, , , , , , 1, DVP
39) 14, David Gilliland, No. 17 David Gilliland Racing Ford, 96, 7, 8, , , , 8, Accident
40) 36, Conor Daly, No. 44 FatheadzEyewear/ElliottsCustomTrailers Chev, 68, , , , , , 1, Accident
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series

Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 5 Mins, 27 Secs.
Race Length: 134 Laps, 201 Miles

Average Speed: 96.134 MPH
Margin of Victory: .686 Seconds

Stage 1 Top 10: 4, 2, 88, 51, 52, 98, 17, 99, 18, 9
Stage 2 Top 10: 51, 4, 52, 88, 99, 16, 9, 17, 98, 26

Comments: John Hunter Nemechek has won the Bucked Up 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, his seventh victory in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Prior to the start, the following vehicle dropped to the rear of the field for the reasons indicated: No. 02 (unapproved adjustments).

Caution Flags: 9 for 48 laps;
Laps: 3-6 (No. 04 Spin Turn 4 [None]);
32-36 (Stage 1 Conclusion [3]);
62-67 (Stage 2 Conclusion [12]);
70-75 (No. 44, 56, 2 Incident Turn 1 [21]);
80-83 (No. 18 Incident Turn 2 [30]);
90-95 (No. 51 Spin Turn 2 [18]);
98-103 (No. 1, 2, 17, 22, 24, 32, 40 Incident Turn 1 [51]);
116-121 (No. 04, 56 Incident Frontstretch [20]);
124-128 (No. 23, 3, 26, 75 Incident Backstretch [42]).

Lead Changes: 9 among 5 drivers;
B. Rhodes 0;
S. Creed 1-6;
J. Nemechek 7-32;
S. Creed 33;
J. Nemechek 34-47;
K. Busch(i) 48-63;
S. Friesen 64-67;
J. Nemechek 68-90;
B. Moffitt 91-103;
J. Nemechek 104-134.

Cometic Gaskets Pole Award: Ben Rhodes, No. 99
Mobil 1 Driver of the Race: John H. Nemechek, No. 4
Sunoco Rookie of the Race: Chandler Smith, No. 18

Ron Fleshman with John Davison

RIS NASCAR Editor.  Has been with RIS since the middle 90's. Writes on each of the three main series of NASCAR.

Read More on Cup / XFINITY / Truck news
Volume 2021, Issue 3, Posted 12:09 AM, 03.06.2021