HAMPTON, GA.: Stewart Friesen came to Atlanta Motor Speedway ready to move on from his disappointing start of the 2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season.
With two sub-par races at Daytona International Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the Fr8 208 was his chance to redeem himself and it certainly looked like he was on the way to doing that until a late race wreck collected him, leaving him and his Halmar Freisen Racing with a frustrating 22nd position at the end of the race.
After qualifying was canceled due to inclement weather, the Niagara-On-Ontario, Canada driver would start 14th based on the metric set by the sanctioning body.
Early in the race, Friesen reported to the team that he was fighting a free in and loose off truck the team encouraged him to continue, and they would fix him up at the first pit stop.
Working his way forward the caution flag would come out on Lap 24 and the Halmar Friesen Racing driver would be told that they would give him a new set of tires and fuel to help him out.
Finishing the first stage in the seventh position it looked like the Halmar Freisen Racing team was building momentum, but a slow pit stop would hamper their run to the front.
Unfortunately for Friesen he would return to the track in the 23rd position. “Be patient here. We’ll get that all back. We got a fast truck,” crew chief Blake Bainbridge would tell him.
Friesen would have a good Stage 2, working his way to the ninth position by the end of the stage. He did mention that he was still struggling in turn three but things seemed to be coming together for them.
Back to pit road they came for tires and fuel and returned to the track in the third position on Lap 68.
10 laps later on Lap 78, the caution would come out for a spin by Akinori Ogata, and the team would bring them down pit road. This time it would be for only two gallons of fuel.
Problems on pit road between vehicles would trap him in his pit stall and subsequently force him to climb from back the field in the 20th position.
Moving forward through the third and final stage, Friesen would move as high as ninth position until he was collected in a last lap crash that relegated the team to a disappointing 22nd finish.
“We fought hard all day with a fast Halmar Toyota TRD Tundra Pro that was in contention,” offered Friesen after the race. “The last lap didn’t go our way.
“We’ll reset and be back at Circuit of the Americas next week. “
Next up for Friesen is the XPEL 250 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas on Saturday, March 25th, 2023.
Follow Grace Krenrich on Twitter @grace3140 or email at: [email protected]
