Truex Wins at Lime Rock Park, Extends Points Lead

Official Release (courtesy of nascarmedia.com)

LAKEVILLE, Conn. – NASCAR Camping World Series East rookie Ryan Truex completed the road-course sweep in the Mohegan Sun 200 Saturday at Lime Rock Park to move into the driver’s seat for the series title.

Matt DiBenedetto, who sat on the pole and led a race-high 56 laps, was caught up in an accident on Lap 70 and Truex – second place at the time – assumed the lead for the second time in the race. The 17-year-old from Mayetta, N.J., then held off series veteran Eddie MacDonald on the final two restarts to earn his third victory of the season.

Truex, a Michael Waltrip Racing development driver, earned his first career victory on a road course at Watkins (N.Y.) Glen International in June and took the points lead for the first time after his first oval track win at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway in July. On Saturday at Lime Rock, his win extended his lead in the championship standings to a season-high 50 points over MacDonald.

While MacDonald record his best career effort at the 1.53-mile road course, several other contenders struggled.

Defending race and series champion Matt Kobyluck, who entered the day 60 points behind Truex, had engine trouble from the start. The team worked to get his car back out onto the track and he was able to turn in 38 laps before being involved in the Lap 70 accident that eventually caught up race leader DiBenedetto. Kobyluck had to settle for a 17th place finish and is 133 points behind Truex with just two races remaining in his bid to repeat as NASCAR Camping World Series East champion.

Brett Moffitt (ninth), Steve Park (11th) and Jody Lavender (13th) all entered the event within 100 points of Truex but lost considerable ground.

Jason Holehouse earned his best career NASCAR Camping World Series East finish with a third-place effort on Saturday. He was followed in the top five by Alex Kennedy, with a new career-best finish as well, and Mike Olsen.

Jesus Hernandez, Ryan Duff, Dustin Delaney, Brett Moffitt and Jeff Anton rounded out the top 10.

The next-to-last race of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Series season will take place at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The Heluva Good! Fall 125 is slated for Friday, Sept. 18.

Truex Finishes Second at Adirondack Int'l Speedway, Widens Overall Championship Points Lead

Courtesy of NASCARMEDIA.com
BEAVER FALLS, N.Y. – Veteran Steve Park showed he hasn’t forgotten his way to Victory Lane, leading the final five laps Saturday evening at Adirondack International Speedway en route to the win in The Edge Hotel 150 presented by Casella Waste Systems.

It was Park’s first NASCAR Camping World Series East victory in 13 years. He won twice in 1996, with the latter coming at the now closed Nazareth (Penn.) Speedway on July 1. Since, he has collected wins in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Series Truck Series. He has also won on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.

Park appeared on the verge of the win in the NASCAR Camping World Series previous race, July 11 at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway, only to lose the lead late to teenage rookie Ryan Truex.

This time, it was Park who got the jump on race leader Jody Lavender on the race’s final restart and led the the rest of the way. Truex got by Lavender in the closing laps to grab second. Jesus Hernandez and defending race winner Matt Kobyluck rounded out the top five.

With the win, Park locked up a secured spot in the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown. The prestigious postseason race is scheduled for Jan. 29-30, 2010 at the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (Calif.).

Eddie MacDonald won his first career Coors Light Pole Award and led a race-high 101 laps. However, he got shuffled back late in the race and finished 10th.

Truex was able to stretch his points lead to 26 over Lavender with three races remaining. The top six drivers are seperated by just 100 points.

NASCAR Camping World Series East-The Edge Hotel 150 pres. by Casella Waste Systems Unofficial Results
Saturday
At Adirondack International Speedway
Lowville, N.Y.
Lap length: 0.5 miles
(Start position in parentheses)
1. (7) Steve Park, East Northport, N.Y., Chevrolet, 150 laps, 80.000 mph, $8,000.
2. (9) Ryan Truex, Mayetta, N.J., Toyota, 150, $4,625.
3. (11) Jody Lavender, Hartsville, S.C., Chevrolet, 150, $3,700.
4. (10) Jesus Hernandez, Fresno, Calif., Dodge, 150, $3,000.
5. (3) Matt Kobyluck, Uncasville, Conn., Chevrolet, 150, $2,600.
6. (16) Alan Tardiff, Lyman, Maine, Chevrolet, 150, $3,900.
7. (8) Ty Dillon, Lewisville, N.C., Chevrolet, 150, $1,700.
8. (2) Brett Moffitt, Grimes, Iowa, Chevrolet, 150, $2,100.
9. (17) John Salemi, Nashua, N.H., Chevrolet, 150, $2,025.
10. (1) Eddie MacDonald, Rowley, Mass., Chevrolet, 150, $3,975.
11. (5) Dustin Delaney, Mayfield, N.Y., Chevrolet, 150, $2,475.
12. (13) Jonathan Smith, Beacon Falls, Conn., Chevrolet, 150, $1,875.
13. (12) Tommy Cloce, Canton, N.Y., Chevrolet, 150, $1,325.
14. (4) Ryan Duff, Hazard, KY., Chevrolet, 150, $1,775.
15. (18) Jason Holehouse, Toronto, Ontario, Toyota, 150, $1,230.
16. (14) Max Gresham, Griffin, Ga., Toyota, 149, $1,700.
17. (15) Matt Kurzejewski, Mansfield, Pa., Dodge, 149, $1,670.
18. (19) Levi Arthur, Boonville, N.Y., Chevrolet, 148, $1,150.
19. (20) Scott Bouley, Middlebury, Conn., Chevrolet, 146, $1,130.
20. (6) Alex Kennedy, Aztec, N.M., Chevrolet, 111, vibration, $1,615.
21. (21) Todd Peck, Glenville, Pa., Chevrolet, 98, vibration, $1,100.

Rookie Truex Takes Points Lead With Victory

THOMPSON, Conn. (July 11, 2009) – Ryan Truex captured the checkered flag in a NASCAR Camping World Series East race for the second time in the last three outings as he took the Pepsi Full Fender Frenzy 100 Saturday night at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway.

Truex (No. 00 NAPA Toyota) battled Steve Park (No. 35 Waste Management Recycle America Chevrolet) through the last half of the race as the pair swapped the lead three times, but it was the 17-year-old Michael Waltrip Racing development driver who got past the veteran on Lap 96 and rode to the victory.

It was the second win in the last three outings for Truex, who earned his first series victory at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International on June 6. The Mayetta, N.J., native also joined his older brother, Martin Truex Jr., as NASCAR Camping World Series East winners at Thompson.

Park’s runner-up finish was the best of his 2009 season so far. He led a race-high 76 laps after earning the Coors Light Pole Award earlier in the day.

Matt DiBenedetto (No. 18 Joe Gibbs Driven Toyota) finished third to record his fourth top-five in five starts this year. Eddie MacDonald (No. 71 NEMO/Grimm Construction) and Alan Tardiff (No. 38 Bestway Disposal Chevrolet) rounded out the top five.

The rest of the top 10 finishers included Matt Kobyluck, Jesus Hernandez, Ryan Duff, Jonathan Smith and Brett Moffitt.

With the win, Truex has registered three-straight top-three finishes, which vaulted him past Jody Lavender and MacDonald into the points lead with four races remaining on the 2009 schedule. Lavender, the points leader entering the day, finished 11th.

The NASCAR Camping World Series East will next compete at Adirondack International Speedway on Saturday, August 1 in The Edge Hotel 150 presented by Casella Waste Systems.

Ryan Truex On Pole for Heluva Good" Summer 125 from NHMS

Joins father & brother as pole winners at Loudon
By Jason Cunningham, NASCAR

LOUDON, N.H. – NASCAR Camping World Series East rookie Ryan Truex continued his hot streak Thursday afternoon when he won the Coors Light Pole Award in advance of Friday’s Heluva Good! Summer 125 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Truex (No. 00 NAPA Toyota) earned his first career pole two races ago at South Boston (Va.) Speedway and reached Victory Lane for the first time in the series’ last event at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. On Thursday he kept the momentum going when he posted the fastest lap in qualifying at 30.433 seconds (125.113 mph).

Truex also joined his father and brother in winning NASCAR Camping World Series East pole awards at New Hampshire. Martin Sr. won the pole for the Sept. 1994 event, while current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Martin Jr. won the pole three times (twice in 2000 and in 2003). Both Martin Sr. and Jr. also won NASCAR Camping World Series East races at NHMS.

Ryan Truex, who was the next-to-last car to go out, knocked Eddie MacDonald (No. 71 NEMO/Grimm Construction Chevrolet) off the provisional pole. MacDonald won both of the New Hampshire races in 2008 and posted a fast lap of 30.601 seconds (124.467 mph) during qualifying.

Kevin Swindell was third fastest in qualifying at 30.616 seconds (124.406 mph). Brett Moffitt (30.690/124.106) and Matt DiBenedetto (30.693/124.093) rounded out the top five qualifiers.

Among the top five qualifiers, only MacDonald had previously turned laps at the 1.058-mile track.

Steve Park, Matt Kobyluck, Alan Tardiff, Jody Lavender and Jeff Anton completed the top 10 from Thursday’s qualifying.

The Heluva Good! Summer 125 is slated to go green on Friday, June 26, at 5:10 p.m.

Truex Wins Tioga Downs Casino 125 from the Glen

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (June 6, 2009) – NASCAR Camping World Series East rookie Ryan Truex passed race leader Patrick Long between Turns 10 and 11 on the last lap and took the checkered flag in the Tioga Downs Casino 125 Saturday at Watkins Glen International.

Truex (No. 00 NAPA Toyota), who was making just his fifth career start in the series for Michael Waltrip Racing, ran in the top three throughout the day and got position on Long (No. 03 AASCO Motorsports Chevrolet) coming out of Turn 10 on the last lap of a green-white-checker finish. Truex held his position as Long went off the course and Truex came out of Turn 11 with a clear vision of the finish line and earned the victory.

Long settled for a fourth-place finish. Matt Kobyluck (No. 40 Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino Chevrolet) finished as the runner-up and rookie Brett Moffitt (No. 44 Castle Packs Power Chevrolet) was third.

Rounding out the top 10 finishers were Matt DiBenedetto, Steve Park, Eddie MacDonald, Alex Kennedy, Brian Wong and Jonathon Smith.

Truex's win marked the fifth different driver in as many races to win in 2009. Truex is the third member of his family to win in the series along with his father, Martin Sr., and his older brother, Martin Jr.

With his third-place effort, Moffitt overtook Jody Lavender for the series points lead. Lavender finished 14th on Saturday.

The sixth race of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Series East season is slated for Friday, June 25 with the Heluva Good! Summer 125 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H.

Truex Finishes Third at SOBO Speedway

SOUTH BOSTON, Va. (May 30, 2009) – Brett Moffitt already broke one of Joey Logano’s NASCAR Camping World Series records. It didn’t take him long to take care of another.

Moffitt became the youngest winner in NASCAR Camping World Series history Saturday night with his win in the South Boston 150 at South Boston (Va.) Speedway. His Andy Santerre Motorsports' No. 44 brettmoffitt.com Chevrolet led 81 laps – including the last 67 – and outpaced a pair of fellow teenagers in runner-up Ryan Gifford and third-place Ryan Truex.

Moffitt doesn’t turn 17 until August 7. Joey Logano, now driving the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, was 1 month, 5 days of turning 17 when he scored his first win in the NASCAR Camping World Series West, and he set the NASCAR Camping World Series East mark 11 days later with his win at Greenville (S.C.) Pickens Speedway. In the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Series East opener, Moffitt broke Logano’s record as the series’ youngest Coors Light Pole Award winner.

With Saturday’s win, Moffitt also secured a starting spot in the postseason NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown.

Moffitt and Truex traded the lead three times. Moffitt pulled away on the final lap 103 restart and won by 3.691 seconds. Truex, the 19-year-old younger brother of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr. and a Michael Waltrip Racing development driver, won his first career Coors Light Pole Award earlier in the day.

Gifford, 19, is driving a limited schedule for Richard Childress Racing. He started 10th and charged up through the field. He got to second when Truex got loose coming off Turn 4, but was unable to close the gap on Moffitt.

Point leader Jody Lavender finished fourth and maintained a 26-point lead on Moffitt. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Max Gresham, making his first series start, finished fifth.

Alan Tardiff, Sean Caisse, Ty Dillon, Eddie MacDonald and Dustin Delaney rounded out the top 10.

Truex Captures MWR's 2nd Pole of the Weekend at SOBO Speedway

SOUTH BOSTON, Va. -- Ryan Truex was the second car out for NASCAR Camping World Series East qualifying at South Boston (Va.) Speedway and then had to sweat out watching the rest of the field take time before he could celebrate his first career Coors Light Pole Award.

Truex turned a fast lap of 16.176 seconds (89.021 mph) in his No. 00 NAPA Toyota at the .400-mile oval for Saturday night's South Boston 150. The 17-year-old younger brother of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr. became the third driver in as many years to earn their first career pole at South Boston - following Peyton Sellers (2007) and Ricky Carmichael (2008).

Truex's closest challenger was Brett Moffitt in the No. 44 brettmoffitt.com Chevrolet, who came within two one-thousandths of a second with a lap of 16.178 (89.010).

Sean Caisse, making a spot start in the No. 03 RCR Driver Development Chevrolet, qualified third at 16.258 (88.572). Jonathan Smith was the last car to qualify and grabbed the fourth spot, bumping 2007 race winner Matt Kobyluck to fifth.

Series points leader Jody Lavender will start 11th.

The South Boston 150 is scheduled to take the green at 7 p.m.