{"id":21268,"date":"2018-08-16T23:40:20","date_gmt":"2018-08-17T04:40:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=21268"},"modified":"2018-08-17T12:50:41","modified_gmt":"2018-08-17T17:50:41","slug":"johnny-sauter-wins-at-bristol-clinches-regular-season-title","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2018\/08\/16\/johnny-sauter-wins-at-bristol-clinches-regular-season-title\/","title":{"rendered":"Johnny Sauter wins at Bristol, clinches regular-season title"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

Johnny Sauter, driver of the #21 GMS Fabrication Chevrolet, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series UHOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 16, 2018 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service<\/em><\/p>\n

BRISTOL, Tenn. \u2013 Passing John Hunter Nemecheck<\/strong> for the lead on Lap 196 of 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway<\/strong>, Johnny Sauter<\/strong> picked up his series-best fifth victory of the season, along with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series<\/a> regular-season championship, but fellow two-time champion Matt Crafton<\/strong> wasn\u2019t about to begrudge Sauter his success.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Johnny Sauter, driver of the #21 GMS Fabrication Chevrolet, takes the checkered flag to win the during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series UHOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 16, 2018 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Sarah Crabill\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Thanks to Sauter\u2019s win, Crafton grabbed the eighth and final spot in the NCWTS Playoff on points. Also advancing to the Playoff in Thursday night\u2019s UNOH 200 were race runner-up Stewart Friesen and Grant Enfinger, who clinched the sixth Playoff berth when he took the green flag to start the race.<\/p>\n

Those three join race winners Sauter, Brett Moffitt, Noah Gragson, Ben Rhodes and Justin Haley in the NCWTS postseason, which starts Aug. 26 at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.<\/p>\n

Nemechek passed Sauter for the lead in heavy traffic on Lap 177, but after pulling out to a lead of more than 10 truck-lengths, Nemechek suffered fuel pickup issues late in the race, allowing both Sauter and Friesen to pass him before the finish.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so proud of this team,\u201d said Sauter, who won for the first time at the .533-mile high-banked concrete track and the 22nd time in his career. \u201cI knew we had a great truck today. What a way to cap off the regular season with a win. I had to race really hard with the 52 (Friesen) there for a while, which was exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"

Johnny Sauter, driver of the #21 GMS Fabrication Chevrolet, celebrates with a burnout after winning the during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series UHOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 16, 2018 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Sarah Crabill\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

In fact, Sauter and Friesen waged an intense battle for second place, with Freisen briefly gaining the spot in traffic before Sauter prevailed by splitting the middle between Friesen and a lapped truck. That proved to be the winning pass, after Nemechek had his troubles in the last few laps.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never won at Bristol before, so I was pumped,\u201d Sauter said. \u201cI\u2019m so lucky I\u2019ve got this group of guys. We won at Bristol\u2014this is the ultimate. For a short track guy, and I consider myself a short-track guy, to get a win at a place like this is so special.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just pumped, and I can\u2019t wait to start our championship run.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still seeking his first victory in the series, Friesen nevertheless reveled in the competition.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was probably the most fun I\u2019ve had all year,\u201d Friesen said. \u201cBumping and grinding, and no better guys to race with than John Hunter and Johnny. We\u2019ll take it and move on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Notes: Sauter led 58 laps to Nemechek\u2019s 104. Nemechek won both the first and second stages. Sauter enters the Playoff as the top seed, with 42 playoff points to 27 for Moffitt in second and 22 for Gragson in third.<\/p>\n

Media Center Interviews:<\/h3>\n

Johnny Sauter – <\/p>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Bristol2_NCWTS_Sauter_081618.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

 <\/p>\n

Crew chief Joe Shear Jr. and GMS Racing President Mike Beam – <\/p>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Bristol2_NCWTS_MikeBeamJoeShear_081618.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stewart Friesen and Matt Crafton – <\/p>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Bristol2_NCWTS_FriesenCrafton_081618.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

 <\/p>\n

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race – UNOH 200<\/p>\n

Bristol Motor Speedway<\/p>\n

Bristol, Tennessee<\/p>\n

Thursday, August 16, 2018<\/p>\n

               1. (4) Johnny Sauter, Chevrolet, 200.<\/p>\n

               2. (13) Stewart Friesen, Chevrolet, 200.<\/p>\n

               3. (3) John Hunter Nemechek(i), Chevrolet, 200.<\/p>\n

               4. (6) Parker Kligerman, Chevrolet, 200.<\/p>\n

               5. (8) Todd Gilliland #, Toyota, 200.<\/p>\n

               6. (11) Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 200.<\/p>\n

               7. (2) Ben Rhodes, Ford, 200.<\/p>\n

               8. (18) Matt Crafton, Ford, 200.<\/p>\n

               9. (7) Noah Gragson, Toyota, 200.<\/p>\n

               10. (5) Grant Enfinger, Ford, 200.<\/p>\n

               11. (16) Dalton Sargeant #, Chevrolet, 200.<\/p>\n

               12. (10) Ross Chastain(i), Chevrolet, 199.<\/p>\n

               13. (24) Austin Wayne Self, Chevrolet, 199.<\/p>\n

               14. (19) Tanner Thorson, Chevrolet, 198.<\/p>\n

               15. (20) Riley Herbst, Toyota, 198.<\/p>\n

               16. (25) Codie Rohrbaugh, Chevrolet, 198.<\/p>\n

               17. (30) Stefan Parsons, Chevrolet, 198.<\/p>\n

               18. (14) Brett Moffitt, Toyota, 198.<\/p>\n

               19. (15) Cody Coughlin, Chevrolet, 198.<\/p>\n

               20. (21) Clay Greenfield, Chevrolet, 197.<\/p>\n

               21. (23) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, 197.<\/p>\n

               22. (29) Jordan Anderson, Chevrolet, 197.<\/p>\n

               23. (32) Wendell Chavous, Chevrolet, 196.<\/p>\n

               24. (31) Justin Fontaine #, Chevrolet, 196.<\/p>\n

               25. (26) Cory Roper, Ford, 195.<\/p>\n

               26. (9) Jesse Little, Ford, 194.<\/p>\n

               27. (27) Korbin Forrister, Toyota, 188.<\/p>\n

               28. (1) Christopher Bell(i), Toyota, 184.<\/p>\n

               29. (17) Myatt Snider #, Ford, Power Steering, 161.<\/p>\n

               30. (12) Chad Finley, Chevrolet, Engine, 61.<\/p>\n

               31. (22) Scott Lagasse Jr.(i), Toyota, Accident, 24.<\/p>\n

               32. (28) Bayley Currey, Chevrolet, Accident, 13.<\/p>\n

Average Speed of Race Winner:  83.119 mph.<\/p>\n

Time of Race:  01 Hrs, 16 Mins, 57 Secs. Margin of Victory:  0.236 Seconds.<\/p>\n

Caution Flags:  5 for 38 laps.<\/p>\n

Lead Changes:  6 among 4 drivers.<\/p>\n

Lap Leaders:   C. Bell(i) 1-31; J. Nemechek(i) 32-116; J. Sauter 117-123; N. Gragson 124-130; J. Sauter 131-176; J. Nemechek(i) 177-195; J. Sauter 196-200.<\/p>\n

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  J. Nemechek(i) 2 times for 104 laps; J. Sauter 3 times for 58 laps; C. Bell(i) 1 time for 31 laps; N. Gragson 1 time for 7 laps.<\/p>\n

Stage #1 Top Ten: 8,21,98,51,41,75,52,38,18,24<\/p>\n

Stage #2 Top Ten: 8,21,16,52,51,75,41,24,98,25<\/p>\n

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

  By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service BRISTOL, Tenn. \u2013 Passing John Hunter Nemecheck for the lead on Lap 196 of 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway, Johnny Sauter picked up his series-best fifth victory of the season, along with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular-season championship, but fellow two-time champion Matt Crafton wasn\u2019t about to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":676,"featured_media":21274,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[177,370,16,160],"class_list":["post-21268","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar","tag-bristol-motor-speedway","tag-johnny-sauter","tag-nascar","tag-nascar-camping-world-truck-series"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/357345-e1534527950179.jpg?fit=640%2C427&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-5x2","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21268","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/676"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21268"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21268\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21277,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21268\/revisions\/21277"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21274"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21268"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21268"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21268"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}