{"id":6368,"date":"2016-10-29T23:00:26","date_gmt":"2016-10-30T04:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=6368"},"modified":"2016-10-31T20:15:13","modified_gmt":"2016-11-01T01:15:13","slug":"johnny-sauter-holds-off-chase-elliott-to-advance-to-championship-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2016\/10\/29\/johnny-sauter-holds-off-chase-elliott-to-advance-to-championship-race\/","title":{"rendered":"Johnny Sauter holds off Chase Elliott to advance to championship race"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Johnny

Johnny Sauter, driver of the #21 Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff Chevrolet, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Texas Roadhouse 200 presented by Alpha Energy Solutions at Martinsville Speedway on October 29, 2016 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Jerry Markland\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

By Reid Spencer
\nNASCAR Wire Service<\/strong><\/p>\n

MARTINSVILLE, Va. \u2013 With a finish that was the diametric opposite of his last run at Martinsville Speedway, Johnny Sauter punched his ticket to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship race with a victory in Saturday\u2019s Texas Roadhouse 200 at the .526-mile short track.<\/p>\n

\"Johnny

Johnny Sauter, driver of the #21 Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff Chevrolet, crosses the finish line ahead of Chase Elliott, driver of the #71 NAPA Auto Parts\/Valvoline Chevrolet, to win the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Texas Roadhouse 200 presented by Alpha Energy Solutions at Martinsville Speedway on October 29, 2016 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Matt Sullivan\/NASCAR via Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

After a restart with 18 laps left, Sauter, who finished last at Martinsville in April, held off pole winner Chase Elliott, beating the No. 71 Chevrolet driver to the finish line by .316 seconds.<\/p>\n

On Lap 176, Sauter took the lead from John Hunter Nemechek, who had gained track position with an earlier two-tire stop under caution. Sauter held the top spot the rest of the way, through a stretch that included the fifth caution of the race for an accident that put Ben Kennedy\u2019s title hopes in peril.<\/p>\n

But Sauter knows he\u2019ll be racing for the championship on Nov. 18 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he scored the fourth of his 12 career victories in 2011.<\/p>\n

“The key deal is liking a race track, and I can\u2019t think of a better race track to decide a championship than Homestead,” Sauter said. “It\u2019s a very racy place \u2013 you can run all over the race track. I feel like we are peaking at the right time. I feel like we\u2019ve kind of saved some of our best bullets, so to speak, for the end, and we can go and really work hard on our Homestead piece for these next couple weeks.<\/p>\n

\"Johnny

Johnny Sauter, driver of the #21 Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff Chevrolet, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Texas Roadhouse 200 presented by Alpha Energy Solutions at Martinsville Speedway on October 29, 2016 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Jerry Markland\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

“But I\u2019m a racer \u2013 I think we all are \u2013 and we\u2019re not just going to hang out these next two weeks. Texas has been a race track that we\u2019ve had some success at in the past. We sat on the pole there earlier this year and had a shot to win the race\u2026 We want to win races, but we\u2019re in a luxurious spot, I guess you\u2019d call it. I want to win a championship. I\u2019ve been doing this a long time, and have won races, but a championship is something that\u2019s eluded me.”<\/p>\n

Sauter\u2019s No. 21 GMS Racing Chevrolet surged ahead on the Lap 183 restart. On the same circuit, Elliott passed Nemechek for the runner-up spot and took off in pursuit of Sauter. Unable to execute a clean pass of the leader, Elliott settled for second place in his first NCWTS start since Nov. 8, 2013 at Phoenix.<\/p>\n

“I got loose off of Turn 2 coming to the checkered (flag), and that was probably my opportunity to get him,” said Elliott, who will start fifth in Sunday\u2019s Goody\u2019s Fast Relief 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race (1 p.m. ET on NBCSN). “But you\u2019ve got to be careful. Those guys are racing for a championship, and some days it\u2019s just not worth making a mistake or wrecking a guy or whatever.<\/p>\n

\"Johnny

Johnny Sauter, driver of the #21 Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff Chevrolet, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Texas Roadhouse 200 presented by Alpha Energy Solutions at Martinsville Speedway on October 29, 2016 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

“Obviously, I wish we could have got him, but I feel like I learned a lot today, and that\u2019s the most important thing for (Sunday).”<\/p>\n

Kennedy left the track wishing Ben Rhodes had used the same restraint Elliott observed in Saturday\u2019s race. On Lap 176, Rhodes punted Kennedy\u2019s No. 33 Chevrolet in the middle of Turn 2 and sent it spinning. In the aftermath of the wreck, John Wes Townley collided with Kennedy\u2019s Silverado, doing further damage.<\/p>\n

Kennedy stayed on the lead lap but settled for 18th place, worst among the six Chase drivers and one spot ahead of two-time champion Matt Crafton, whose afternoon went south with a broken left rear brake caliper.<\/p>\n

After the race, Kennedy and Rhodes engaged in a heated exchange on pit road with NASCAR officials between them.<\/p>\n

“He just wrecked us,” Kennedy told reporters. “He tried to wreck us earlier and failed. On to the next.”<\/p>\n

Rhodes took responsibility for the crash.<\/p>\n

\"Johnny

Johnny Sauter, driver of the #21 Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff Chevrolet, races during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Texas Roadhouse 200 presented by Alpha Energy Solutions at Martinsville Speedway on October 29, 2016 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Matt Sullivan\/NASCAR via Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

“I owe him an apology for sure,” Rhodes said. “I know he\u2019s in the Chase. I thought I could nudge him cleanly but got into him a second time and spun him around.”<\/p>\n

Nemechek came home third in front of Chase drivers Christopher Bell and Timothy Peters, who ran fourth and fifth, respectively. William Byron finished eighth to gain the fourth spot in the Chase standings, nine points ahead of Crafton and 10 ahead of Kennedy.<\/p>\n

The series moves to Texas and Phoenix in the following two weeks for the completion of the Round of 6.<\/p>\n

Note: \u00a0Additional photos posted below race results.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race – Texas Roadhouse 200 presented by Alpha Energy Solutions
\nMartinsville Speedway
\nMartinsville, Virginia
\nSaturday, October 29, 2016<\/p>\n

1. (5) Johnny Sauter (C), Chevrolet, 200.
\n2. (1) Chase Elliott(i), Chevrolet, 200.
\n3. (12) John H Nemechek, Chevrolet, 200.
\n4. (6) Christopher Bell # (C), Toyota, 200.
\n5. (19) Timothy Peters (C), Toyota, 200.
\n6. (2) Daniel Suarez(i), Toyota, 200.
\n7. (3) Cole Custer #, Chevrolet, 200.
\n8. (7) William Byron # (C), Toyota, 200.
\n9. (13) Daniel Hemric, Ford, 200.
\n10. (15) Austin Hill, Ford, 200.
\n11. (8) Cameron Hayley, Toyota, 200.
\n12. (21) Cole Whitt(i), Ford, 200.
\n13. (4) Tyler Reddick, Ford, 200.
\n14. (23) Ryan Truex, Toyota, 200.
\n15. (10) Kaz Grala, Chevrolet, 200.
\n16. (9) Matt Tifft #, Toyota, 200.
\n17. (11) Matt Crafton (C), Toyota, 200.
\n18. (18) Ben Kennedy (C), Chevrolet, 200.
\n19. (14) Ben Rhodes #, Toyota, 200.
\n20. (27) Austin Theriault, Chevrolet, 200.
\n21. (20) John Wes Townley, Chevrolet, 200.
\n22. (16) Harrison Burton, Toyota, 199.
\n23. (26) DJ Kennington(i), Chevrolet, 199.
\n24. (24) Rico Abreu #, Toyota, 198.
\n25. (25) Tommy Joe Martins, Chevrolet, 197.
\n26. (28) Justin Fontaine, Toyota, 195.
\n27. (32) Travis Kvapil, Chevrolet, 192.
\n28. (30) Joshua Reeves, Chevrolet, 191.
\n29. (17) Spencer Gallagher, Chevrolet, 179.
\n30. (29) Kevin Donahue, Chevrolet, Engine, 115.
\n31. (22) Kyle Donahue, Chevrolet, Accident, 48.
\n32. (31) Josh White, Chevrolet, Accident, 45.<\/p>\n

Average Speed of Race Winner:\u00a0 73.839 mph.
\nTime of Race:\u00a0 01 Hrs, 25 Mins, 29 Secs. Margin of Victory:\u00a0 0.316 Seconds.
\nCaution Flags:\u00a0 5 for 33 laps.
\nLead Changes:\u00a0 6 among 5 drivers.
\nLap Leaders:\u00a0\u00a0 C. Elliott(i) 1-10; C. Custer # 11-27; J. Sauter (C) 28-52; C. Elliott(i) 53-151; D. Hemric 152-157; J. Nemechek 158-175; J. Sauter (C) 176-200.
\nLeaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):\u00a0 C. Elliott(i) 2 times for 109 laps; J. Sauter (C) 2 times for 50 laps; J. Nemechek 1 time for 18 laps; C. Custer # 1 time for 17 laps; D. Hemric 1 time for 6 laps.
\nTop 10 in Points: J. Sauter (C) – 3,036; C. Bell # (C) – 3,029; T. Peters (C) – 3,028; W. Byron # (C) – 3,025; M. Crafton (C) – 3,016; B. Kennedy (C) – 3,015; D. Hemric – 2,084; J. Nemechek – 2,069; C. Custer # – 432; T. Reddick – 428.<\/p>\n

\"Trucks

Trucks race during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Texas Roadhouse 200 presented by Alpha Energy Solutions at Martinsville Speedway on October 29, 2016 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Matt Sullivan\/NASCAR via Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Johnny

Johnny Sauter, driver of the #21 Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff Chevrolet, and Cole Custer, driver of the #00 OneMain Chevrolet, pit during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Texas Roadhouse 200 presented by Alpha Energy Solutions at Martinsville Speedway on October 29, 2016 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"William

William Byron, driver of the #9 Liberty University Toyota, leads a pack of trucks during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Texas Roadhouse 200 presented by Alpha Energy Solutions at Martinsville Speedway on October 29, 2016 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Matt Sullivan\/NASCAR via Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Cole

Cole Custer, driver of the #00 OneMain Chevrolet, leads Johnny Sauter, driver of the #21 Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Texas Roadhouse 200 presented by Alpha Energy Solutions at Martinsville Speedway on October 29, 2016 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Chase

Chase Elliott, driver of the #71 NAPA Auto Parts\/Valvoline Chevrolet, leads the field past the green flag to start the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Texas Roadhouse 200 presented by Alpha Energy Solutions at Martinsville Speedway on October 29, 2016 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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