Series Leader John Hunter Nemechek Beats Boss in Richmond Truck Race

Brain Lawdermilk / Getty Images

RICHMOND, VA – RIS – John Hunter Nemechek passed teammate Chandler Smith with 17 laps to go and outran team owner Kyle Busch to win the NASCAR Truck Series race at Richmond Raceway on Saturday.  Nemechek, the series point leader, gave Kyle Busch Motorsports its fourth consecutive victory in the series but deprived Busch of a victory at the only track where he hasn't won in the Truck Series. Busch also was trying to become the only driver to win in all three of NASCAR's top series on the 0.75-mile, D-shaped oval.

Nemechek, who was second behind Grant Enfinger in the first stage and won the second, led a race-high 114 laps and became the first repeat winner in the series this year. He's also won six of the 12 stages in the first six races of the season.

“Coming from 18th to second in the first stage was pretty good,” Nemechek said, adding that seeing Busch right behind him for the last several laps was unnerving. “He definitely tried in turn three. He got to my bumper and got me loose, but I knew he wasn't going to wreck me,” Nemechek said.

Tyler Ankrum passed Smith to take third, with Johnny Sauter fifth. Smith ended up fourth.

Nemechek, who was second behind Grant Enfinger in the first stage and won the second, led a race-high 114 laps and became the first repeat winner in the series this year. He's also won six of the 12 stages in the first six races of the season.

After Nemechek won at Las Vegas, Busch won at Atlanta and Martin Truex Jr. won in a Busch-owned truck on the dirt at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Todd Gilliland was sixth, followed by Ben Rhodes, Enfinger, Sam Mayer and Austin Hill.

Ankrum, who was 28th in the point standings entering the race but finished ninth overall last season, hoped the finish was a beginning of a better stretch.

"For me, I've never lost faith in my team" he said. “Every race we've gone to, we've had top-10 or top-five speed.”

“This is probably my absolute favorite track that we go to and I love this type of racing,” Sauter said. "I never drove so hard to finish fifth in my whole life. I was just hanging on. It just would not turn. Got some work to do.”

Next for the truck series is on May 1st at Kansas Speedway.

Unofficial Results, 2nd Annual ToyotaCare 250, April 17, 2021, Richmond Raceway

Fin, Str, Driver, Truck, Laps, St1, St2, Tms Led, Laps Led, Playoff Pts, Pts, Status
1) 18, John Hunter Nemechek, No. 4 Safeway Toyota, 250, 2, 1, 3, 114, 6, 59, Running
2) 12, Kyle Busch(i), No. 51 Cessna Toyota, 250, 3, 5, 1, 26, , 0, Running
3) 30, Tyler Ankrum, No. 26 LiUNA! Chevrolet, 250, , , , , , 34, Running
4) 23, Chandler Smith #, No. 18 JBL Toyota, 250, , 10, 1, 24, , 34, Running
5) 19, Johnny Sauter, No. 13 Vivitar Toyota, 250, , , , , , 32, Running
6) 8, Todd Gilliland, No. 38 The Pete Store Ford, 250, 8, 8, , , , 37, Running
7) 1, Ben Rhodes, No. 99 Bombardier Toyota, 250, 4, 3, 3, 4, , 45, Running
8) 3, Grant Enfinger, No. 98 Champion/Camping World/Curb Records Toyota, 250, 1, 2, 1, 71, 1, 48, Running
9) 40, Sam Mayer(i), No. 32 QPS Employment Group Chevrolet, 250, , , , , , 0, Running
10) 2, Austin Hill, No. 16 Mobil 1 Toyota, 250, 5, 4, , , , 40, Running
11) 9, Sheldon Creed, No. 2 Chevy Accessories Chevrolet, 250, , , , , , 26, Running
12) 13, Carson Hocevar #, No. 42 Scott's/GMPartsNow Chevrolet, 250, 6, , , , , 30, Running
13) 4, Stewart Friesen, No. 52 Halmar International Toyota, 250, 10, , , , , 25, Running
14) 6, Zane Smith, No. 21 Good Sam Chevrolet, 250, , 6, , , , 28, Running
15) 29, Derek Kraus, No. 19 Incredible Bank Toyota, 250, 9, 9, , , , 26, Running
16) 25, Spencer Davis, No. 11 Inox Supreme Lubricants Toyota, 250, , , , , , 21, Running
17) 14, Hailie Deegan #, No. 1 BUILT FORD TOUGH Ford, 250, , , , , , 20, Running
18) 7, Matt Crafton, No. 88 Great Lakes Flooring/Menards Toyota, 250, , , 1, 11, , 19, Running
19) 10, Austin Wayne Self, No. 22 GO TEXAN/AM Technical Solutions Chevrolet, 250, , , , , , 18, Running
20) 28, Danny Bohn, No. 30 North American Motor Car Toyota, 250, , , , , , 17, Running
21) 34, Timmy Hill(i), No. 56 HairClub Chevrolet, 250, , , , , , 0, Running
22) 27, Timothy Peters, No. 25 Rackley Roofing Chevrolet, 250, , , , , , 15, Running
23) 5, Raphael Lessard, No. 24 CANAC Chevrolet, 249, 7, 7, , , , 22, Running
24) 11, Tanner Gray, No. 15 Ford Performance Ford, 249, , , , , , 13, Running
25) 31, Dawson Cram, No. 41 Good Sam Chevrolet, 248, , , , , , 12, Running
26) 36, Jett Noland, No. 44 Hype Motorsports Chevrolet, 247, , , , , , 11, Running
27) 26, Spencer Boyd, No. 20 WML Enterprises Chevrolet, 247, , , , , , 10, Running
28) 15, Chase Purdy #, No. 23 BamaBuggies.com Chevrolet, 245, , , , , , 9, Running
29) 39, Ryan Reed, No. 49 Camping World Chevrolet, 245, , , , , , 8, Running
30) 32, Keith McGee, No. 33 Good Sam Chevrolet, 244, , , , , , 7, Running
31) 21, Cory Roper, No. 04 Preferred Industrial Contractors Ford, 243, , , , , , 6, Running
32) 38, Norm Benning, No. 6 MDS A Sign Co Chevrolet, 240, , , , , , 5, Running
33) 37, Josh Reaume, No. 34 Hardy Boy Consulting Toyota, 240, , , , , , 4, Running
34) 35, Howie Disavino III, No. 3 KEES Vacations/Bud's Chevrolet, 221, , , , , , 3, Running
35) 22, Kris Wright #, No. 02 MasterTech Chevrolet, 212, , , , , , 2, Accident
36) 20, Codie Rohrbaugh, No. 9 Grant County Mulch Chevrolet, 195, , , , , , 1, Accident
37) 17, Brett Moffitt, No. 45 Niece Chevrolet, 186, , , , , , 1, Handling
38) 33, Jennifer Jo Cobb, No. 10 Fastener Supply Company Chevrolet, 168, , , , , , 1, DVP
39) 24, Tate Fogleman, No. 12 Solid Rock Carriers Chevrolet, 82, , , , , , 1, Accident
40) 16, Ryan Truex, No. 40 Marquis 900 Wishes Chevrolet, 44, , , , , , 1, Rear Gear
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series, (#) Rookie

Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 25 Mins, 58 Secs
Race Length: 250 Laps - 187.5 Miles
Average Speed: 77.072 MPH
Margin of Victory: 0.307 Seconds

Stage 1 Top 10: 98, 4, 51, 99, 16, 42, 24, 38, 19, 52

Stage 2 Top 10: 4, 98, 99, 16, 51, 21, 24, 38, 19, 18

Comments: John Hunter Nemechek won the ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond Raceway, his 8th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory.

Prior to the start, the following trucks dropped to the rear of the field under penalty for the reason indicated: No. 49 (driver change), No. 34 (unapproved adjustments).

Caution Flags: 11 for 79 laps;
Laps: 72-79 (Stage 1 Conclusion [11]);
86-98 (No. 1, No. 12 Incident Turn 3 [30]);
101-104 (No. 10, No. 3 Incident Turn 3 [56]);
142-150 (Stage 2 Conclusion [9]);
154-158 (No. 19 Spin Turn 2 [44]);
161-165 (No. 1, No. 23 Incident Turn 2 [19]);
167-171 (No. 10, No. 3 Incident Backstretch [02]);
178-181 (No. 10, No. 3 Incident Turn 4 [25]);
183-187 (No. 41, No. 22, Incident Turn 4 [25]);
197-209 (No. 9 Incident Turn 1 [41]);
214-221 (No. 02 Incident Backstretch [41]).

Lead Changes: 9 among 6 drivers;
B. Rhodes 1-2;
G. Enfinger 3-73;
K. Busch(i) 74-99;
J. Nemechek 100-144;
B. Rhodes 145;
J. Nemechek 146-197;
B. Rhodes 198;
M. Crafton 199-209;
C. Smith # 210-233;
J. Nemechek 234-250.

Cometic Gasket 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