Talladega Post Race

John Hunter Nemechek came into Saturday’s 94-lap event at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway nine points below the cutoff line for advancing to the Championship 4 with two races remaining in the Round of 8. After earning the pole in Friday’s qualifying session, Nemechek nearly maxed out his stage points by picking up the Stage One win and crossing the stripe in second at the end of Stage Two to earn 19 points.
Nemechek was lined up in 18th for the first and only NASCAR overtime attempt at the 2.66-mile track after electing to ride near the back of the field for the Final Stage in an effort to miss wrecks and maximize his finish. As the field came through the tri-oval for the final time, Nemechek went through the infield grass to avoid “The Big One” at the end of the race and ultimately spun through the grass in his Pye-Barker Tundra. Once he regained control of his Tundra and crossed the stripe, Nemechek was scored in 24th.
Stage One Recap
·        Nemechek started the Talladega 250 from the front row after earning his seventh pole award of the year during Friday afternoon’s two-round qualifying session, posting a time of 53.567 seconds at 178.767 mph in the second round.
·        The second-generation driver elected the outside lane to start the race with his Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) teammate Chandler Smith on the inside. As the field took the green flag, Nemechek ducked down in front of the No. 18 as they controlled the opening laps.
·        Nemechek briefly lost the lead before regaining control of the draft on lap 5 and went on to lead the next 18 laps.
·        The first caution of the day came out on lap 20 for a single-truck incident, ending Stage One under caution with Nemechek in the lead, earning him an important 10 bonus points.
Stage Two Recap:
·        Veteran crew chief Eric Phillips called for a fuel-only stop at the stage break and sent the No. 4 Pye-Barker Tundra TRD Pro back out on track to restart in second.
·        Nemechek and his KBM teammate Chandler Smith continued to work together throughout the second stage as third caution of the day came out on lap 34 with Nemechek scored in third.
·        As the field went back green for a two-lap shootout to the green-white-checkered, Nemechek pushed the No. 18 of Smith out ahead of the field and held off a surge from the outside lane as they came through the tri-oval to take the green-and-white checkered in second, adding nine more stage points to his total.
Final Stage Recap:
·        Nemechek restarted the final stage in 27th after electing to pit and restart near the back to avoid any wreck that might have occurred throughout the Final Stage.
·        The 25-year-old driver continued to run in 26th before hitting pit road for two tires and fuel as green flag pit stops began on lap 62.
·        Shortly after completing their stop, the fifth caution of the day came out on lap 65 for a loose tire on the track with Nemechek scored in 11th.
·        Nemechek was shuffled back to 19th before coming over the radio to say “I’m bailing out of this” as he elected to get out of his lane and fall back to 23rd with 17 laps to go.
·        The seventh caution of the day came out on lap 80 for a five-truck incident with Nemechek scored in 19th. The No. 4 team was one of three teams that elected to pit under caution as the over-the-wall crew executed a four tire and fuel stop.
·        The second-generation driver lined up for the ensuing restart in 25th and made his way up to 18th before a caution with just three laps left set up a green-white-checkered finish in NASCAR overtime.
·        As the field was coming through the tri-oval on the final lap with “The Big One” beginning to happen in front of him, Nemechek ducked through the infield grass and found himself spinning out before the finish line. As he got his Pye-Barker Tundra going again to cross the stripe, Nemechek was scored in 24th.
John Hunter Nemechek, driver of the No. 4 Pye-Barker Tundra TRD Pro for KBM:
How was your race today?
“Up and down. Maximized stage points there with Chandler (Smith) in the first stage and in the second stage, put ourselves in a good position to gain as many points as possible. Just didn’t work out there at the end. Stuff happens and I was one of the trucks that was spinning through the grass there. Probably lost around 10 or 12 spots there by spinning through the grass. It hurt our points day a little bit and we’re now just five points behind the cut going into Homestead.”
Talladega 250 Recap
  • Matt DiBenedetto earned his first career Camping World Truck Series victory. Ben Rhodes, Bret Holmes, Ryan Preece, and Christian Eckes rounded out the top-five finishers.
  • There were nine cautions for 36 laps and 25 lead changes among 11 drivers, including Nemechek who led twice for 20 laps.
How John Hunter Nemechek's KBM Teammates Fared:
·        Chandler Smith, driver of the No. 18 Toyota, finish 14th.
·        Corey Heim, driver of the No. 51 Toyota, finished 26th.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship Standings
John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 4 team are on the outside looking in as they sit five points below the cutoff line to advance to the Championship 4 with one race remaining in the Round of 8.
Next Race
John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 4 GEARWRENCH team will have a two-week break before the Camping World Truck Series playoffs resumes at Homestead-Miami Speedway Oct. 22nd for the final race of the Round of 8. Live coverage of the Baptist Health 200 will be on FS1, Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM at 12 p.m. ET.

by jnemechek

Kansas Post Race

After earning his sixth pole award of the season and dominating the opening two stages of the Kansas Lottery 200, John Hunter Nemechek found himself over 20 seconds back of Carson Hocevar with 31 laps remaining due to differing pit strategies. Over the course of the final 31 laps, Nemechek chased down Hocevar and regained the lead on the last lap of the race to pick up his 13th career Truck Series win in dramatic fashion.
Nemechek earned an additional seven playoff points throughout the race Friday night that will carry over with him to the next round of the playoffs. When the playoff standings reset for the Round of 8, the second-generation driver will be third on the playoff grid, 11 points above the cutoff line to advance to the Championship 4.
Stage One Recap
·        Nemechek earned his sixth Cometic Gasket pole award of the year after putting down a lap time of 30.779 seconds at 175.444 mph in Friday afternoon’s qualifying session.
·        As the field took the green flag to start the Kansas Lottery 200, Nemechek took command of the lead as the field exited Turn 2 as he was being pushed by his KBM teammate Corey Heim.
·        Nemechek led the first seven laps of the race before surrendering the lead to the No. 66 of Ty Majeski on Lap 7.
·        As the opening stanza went on, the second-generation driver was able to chase down Majeski and regained the lead with nine laps left in the stage.
·        Nemechek drove away from the field over the final nine laps to claim his fifth stage win of the year and picked up an additional playoff point.
Stage Two Recap:
·        At the stage break, Nemechek communicated that his Mobil 1 Tundra TRD Pro “needs to be tighter all around the corner, entry and exit”.
·        Veteran crew chief Eric Phillips called his driver down pit road for a four tire and fuel stop along with a wedge adjustment to help with the handling of the No. 4 Tundra.
·        Nemechek led the field back to green to begin the middle stanza, but momentarily lost the lead on the opening lap to Majeski before overtaking the No. 66 on the ensuing lap and taking command of the race once again.
·        The talented wheelman went on to lead the next 26 laps to the green-and-white checkered, picking up his second stage win of the night and adding another playoff point to his total.
·        With the points he scored in the opening two stages, Nemechek locked himself into the Round of 8 before the start of the Final Stage.
Final Stage Recap:
·        The No. 4 over the wall crew executed another four tire and fuel stop at the stage break and Nemechek came over the radio as he was exiting pit road to compliment the team saying, “nice job boys!”, as they would line back up in first to begin the final stage.
·        Nemechek pulled away to another commanding lead before green flag pit stops started to cycle through with 32 laps remaining in the race.
·        A handful of teams, including the No. 42 team of Carson Hocevar, who was in a must win situation to advance to the Round of 8, had elected to pit when the fourth and final caution came out on lap 75 and decided to roll the dice and try to make it the end of the race by conserving fuel with slower lap times.
·        As the green flag pit stops cycled through, Nemechek went back out on the track with just 31 laps left to chase down Hocevar who had over a 20-second lead on him.
·        The second-generation driver began to chip away at the lead lap-by-lap and had closed to within five seconds back of Hocevar with 10 laps to go.
·        As the field took the white flag, Nemechek was still running in second and closing in on Hocevar as they entered Turn 1. The Mobil 1 driver got to the bumper of the No. 42 and regained the lead as they exited Turn 2 and drove away to his second Camping World Truck Series win of 2022.
John Hunter Nemechek, driver of the No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra TRD Pro:
What does this win say about your team moving into the next round of the Playoffs?
“It’s huge. I just want to say thank you to our entire team here, just everyone. I can’t thank them enough for the truck that they gave me tonight. This Tundra TRD Pro was absolutely on rails. Qualified on the pole, led a ton of laps, won both stages and won the race. We came in here really good points wise, and it flips over and was able to get some more Playoff points going into the next round. Puts us in a good spot and gives us some momentum moving into Bristol. I think this one is even sweeter. It’s been a really tough week for myself mentally, emotionally and things that you can’t control, but it feels good to come out here and cap it off with a win and show who I am.”
How strategic were you in the closing laps to get the win on the final lap?
“I got nervous there for a couple laps actually with all the lapped traffic in front of me and I kept dirtying myself with the dirty air. I had to play it smarter, and I didn’t play it smart there for a couple laps. I got myself a little bit behind but had huge speed and got a huge run off turn four. I knew that the 42 (Carson Hocevar) was saving fuel too and trying to block there. Just proud of all my guys, proud to get back to victory lane for the second time this year. We’re a little behind from last year. But I said I would rather win five races in the Playoffs and win a championship than win five races in the regular season and we’re going to try to do that.”
Kansas Lottery 200 Recap:
  • Nemechek earned his second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win of 2022 and will advance to the Round of 8. It was his 13th career victory. Carson Hocevar, Ryan Preece, Zane Smith, and Grant Enfinger rounded out the top-five finishers.
  • There were four cautions for 25 laps and 11 lead changes among six drivers, including Nemechek who led a race-high 88 laps.
How John Hunter Nemechek's KBM Teammates Fared:
  • Chandler Smith, driver of the No. 18 Toyota, finish sixth.
  • Corey Heim, driver of the No. 51 Toyota, finished seventh.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship Standings
With the points reset for the Round of 8, Nemechek is now seeded in the third position, 11 points above the cutoff line to advance to the Championship 4
Next Race
John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 4 Pye-Barker team will have a quick turnaround as they turn their focus to Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway for the opening race in the Round of 8 on Thursday, Sept. 15. Live coverage of the UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics will be on Fs1, Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM at 9 p.m. ET.

by jnemechek

Richmond Post Race Report

John Hunter Nemechek came into Richmond (Va.) Raceway looking to defend his 2021 victory at the 0.75-mile facility and punch his ticket to the Round of 8. After 250 laps, the second-generation driver came up one spot short and took the checkered flag in second, earning an additional 18 stage points along the way.
Coming into Richmond, Nemechek was 24 points above the cutoff line to advance to the Round of 8 but was able to extend that gap to 43 points with one race remaining in the Round of 10.
Stage One Recap
·        Nemechek lined up in seventh for Saturday’s 250-lap event at Richmond Raceway after laying down a lap time of 22.799 seconds at 118.426 mph in the qualifying session earlier in the day.
·        Just 10 laps into the race, Nemechek broke into the top-five where he would stay for the rest of the night.
·        As the laps were winding down in the opening stanza, Nemechek was running in third and was able to track down his KBM teammate Chandler Smith as they were navigating lapped traffic.
·        Nemechek completed the pass on Smith with seven laps to go in the stage and would take the green-and-white checkered flag in second, earning nine stage points.
Stage Two Recap:
·        At the stage break, the second-generation driver communicated that his Safeway Tundra was “a little snug, but overall, not too bad”.
·        The No. 4 team executed a four-tire and fuel stop at the break and sent Nemechek back out on track to restart Stage Two in second.
·        As the field went back green, Nemechek was on the inside of Chandler Smith as the two battled into Turn 1. Nemechek was unable to complete the pass for the lead and settled into second as the stage continued.
·        Nemechek remained three seconds back of Smith for the entirety of the middle stanza before taking the green-and-white checkered flag in second, adding nine more stage points to his total.
Final Stage Recap:
·        Another four-tire and fuel stop by the No. 4 over-the-wall crew at the stage break put Nemechek on the front row to restart the final stage.
·        Much like the Stage Two restart, Nemechek and Smith battled for the lead as the field headed down into Turn 1. As they came out of Turn 2 and down the backstretch, the second-generation driver settled back into the second position.
·        With 45 laps to go, the leaders were navigating lapped traffic as Chandler Smith got hung up with the No. 62 of Layne Riggs, opening the door for Nemechek to make a move for the lead.
·        Nemechek made a three-wide move to the outside heading into Turn 1 but was unable to complete the pass for the lead as they ran into more lapped traffic.
·        The third and final caution of the night came out with just 34 laps to go in the race and Nemechek scored in second.
·        The No. 4 team executed their final stop of the stop night and set Nemechek up on the front row for the ensuing restart.
·        Unable to make the pass for the lead on the restart, Nemechek drove the final 28 laps in second where he would take the checkered flag, earning his eighth top-five finish of the season.
After the race, Nemechek came over the radio and said “I’m sorry. Thank you for a good truck, really appreciate it”.
John Hunter Nemechek, driver of the No. 4 Safewy Tundra TRD PRo:
What did you need to make a run at Chandler Smith for the win tonight?
“We didn’t adjust quite like we needed to from day to night. Partly on me, so I’ll take that one. Overall, solid day for our Safeway Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. Thank you to all of our great partners that are on this Tundra TRD and everyone that helps out and keeps us going here. Just big picture racing I would say. Really good points day. Second, second and second for all three stages. Can’t complain about that, just one spot short. It’s good to be disappointed when you have a run like that with second, second and second. Really good points day, let’s go advance to the next round. Only thing that matters is getting to the final four in Phoenix to compete for a championship.”
What are you going to do in the two weeks before the Kansas race?
“I’m going to run two races for Sam Hunt Racing in the Toyota GR Supra. Excited to go stay in the seat and keep everything that I can sharp and go have some fun racing.”
Worldwide Express 250 Recap
  • Chandler Smith earned his fifth career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win and will advance to the Round of 8. Nemechek, Ty Majeski, Grant Enfinger, and Corey Heim rounded out the top-five finishers.
  • There were three cautions for 25 laps and three leads changes among three drivers, including Nemechek who led one lap.
How John Hunter Nemechek's KBM Teammates Fared:
·        Chandler Smith, driver of the No. 18 Toyota, finished first.
·        Corey Heim, driver of the No. 51 Toyota, finished fifth.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship Standings
After two races in the Round of 10 of the Camping World Truck Series playoffs, Nemechek increased his gap and now sits in fourth 43 points above the cutoff line for advancing to the Round of 8.
Next Race
Nemechek and the No. 4 Mobil 1 team will be off for three weeks before heading to Kansas Speedway for the cutoff race in the Round of 10 on Sept. 9. Live coverage of the Kansas Lottery 200 will be on Fs1, Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM at 7:30 p.m. ET.

by jnemechek

Pocono Post Race Report

aving already locked himself into the playoffs with a win earlier this season at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, John Hunter Nemechek came into the regular season finale at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway looking for a strong run and to build momentum for the playoffs. After starting 12th per NASCAR’s performance matrix system, the second-generation driver earned 11 stage points in route to a third-place finish at ‘The Tricky Triangle’.
When the Truck Series playoffs start next week at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Nemechek will be the fourth seed and begin the Round of 10 14 points above the cutoff line to advance to the Round of 8.
Stage One Recap
·        Nemechek lined up in the 12th position for Saturday’s CRC Brakleen 150 per NASCAR’s performance matrix system after Friday’s qualifying session was rained out.
·        Before the caution came out on the first lap for a single-truck incident, Nemechek had already gained six spots on the initial start of the race and was scored in sixth.
·        When the third caution of the race came out on lap 13, the second-generation driver communicated to the No. 4 team that he “doesn’t need much. Maybe a little bit of security on entry”.
·        That caution would take the field to the end of the opening stage with Nemechek scored in seventh, earning four stage points.
Stage Two Recap:
·        With differing pit strategies throughout the field, veteran crew chief Eric Phillips summoned his driver down pit road for a four tire and fuel stop at the stage break.
·         After electing to pit, Nemechek lined up for the Stage Two restart scored in 14th.
·        Just five laps into the middle stanza, Nemechek wheeled his Yahoo! Tundra back into the top-10 and was scored in ninth.
·        As the laps wound down in Stage Two, the second-generation driver was running in eighth when the leaders started to hit pit road before the end of Stage Two.
·        The decision to stay out earned the No. 4 team an additional seven stage points as Nemechek took the green-and-white checkered flag in fourth.
Final Stage Recap:
·        Before heading back down pit road at the stage break, Nemechek radioed that his No. 4 Tundra was “getting tighter as the run went on” during the second stage.
·        After a four tire and fuel stop with a wedge adjustment, the No. 4 team lined up for the Final Stage in 11th.
·        The fifth and final caution of the race came out on lap 43, lining up Nemechek on the inside of the third row for the ensuing restart behind his KBM teammates Chandler Smith and Corey Heim in first and third.
·        Nemechek was able to hold onto his spot in fifth for the next 10 laps before passing the No. 42 of Carson Hocevar for fourth with four to go.
·        The Yahoo! driver caught the No. 51 of Heim just two laps later and took over the third position with two laps remaining and his sights set on the leaders.
·        Nemechek was unable to gain ground over the last two laps and took the checkered flag in third, earning his seventh top-five finish of the season.
John Hunter Nemechek, driver of the No. 4 Yahoo! Tundra TRD PRo:
How tough was the battle in the closing laps with your teammate Corey Heim and what did you tell him post-race?
“Just talked about our race and what went on with his truck and my truck and things like that. Overall, a solid day for our Yahoo Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. Thank you to Yahoo, thank you to Toyota, TRD, Kyle (Busch, team owner) and everybody at KBM. All my crew guys put a lot of work into it. We tried and we gave it a shot. Just didn’t have track position all day and it ended up hurting us at the end. Overall, solid third place after driving back through the field and there weren’t many who could do that so proud of the guys, proud of the truck and it’s time to peak and go win a championship.”
CRC Brakleen 150 Recap
  • Chandler Smith earned his fourth career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win. Ryan Preece, John Hunter Nemechek, Corey Heim, and Carson Hocevar rounded out the top-five finishers.
  • There were five cautions for 20 laps and five lead changes among three drivers.
How John Hunter Nemechek's KBM Teammates Fared:
·        Chandler Smith, driver of the No. 18 Toyota, finished first.
·        Corey Heim, driver of the No. 51 Toyota, finished fourth.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship Standings
 Nemechek and the No. 4 team finished the regular season third in the Camping World Truck Series standings and will start the playoffs in the fourth seed. With the points reset, Nemechek will open the playoffs 14 points above the cutoff line for advancing to the Round of 8.
Next Race
The No. 4 Yahoo! team will head to Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park as the Camping World Truck Series opens the playoffs on July 29. Live coverage of the TSport 200 will be on FS1, Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM at 9 p.m. ET.

by jnemechek

Mid-Ohio Post Race Report

Nemechek started Saturday’s 67-lap event at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in fourth following Friday’s qualifying session that was cut short after one round due to rain. The second-generation driver quickly made his way into third as the field went green and would hold his ground for the remainder of the first stage to pick up eight stage points.
Nemechek continued to run within the top-five as the race went on into the second stage before a transmission issue forced him to bring his Mobil 1 Tundra into the garage. The No. 4 team was able to repair the issue and send Nemechek back out onto the track to finish the race. Despite being 10 laps down, Nemechek was able to gain back a few positions at the end of the race and take the checkered flag in 28th.
Stage One Recap
 ·        Nemechek lined up for Saturday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 in fourth after recording a lap time of 118.738 seconds at 68.460 mph in Friday’s qualifying session.
·        As the field took the green flag to start the race, Nemechek was able to edge out the No. 42 of Carson Hocevar on the opening lap to takeover third.
·        Nemechek continued to hold his third position throughout the opening stage before a caution on lap 18 set up a one-lap shootout to end the stage.
·        As the field made their way through the 2.258-mile road course after the ensuing restart, Nemechek was in a battle for second with KBM teammate Corey Heim and Zane Smith.
·        Once they fell into a line, Nemechek took the green-and-white checkered flag in third, picking up eight stage points.
Stage Two Recap:
·        At the stage break, Nemechek brought his Mobil 1 Tundra down pit road where the No. 4 team executed a four tire and fuel stop under controlled conditions.
·        Halfway through the middle stanza, Nemechek slid his No. 4 Tundra too wide coming out of Turn 9 and fell back to fourth.
·        Just three laps later, Nemechek came over the radio and said he had “something rattling in the driveshaft”.
·        Seconds later, a trail of smoke was coming out of the tail of the Mobil 1 Tundra, forcing the No. 4 team to pull into the garage and repair the transmission.
·        The second-generation driver was scored in 32nd and five laps down while sitting in the garage as the green-and-white checkered flag came out to end Stage Two.
Final Stage Recap:
 ·        Throughout the stage break and into the final stage, the No. 4 team worked relentlessly to repair the transmission and get Nemechek back out onto the track.
·        With 23 laps remaining in the race, Nemechek made his way back out onto the road course scored in 10 laps down in 32nd.
·        As the laps wound down, veteran crew chief Eric Phillips reminded his driver to “just do what you can and keep it clean. We’re collecting data for next time”.
·        Nemechek was able to gain a few positions back and took the checkered flag in 28th.
O'Reilly Auto Parts 150 Recap:
  • Parker Kligerman earned his third career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win. Zane Smith, Carson Hocevar, Stewart Friesen, and Christian Eckes rounded out the top-five finishers.
  • There were seven cautions for 15 laps and five lead changes among three drivers.
How John Hunter Nemechek's KBM Teammates Fared:
·        Chandler Smith, driver of the No. 18 Toyota, finish sixth.
·        Corey Heim, driver of the No. 51 Toyota, finished 28th.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship Standings
 With one race remaining in the regular season, Nemechek is tied for second in the Camping World Truck Series standings with KBM teammate Chandler Smith, 58 tallies behind Zane Smith.
Next Race
Nemechek and the No. 4 Yahoo team will return to action on July 23 as the Camping World Truck Series heads to Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. Live coverage of the CRC Brakleen 150 will be on FS1, Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM at 12 p.m. ET.

by jnemechek

Nashville Post Race Report

John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 4 team battled back through adversity on two separate occasions in Friday’s Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway to bring home a ninth-place finish.
Midway through the second stage, Nemechek was turned by the No. 42 of Carson Hocevar as the two were battling for position, forcing the No. 4 team to make two unscheduled pit stops under caution. Just after Nemechek worked his way back inside of the top-20 before the stage break, the No. 4 team experienced trouble on pit road and sent Nemechek back out on track to restart the final stage in 30th and one lap down.
With just 30 laps remaining, Nemechek was finally able to earn the free pass and get back on the lead lap. Over the course of the remaining 26 laps, Nemechek wheeled his Mobil 1 Tundra TRD Pro back into the top-10 to take the checkered flag in ninth.
Stage One Recap
·        Nemechek qualified 11th for Saturday’s 150-lap event at Nashville Superspeedway after laying down a lap time of 30.295 seconds in Friday’s one-round qualifying session.
·        Midway through the opening stanza, Nemechek had yet to break into the top-10 but was running in 12th when the second caution of the night came out on lap 21. He then communicated that his Mobil 1 Tundra was “starting to fire off better”.
·        As the green-and-white checkered came out on Lap 45 to end Stage One, Nemechek had gained one position and was scored in 11th.
Stage Two Recap:
·        At the stage break, the No. 4 team executed a four tire and fuel stop and gained Nemechek three spots on pit road to restart the second stage in eighth.
·        On lap 70, Nemechek and the No. 42 of Carson Hocevar were battling for position when Hocevar got to the inside quarter panel of Nemechek on the exit of Turn 2, sending the Mobil 1 Tundra sliding through the backstretch grass.
·        Nemechek was able to keep his Tundra off the wall and limit damage before coming down pit road to allow the No. 4 team to assess the situation.
·        After two pit stops under caution, Nemechek would restart in 29th on the lead lap.
·        Over the course of the next 29 laps, the second-generation driver worked his way back up to 14th before the green-and-white checkered flag came out to end Stage Two.
Final Stage Recap:
·        At the stage break, the No. 4 team experienced more trouble on pit road and were forced to have a prolonged pit stop before sending Nemechek back out on track to restart the final stage in 30th and one lap down.
·        With 30 laps remaining, Nemechek and the No. 4 team got the break they were looking for as a one-truck incident brought out the sixth caution of the night, earning Nemechek the free pass to get back on the lead lap.
·        As the eighth and final caution of the night came out on lap 136, Nemechek had worked his way back up to 16th.
·        Over the course of the final 10 laps, the talented wheelman was able to gain seven more spots and took the checkered flag scored in ninth.
John Hunter Nemechek, driver of the No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra TRD PRo:
What did you struggle with in your race tonight?
“We weren’t good to start. We weren’t good in practice, and we weren’t very good in qualifying. We just weren’t good all weekend. Just off on speed and couldn’t get my balance that I wanted correct. I found a racetrack that I suck at. This was my worst race last year and this year I’m not very good. I just have to figure out how to be better. I’m glad we only come here once. Just have to figure it out. Proud of all the guys at KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports). Never gave up. We got spun. Went down a lap, got a lap back and restarted in the back multiple times and ended up coming home ninth. All in all, a solid day. Lost the points lead again, but we’re within striking distance for the last few weeks and I think we put more of a cushion between the 18 (Chandler Smith) and the 99 (Ben Rhodes) behind us. Hopefully, we can go cap off this regular season championship.”
Rackley Roofing 200 Recap
  • Ryan Preece earned his second career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win. Zane Smith, Carson Hocevar, Ty Majeski, and Stewart Friesen rounded out the top-five finishers.
  • There were eight cautions for 43 laps and six lead changes among four drivers.
How John Hunter Nemechek's KBM Teammates Fared:
  • Ryan Preece earned his second career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win. Zane Smith, Carson Hocevar, Ty Majeski, and Stewart Friesen rounded out the top-five finishers.
  • There were eight cautions for 43 laps and six lead changes among four drivers.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship Standings
Nemechek dropped one spot to second in the Camping World Truck Series driver standings and finds himself 21 points behind points leader Zane Smith with two races remaining in the regular season.
Next Race
Nemechek and the No. 4 team will have one week off before returning to action on Saturday, July 9 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. Live coverage will be on FS1, Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM at 1:30 p.m. ET.

by jnemechek

Knoxville Post Race Report

John Hunter Nemechek came into Saturday’s Clean Harbors 150 at Knoxville Raceway 14-points back of the lead and fourth in the standings. After securing 16-stage points and a runner-up finish, Nemechek jumped up into first and now holds a five-point lead with only three races remaining in the regular season.
Nemechek lined up for the 150-lap event in sixth and ran within the top-10 for the entirety of the race. After finishing third in each of the first two stages, Nemechek found himself in a battle for the lead with just over 25 laps to go. On the final restart of the night, the second-generation driver lined up on the inside of the front row but was unable to gain control of the race before taking the checkered flag in second.
Stage One Recap
·        Nemechek lined up sixth for the second annual Clean Harbors 150 at Knoxville Raceway after winning his qualifying race from the second position and earning 11 points.
·        Midway through the opening stanza, the second-generation driver made his way into the top-three for the first time of the night.
·        When the second caution of the night came out on lap 32, Nemechek communicated that his Mobil 1 Tundra “needs more drive off”.
·        The field went back green for a one lap shootout to end Stage One where Nemechek was able to hold his position and take the green-and-white checkered flag in third, earning a valuable eight stage points.
Stage Two Recap:
·        Nemechek brought his Mobil 1 Tundra down pit road at the stage break where the No. 4 team executed a four tire and fuel stop under controlled conditions.
·        The Mobil 1 driver was running in fourth when the fifth caution of the night came out for a one truck incident on Lap 68.
·        On the ensuing restart, Nemechek darted up to second before falling back to third when the green-and-white checkered flag came out to end Stage Two.
·        At the stage break, Nemechek communicated that he “needs to roll the center a bit more” through the turns.
Final Stage Recap:
·        Veteran crew chief Eric Phillips elected to bring the No. 4 team down pit road at the stage break while other teams decided to stay out for the remainder of the race. The call resulted in Nemechek restarting the Final Stage in ninth.
·        With just over 50 laps remaining in the Clean Harbors 150, the talented wheelman made a dive to the inside of the No. 19 of Derek Kraus and KBM teammate Buddy Kofoid to gain two positions up to fourth.
·        Just a few laps later, Nemechek had made his way into second with his sights set on chasing down the No. 17 of Todd Gilliland in first.
·        As Nemechek got to the bumper of Gilliland, the seventh caution of the night came out with 35 laps remaining for a slow truck on the track.
·        On the ensuing restart, Nemechek lined up on the outside of the front row and was able to clear the No. 17 as the field came back to the stripe.
·        The second-generation driver led the next 17 laps before Gilliland took the lead back with 11 laps remaining.
·        With seven laps left, the ninth and final caution of the night came out, setting up a four-lap dash to the checkered flag.
·        Nemechek lined up for what would be the final restart on the inside of the front row and was unable to get a good jump to clear the No. 17.
·        Nemechek edged out the No. 38 of Zane Smith for second as they came around to take the checkered flag.
·        Following the race, Nemechek praised his No. 4 team saying “thank you guys for an awesome truck”.
Clean Harbors 150 Recap
  • Todd Gilliland earned his third career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win. John Hunter Nemechek, Zane Smith, Ty Majeski, and Stewart Friesen rounded out the top-five finishers.
  • There were nine cautions for 45 laps and six lead changes among four drivers, including Nemechek who lead once for 17 laps.
How John Hunter Nemechek's KBM Teammates Fared:
·        Buddy Kofoid, driver of the No. 51 Toyota, finished 11th.
·        Chandler Smith, driver of the No. 18 Toyota, finish 13th.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship Standings
Nemechek jumped three spots in the Camping World Truck Series driver standings and now sits in first place with a five-point lead over the No. 38 of Zane Smith.
Next Race
Nemechek and the No. 4 team turn their focus to Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway next weekend for the Rackley Roofing 200. Live coverage will be on FS1, Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, June 24.

by jnemechek

World Trucks World Wide Technology Post Race Report

After stringing together seven consecutive top-10 finishes, John Hunter Nemechek was relegated to a 35th-place finish at World Wide Technology Raceway after being caught in a Stage Two incident.
With the finish, Nemechek dropped to fourth place in the Camping World Truck Series championship standings, just 22 tallies behind reigning champion Ben Rhodes.
Stage One Recap
·        Nemechek lined up for Saturday’s scheduled 160-lap event in sixth after laying down a lap time of 32.674 seconds at 137.724 mph in Friday’s one-lap qualifying session.
·        The second-generation driver fired off strong and jumped up to third on the opening lap of the Toyota 200 behind Kyle Busch Motorsports teammates Corey Heim and Chandler Smith.
·        On lap eight, Nemechek communicated that his Mobil 1 Tundra was “a little free here to fire off on the exit of (Turn) 4”.
·        As the green-and-white checkered flag came out at the conclusion of Stage One, Nemechek was scored in third, earning eight stage points.
Stage Two Recap:
·        Nemechek brought his Mobil 1 Tundra down pit road at the stage break where the No. 4 team executed a four-tire and fuel stop with a wedge adjustment.
·        Just 12 laps into the middle stanza, Nemechek was battling for position with the No. 52 of Stewart Friesen when his No. 4 Tundra hit the rumble strips on the exit of Turn 4, getting him loose and sending him up into the No. 52, ultimately causing a six-truck incident.
John Hunter Nemechek, driver of the No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra TRD Pro for KBM:
Did the hole just close up on you?
“Yeah, that one is on me. I put myself in a vulnerable position and should have known better. I should have leaned on experience for that. It’s so hard to pass here today. Our Toyota Tundra was fast. I got a run going down the back straightaway, the 51 (Corey Heim) was on the 52’s (Stewart Friesen) door. The 52 got sideways and they both slid up the racetrack. I thought I had a hole and went for it. It’s aero loose underneath. I hit the rumble strips as well. It just closed. It’s on me. I’m sorry to all of my guys at KBM. Thank you to Mobil 1, all of our great partners that help us do this. Looking forward to going to rebound next week in Sonoma.”
Toyota 200 Recap
  • Corey Heim earned his second career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win. Christian Eckes, Chandler Smith, Stewart Friesen and Johnny Sauter rounded out the top-five finishers.
  • There were 11 cautions for 54 laps and 11 lead changes among nine drivers.
How John Hunter Nemechek's KBM Teammates Fared:
·        Corey Heim, driver of the No. 51 Toyota, finished first.
·        Chandler Smith, driver of the No. 18 Toyota, finish third.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship Standings
Due to the incident, Nemechek fell back three spots in the Camping World Truck Series championship standings and now sits in fourth. Nemechek finds himself just 22 points back of reigning champion Ben Rhodes.
Next Race
Nemechek and the No. 4 team will head west next week as Camping World Truck Series action travels to Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway. Live coverage of the DoorDash 250 will be on FS1, Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM at 7:30pm ET.

by jnemechek

Charlotte Post Race Report

John Hunter Nemechek remains in first place of the Camping World Truck Series championship standings after scoring a third-place finish in the North Carolina Education Lottery 200. The talented wheelman has now recorded a career best seven straight top-10 finishes.
After qualifying 15th in Friday’s one lap qualifying session, Nemechek steadily progressed through the field during the 143-lap event, eventually making his way into the top-five during the Final Stage.
Nemechek was scored in third for the second attempt at NASCAR Overtime and as the field took the white flag, he made a dive to the inside to make a three-wide pass for the lead on the exit of Turn 2 but was unable to hold off a late run from eventual race winner Ross Chastain, taking the checkered flag in third.
Stage One Recap
·        Nemechek lined up for Friday’s scheduled 134-lap event at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 15th after putting down a lap time of 30.995 seconds at 174.222 mph in the qualifying session earlier in the afternoon.
·        On the initial start of the race, Nemechek was unable to gain ground on the field and ran within the top 15 for the majority of the opening stanza.
·        As the green-and-white checkered flag came out to end Stage One, Nemechek was scored in the 13th position.
Stage Two Recap:
·        Nemechek brought his Pye-Barker Tundra TRD Pro down pit road at the stage break for four tires, fuel, and a wedge adjustment. The No. 4 team executed a clean pit stop and sent their driver back out on track to restart the second stage in 10th.
·        When the second caution of the night came out on lap 54 for a single-truck spin, Nemechek had made his way up to sixth and communicated that he was “trying to continue to get the front to turn” on his Pye-Barker Tundra.
·        As the field went back green, Nemechek maintained his sixth position as Stage Two ended under yellow, earning five stage points.
Final Stage Recap:
·        After another well-executed pit stop by the No. 4 team at the stage break, the second-generation driver lined up for the Final Stage in the second row on the outside lane.
·        Nemechek worked his way up to second and was just a second-and-a-half back of the No. 42 of Carson Hocevar in the lead with 60 laps remaining.
·        As green flag pit stops started to cycle through in the Final Stage, Nemechek brought his Pye-Barker Tundra down pit road with 34 laps to go while scored in third.
·        Once the field sorted itself back out from the green flag pit stops, the 24-year-old driver was scored in fourth with just 25 laps remaining.
·        Nemechek made his way back into third before the fourth caution of the night came out on lap 132, setting up a NASCAR Overtime.
·        When the first overtime of the night was unsuccessful, Nemechek lined up for the second overtime in third on the outside lane.
·        As the field took the white flag, Nemechek made three-wide pass to the inside of the No. 41 and No. 98 to take the lead on the exit of Turn 2.
·        Nemechek was unable to hold off a late run down the backstretch from the No. 41 of Ross Chastain as he came to the checkered flag in third.
John Hunter Nemechek, driver of the No. 4 Pye-Barker Tundra TRD Pro for KBM:
Can you take us through those last couple of laps and what else did you need?
“We weren’t very good all night. I’m just thankful for all of my guys on this No. 4 Pye-Barker, Fire Alarm Services Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. We never stopped working on it. We put ourselves in the ballpark and we were able to have a shot there at the end. We struggled all day, from the time that we unloaded. We have a little bit of work to do. I feel like we struggled the last couple of weeks, but proud of all of my guys. Proud of the effort they put in and excited to see where it goes. Just racking up top fives.”
North Carolina Education Lottery 200 Recap
  • Cup Series regular Ross Chastain picked up his first win of the season and fourth of his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career. Grant Enfinger, Nemechek, Christian Eckes and Zane Smith rounded out the top-five finishers.
  • There were five cautions for 25 laps and 15 lead changes among nine drivers.
How John Hunter Nemechek's KBM Teammates Fared:
·        Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 51 Toyota, finished seventh.
·        Chandler Smith, driver of the No. 18 Toyota, finish eighth.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship Standings
Nemechek maintains his spot in first in the Camping World Truck Series championship standings and has extended his lead to seven points over reigning champion Ben Rhodes.
Next Race
Nemechek and the No. 4 team will turn their focus to World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois June 4. Live coverage of the Toyota 200 will be on FS1, Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM at 1:30pm ET.

by jnemechek

Kansas Post Race Report

John Hunter Nemechek earned the pole for the second straight week, putting down a lap time of 30.570 seconds in Saturday’s qualifying session at Kansas Speedway. The talented wheelman competed within the top five for the first 60 laps of the race before restarting the Final Stage of the night in seventh.

On the restart, Nemechek powered his Mobil 1 Tundra up to third and was running in second before the final caution of the night came out on Lap 123. Nemechek lined up on the outside lane for what would be the final restart of the night but was unable to fire off strong and fell back to sixth where he would take the checkered flag.

Stage One Recap
· Nemechek earned the pole for Saturday’s Heart of America 200 at Kansas Speedway by laying down a lap time of 30.570 seconds in the qualifying session earlier in the day.
· Nemechek controlled the lead for the first three laps of the race before forfeiting the lead to the No. 38 of Zane Smith.
· As the laps were winding down in the opening stanza, Nemechek communicated that his No. 4 Tundra TRD Pro “needs to be tighter all the way around”.
· The second-generation driver never wavered outside of the top-five throughout Stage One and took the green-and-white checkered flag in fifth, earning six stage points.

Stage Two Recap:
· Nemechek brought his Mobil 1 Tundra down pit road at the stage break for four tires and fuel. A strong pit stop by the No. 4 team sent Nemechek back out on the track to restart the second stage from third.
· Much like the opening stanza, Nemechek never fell outside of the top-five before coming to the stripe to take the green-and-white checkered flag in third.

Final Stage Recap:
· Nemechek once again brought his No. 4 Tundra TRD Pro down pit road at the stage break for four tires, fuel, and a wedge adjustment.
· On the restart, the talented wheelman made a three-wide move to the middle and made his way from seventh to third before the field came back around to the start-finish line.
· Midway through the Final Stage, Nemechek communicated that his Mobil 1 Tundra was “two-thirds of the way where I need it to be” while running in third.
· As the fourth and final caution of the night came out on Lap 123, Nemechek was scored in second, putting him on the front row of the ensuing restart.
· Race leader Zane Smith took the inside lane for the restart, as Nemechek elected the outside with Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) Chandler Smith lined up behind him.
· As the field came through the restart zone, Nemechek was unable to get a good jump and spun his tires, ultimately falling back sixth as the field came back around.
· Nemechek got loose and into the wall during the closing laps but was able to keep his position on the track, taking the checkered flag scored in sixth.

John Hunter Nemechek, driver of the No. 4 Mobil 1 Tundra TRD Pro for KBM:
It came down to that final restart. What happened?
“Spun the tires, didn’t get a good push from behind. It’s on me. I spun the tires and that was pretty much it. I had a decently fast Mobil 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro tonight. We missed it. The 38 (Zane Smith) had the dominant truck. He should have won the race. I feel like we should have finished second or third. We’ve got to work on restarts and come back. We know what we need to do here coming back for the Playoff race. We just debriefed right there. Proud of my guys – proud of the effort. I’m still on a top-six streak here, so we just have to continue on.”

Heart of America 200 Recap
Zane Smith picked up his third win of the season and sixth career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win. Ty Majeski, Grant Enfinger, Chandler Smith and Christian Eckes rounded out the top-five finishers.
There were four cautions for 19 laps and nine lead changes among five drivers, including Nemechek who led for three laps.

How John Hunter Nemechek's KBM Teammates Fared:
· Chandler Smith, driver of the No. 18 Toyota, finished sixth.
· Corey Heim, driver of the No. 51 Toyota, finished 33rd.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship Standings
Nemechek maintained the second position in the Camping World Truck Series championship standings and cut his deficit from 30 points down to 20 behind reigning champion Ben Rhodes.

Next Race
Nemechek and the No. 4 team head to Texas Motor Speedway next Friday, May 20 for the SpeedyCash.com 200. Live coverage will be on FS1, Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM at 8:30pm ET.

by jnemechek