LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Brett Moffit nearly took Hattori Racing Enterprises to back-to-back NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victories at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway.
The driver of the No. 16 AISIN Toyota led 27 laps during the 134-lap event and contended for his third Truck Series win, but on two occasions, two lapped trucks cost him an opportunity to win.
On Lap 109, Moffitt was leading and attempting to lap the No. 20 truck of Michel Disdier, but the inexperienced driver failed to maintain his lane putting Moffitt on the apron of the race track and with a brilliant save in the process.
Collecting himself and stalking eventual winner Kyle Busch for the Stratosphere 200 trophy, Norm Benning disobeyed a NASCAR directive and fell into the path of the lane the leaders were running sending Moffitt’s truck high in Turns 1 and 2 allowing Johnny Sauter and Grant Enfinger to pass.
Moffit was able to repass Enfinger and hunted down Sauter but he ran out of laps to overtake the series’ veteran and settled for his second consecutive podium finish.
Benning was parked by NASCAR with two laps remaining for his lack of consideration for the race leaders, but the damage was already done.
“I’ve never been so mad finishing third in my life,” Moffitt said, clearly upset with the lapped traffic. “We’re coming upon these guys 30 mph faster and they don’t get out of the way. It was uncalled for and someone is going to get hurt.”
After the race, Moffitt said he wasn’t upset with Disdier from Niece, France – but rather another lap truck of Myatt Snider who Moffitt said exited pit road a few laps before he caught him and the continued to side-draft the No. 16 as a non-lead lap truck.
“When the 13 pulled out from the pits a couple laps down and side drafted us for the lead and it allowed Kyle (Busch) to close in I tried to go to the bottom of a lapped car and he turned down into us,” added Moffitt. “It’s just frustrating because when you’re out of the race you shouldn’t get in the way of the leaders. It was fun out there racing Kyle and we had a strong AISIN Group Toyota Tundra, just can’t thank TRD and all of our partners enough for getting us here. It’s just a bittersweet race.”
With his second top-five finish in a row, Moffitt heads into a two-week break second in points 39 points behind Daytona winner Sauter.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
