Piquet Breaks Through In Truck Series
Nelson Piquet Jr. (30) battles Kurt Busch early during Saturday's VFW 200 at Michigan Int'l Speedway. (NASCAR photo)
BROOKLYN, Mich. — Nelson Piquet Jr.’s Turner Motorsports Chevrolet was barely moving at the checkered flag of Saturday’s VFW 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Michigan Int’l Speedway.
But it was moving, and it was enough for the Brazilian driver to earn his first victory in the series and have enough gas left to do celebratory burnouts despite running the final 86 miles at the two-mile superspeedway without a pit stop.
“This victory is for my team and for my father who has helped me my entire career,” said Piquet after his 42nd Truck Series start. “I finally made it to victory lane in the Truck Series.”
Piquet said he supported the team’s decision to gamble on fuel mileage and not pit late in the race.
“Because we had fallen back a little bit in the points, I was on board with the decision,” Piquet said. “I said, ‘let’s go for it.’ And we came away with the victory.”
Earlier this season Piquet posted NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and Nationwide Series victories, but after more than two years of trying finally visited victory lane in the Truck Series where he races on a full-time basis.
Piquet beat Jason White to the checkered flag by a large margin to take the victory. Dakota Armstrong finished third with Parker Kligerman, in his first start for Red Horse Racing, taking fourth. Fifth was James Buescher.
Kurt Busch, driving his brother Kyle’s No. 18, dominated the race, but had to pit lane and was ninth at the finish.
Timothy Peters and Ty Dillon are tied a top the standings with Buescher just six points behind.
Posted by NSSN Staff
on Aug 18 2012 Filed under Camping World Trucks, Latest Headlines, NASCAR, Top Stories.
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