Location: Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth (1.5-mile quad-oval)
Format: Three Stages; 35 laps/35 laps/77 laps
Start/Finish: 1st/1st (Running, completed 147 of 147 laps)
Winner: John Hunter Nemechek of Kyle Busch Motorsports (Toyota)
John Hunter Nemechek captured his fourth victory of the 2021 season in the SpeedyCash.com 220 at Texas Motor Speedway. Nemechek was running second to 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott as teams began making their final scheduled pit stops. Crew chief Eric Phillips played the strategy card and kept the ROMCO Equipment Co. Tundra out longer than Elliott under green flag conditions in the final stage and when stops cycled through the move paid off and Nemechek was at the front of the field. Nemechek led a race-high 64 laps en route to his 10th career Truck Series victory.
Stage One Recap
Nemechek started from the pole based on NASCAR’s performance-matrix formula.
In the opening stint, Nemechek radioed to his crew that his ROMCO Equipment Co. Tundra was a touch free to start. At the first caution on lap 7, Nemechek continued to lead, but he restarted from the second position after NASCAR deemed that he did not maintain caution car speed.
Despite restarting second, Nemechek was able to quickly regain the lead. While leading, a piece of debris attached itself to the nose of Nemechek’s ROMCO Equipment Co. Tundra. By the second caution on lap 21, the debris was no longer an issue.
During the second caution, Nemechek radioed that his ROMCO Tundra was free overall. Phillips elected to keep his driver on the racetrack to restart from the race lead.
With a caution flying on lap 33, Nemechek was able to secure his eighth stage win of the 2021 season.
Stage Two Recap:
At the stage break, Nemechek radioed that his Tundra was better but that the back was stepping out. Phillips summoned his driver to pit road for four tires, fuel and adjustments. Nemechek would restart from the 10th position behind those that stayed out.
At the fourth cation on lap 52, Nemechek worked his way to the second position.
At the fifth caution on lap 62, Nemechek worked his way up to the fourth position and radioed to his crew that he was trying to navigate the dirty air. Phillips summoned Nemechek onto pit road for four tires and fuel. Nemechek restarted from the 10th position.
With the second stage ending under caution, Nemechek would be credited with a ninth-place finish but would receive points for an eighth-place finish due to a disqualification of another competitor in post-race technical inspection.
Final Stage Recap:
With the strategy call by Phillips, Nemechek stayed out under the stage caution to restart in the fourth position.
Prior to pitting under green-flag conditions, Nemechek radioed that the balance of the ROMCO Equipment Co. Tundra was good but snug exiting turn 2. With the race leaders making pit stops and Nemechek running second, Phillips kept Nemechek on the racetrack until lap 119 when the over-the-wall crew added fuel and changed four tires. Nemechek cycled back to the lead on lap 126.
Nemechek would maintain the lead to score his fourth victory of 2021.
John Hunter Nemechek, driver of the No. 4 ROMCO Equipment Co. Tundra for KBM:
Are you starting to make a statement with this team right now?
“Yeah, I definitely think so. I feel like we’ve been making a statement all year. I feel like we’re one of the favorites every time that we show up to the racetrack. I can’t say enough about Eric Phillips (crew chief) and all these guys. Everyone, the pit crew, everyone at KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports), the fab shop, machine shop, chassis shop. Everyone does so good with building our trucks and I’m just lucky enough to be behind the wheel. It’s amazing to get win number four here. I haven’t won with ROMCO Equipment on board yet in my career so finally we were able to get them a win. There’s 250 of their employees here today so huge shoutout to them as well as the fans.”
How would you describe your race today?
“I feel like we had the dominant truck kind of like we do every single week. I’m just proud to be able to be behind the wheel and blessed to be behind the wheel. Huge shoutout to Kyle (Busch, team owner) and Jack (Irving, TRD) and Tyler (Gibbs, TRD) and David Wilson (president, TRD) and everyone at Toyota for giving me this opportunity. Without them, none of this would be possible. ROMCO Equipment on board, their first win with me so it will be cool to be able to go to victory lane with them. These fans are awesome. We have 250 ROMCO employees here as well today. We just want to keep racking them up. We’re #Here4Wins.”
Are you Playoff ready or what does this team need to work on prior to the Playoffs starting?
“I hope this is only the beginning. I hope that we have a lot more to come. I feel like we have a lot more work to do. These guys work their tails off. I know Eric (Phillips, crew chief) is one of the first guys there and last ones to leave every night. It’s awesome. Win number 41 for him. Win number 10 for me. Just have to keep it going. We’re #Here4Wins.”
SpeedyCash.com 220 Recap
Nemechek captured his fourth victory of 2021 and 10th of his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career beating Chase Elliott to the stripe by 3.361 seconds. Grant Enfinger, Austin Hill, and Chandler Smith rounded out the top five.
There were six cautions for 38 laps. There were 14 lead changes among seven different drivers with Nemechek leading a race-high 64 laps.
How John Hunter Nemechek’s KBM Teammates Fared:
Drew Dollar, driver of the No. 51 Toyota, finished 33rd.
Chandler Smith, driver of the No. 18 Toyota, finished fifth.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship Standings
After 11 races, Nemechek and the No. 4 team continue to lead Ben Rhodes in the point standings by 78 points.
Next Race
The No. 4 team returns to the track when the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series resumes action on Friday, June 18 at Nashville Superspeedway. Live coverage will be on FS1, Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM at 8 p.m. ET.
