Location: Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas (3.426-mile 20-turn road course)
Format: Three Stages; 12 laps/14 laps/15 laps
Start/Finish: 6th/12th (Running, completed 41 of 41 laps)
Winner: Todd Gilliland of Front Row Motorsports (Ford)
John Hunter Nemechek ran in the top 10 for most of the Toyota Tundra 225 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas before an uncontrolled tire penalty on lap 23 sent Nemechek to the rear of the field to start the final stage. Despite the penalty, Nemechek was able to rebound to finish in the 12th position.
Stage One Recap
Nemechek qualified his No. 4 ROMCO Equipment Co. Tundra in the sixth position with an average speed of 74.414 mph around the 20-turn circuit in wet conditions. The race would also start in “wet” conditions.
In the middle of the stage, Nemechek radioed to his ROMCO Equipment Co. team that his Tundra needed more front turn.
With the stage going caution-free to green-checkered, Nemechek would finish the stage in the eighth position.
Stage Two Recap:
At the stage break, Nemechek radioed that he had no drive and no turn in his Tundra. Crew chief Eric Phillips brought Nemechek down pit road for four wet weather tires, fuel and adjustments. Nemechek would start the stage from the eighth position.
Nemechek radioed that his ROMCO Equipment Co. Tundra fired off better during the green-flag run but that it needed long-run speed.
On lap 23, Phillips summoned Nemechek onto pit road for four tires, fuel and adjustments. During the pit stop, NASCAR deemed that the No. 4 team had an uncontrolled tire and would start the team at the tail end of the field.
Nemechek would cross the line in the ninth position, but he did not receive any stage points due to his penalty.
Final Stage Recap:
Because of the penalty, Phillips elected to bring Nemechek onto pit road during the stage break to top off with fuel and make adjustments to help the turn and drive of the ROMCO Equipment Co. Tundra. Nemechek restarted in the 33rd position at the tail end of the field.
With the final stage going caution free from green to checkered, Nemechek worked his way through the field to finish 12th.
John Hunter Nemechek, driver of the No. 4 ROMCO Equipment Co. Tundra for KBM:
How did your race go today?
“We never really had the speed we had hoped for in our ROMCO Tundra this weekend in practice, the race or qualifying. We struggled pretty bad during the race and once we had to go to the tail of the field it was tough going to work back forward, but we were able to salvage a 12th-place finish. Always appreciate ROMCO’s support, they have been with me for a long time, and I had hoped to get them to victory lane today. We’ll regroup this week and try to go get us another win at Charlotte.”
