Kevin Harvick in the No. 2 Tide / Kroger Chevrolet Silverado for Richard Childress Racing literally put a whooping on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) field on Saturday afternoon at Martinsville Speedway recording his third career victory at the “paperclip” short track ironically in the event dubbed the 14th annual Kroger 250.
It was Harvick’s 14th career win overall and his first with RCR in his 118th truck start and first of 2012. The Bakersfield, California native who will start second in tomorrow’s 63rd annual Goody’s Fast Relief 500 controlled the field according to NASCAR for all but two laps giving the 36-year every reason to live up to his nickname “Happy Harvick.” Harvick also won at Martinsville in 2009 and 2010 driving for Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI).
Harvick’s dominance on Saturday afternoon eclipsed a previous NASCAR Camping World Truck Series record when Mike Skinner led 246 laps at Martinsville also on March 31, 2007.
Despite struggling adapting to Martinsville Speedway yesterday, rookie and 2011 ARCA champion Ty Dillon showed extreme patience and was able to bring his No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Silverado home second despite two late-race charges from James Buescher who finished third in the No. 31 AccuDoc Solutions Chevrolet Silverado.
“I’m really happy, especially after yesterday,” said Dillon.
Justin Lofton in the No. 6 CollegeComplete.com Chevrolet Silverado for Eddie Sharp Racing continued a strong start to the season with a solid fourth place run while Timothy Peters gave Red Horse Racing a fifth place effort, his second top-five of 2012.
Nelson Piquet Jr. had a quiet day but shoved his way into the top-10 with a sixth place run while short-track standout and Floridian Ross Chastain captured a career-best seventh place run in the No. 08 SS Green Light Racing Toyota Tundra. Jason Leffler, Daytona winner John King and Jason White comprised the top-10.
Parker Kligerman for Brad Keselowski Racing took 11th with J.R. Fitzpatrick landing 12th for Turn One Racing. Jeb Burton in his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut battled some adversity in his No. 27 State Water Heaters Chevrolet Silverado for Hillman Racing but finished a solid 13th. Cale Gale who was running in the top-10 in the closing laps suffered a flat tire and had to settle for 15th. Ron Hornaday Jr., Miguel Paludo, Jake Crum, Max Gresham and David Reutimann closed out the top-20.
Johnny Sauter in the No. 13 Hot Honeys / Curb Records Toyota Tundra after running in the top-10 through the race’s first 200-laps suffered mechanical gremlins taking his automobile behind the wall. He eventually returned and scored a disappointing 29th place effort.
Two-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Todd Bodine had one of the strongest trucks of the weekend and at one-point had worked his way into the top-five after qualifying 13th but a flat tire and a broken sway bar hindered his chances of scoring his first career short-track win. Bodine finished 25th in the third entry for Red Horse Racing.
Both Matt Crafton and four-time NCWTS champion Hornaday Jr. suffered from battery issues during the race which took them both from the lead circuit, but cautions (courtesy of the lucky dog) were their friends as they were both able to eventually work their way back to the lead lap inside the final 100 laps. However, Crafton’s problem returned under green forcing an unscheduled pit stop taking him from contention in the No. 88 Menards / IDEAL Doors Toyota Tundra and taking the checkered flag in 24th.
Joey Coulter, one of the pre-race favorites based on practice speeds on Friday succumbed to a flat tire and would be relegated to a 30th place finish, 22 laps off the pace. Other race notables included rookie Paulie Harraka (22nd), John Wes Townley (23rd), Bryan Silas (26th). Clay Greenfield after motoring into the top-20 early would see his promising run disappear after a mechanical hiccup resulted in a 31st place finish while Jennifer Jo Cobb in her No. 8 Driven2Honor.org RAM suffered the same fate and finished 34th.
43 trucks showed up for the 36 positions available sending seven teams’ home early. Notables that weren’t in the field included: Tyler Tanner, Caleb Holman, Natalie Sather and Chris Fontaine.
John King with his second top-10 finish of the season leads Red Horse Racing teammate Timothy Peters by one point heading into the third race of the season in two weeks.
Next up for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will be the inaugural Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200 presented by Cheerwine at Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway set for on Sunday, April 15.
