THORSON EARNS THIRD TOP-15 FINISH OF THE SEASON AT THE LAST GREAT COLOSSEUM
Tanner Thorson returned to Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway this past Thursday, this time making his first-career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) start at the half-mile. He was in the top-20 of both practice sessions and advanced to round two of qualifying, ultimately earning the 19th-starting position for the 200-lap UNOH 200, where he went on to earn his second-best result of the season with a 14th-place finish.
STAGE 1 RECAP:
Started Stage 1: P19
Finished Stage 1: P21
Thorson took the green flag for the UNOH 200 from the inside of row 10 and survived two cautions before the halfway point of the race and was running 18th. Thorson was fighting tight conditions on his Ohio Logistics/K&L Ready Mix No. 20 Chevrolet and rounded out the opening stage in 21st.
STAGE 2 RECAP:
Started Stage 2: P20
Finished Stage 2: P18
At the end of Stage 1, crew chief Andrew Abbott called Thorson to pit road for four tires, a full tank of fuel and a trackbar adjustment. He restarted Stage 2 from 20th. There was a quick caution on the restart, but after that, the stage went on caution free and Thorson ended up 18th, one lap down to the leaders.
STAGE 3 RECAP:
Started Stage 3: P21
Finished Stage 3: P14
At the end of Stage 2, Thorson was still reporting that his Ohio Logistics/K&L Ready Mix No. 20 was fighting tight conditions, preventing him from running the high-line at Bristol Motor Speedway and he came down pit road for four tires, fuel, a trackbar and wedge adjustment and pulled some tape off the grill. Thorson restarted the final stage from 21st one lap down to the leaders, fighting for the lucky dog position in hopes a caution would come out allowing him to get back on the lead lap. Unfortunately, the remainder of the UNOH 200 went caution free, but the Minden, Nev., native was able to gain several positions to finish 14th, his second-best career NCWTS finish.
HILL’S GOOD RUN HINDERED BY LATE RACE PIT STOP AT BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Austin Hill made his third-career start at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway Thursday night under the lights in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) UNOH 200. After making the second round of qualifying, Hill earned the 23rd-starting position for the 200-lap race. Unfortunately, after running just outside the top-10 in the closing laps, he had to come down pit road for two fresh tires, relegating him to a 21st-place finish.
STAGE 1 RECAP:
Started Stage 1: P23
Finished Stage 1: P14
Hill started the UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway from the 23rd position and slowly started to work his way forward. When the first caution came out on lap 13, he had moved up two positions and when the second caution came out 13 laps later, he was up to 19th. In the closing laps of Stage 1, Hill was up to 14th.
STAGE 2 RECAP:
Started Stage 2: P13
Finished Stage 2: P13
At the end of Stage 1, Hill was called to pit road by crew chief Chad Kendrick for four fresh tires and a full tank of fuel to restart the second stage from 13th. After an early caution on the restart, Stage 2 ran through uneventful and went green until the end and he finished 13th.
STAGE 3 RECAP:
Started Stage 3: P13
Finished Stage 3: P21
The Winston, Ga., native came to pit road at the end of the middle stage for four tires, fuel and a trackbar adjustment to help aid the tight-handling Young’s Building Systems/RANDCO No. 02. He then restarted the final stage at Thunder Valley from the 13th position. Once again, the final stage went caution free, but in the closing laps, Hill received some contact from another competitor that cut down one of his tires forcing him to make a late race pit stop for two new left side tires relegating him to a 21st-place finish.
