BROOKLYN, Mich. – Carrying the torch for Young’s Motorsports three-truck operation, NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series (NGOTS) rookie Tyler Dippel roared to the front when it mattered most during Saturday afternoon’s Corrigan Oil 200 at Michigan International Speedway.
Dippel with crew chief Chad Kendrick were strong throughout the race but when a multi-truck accident unleashed itself with four laps to go, Dippel quickly emerged unscathed from the carnage and found his No. 02 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado in the hunt for a career-best finish – if not a win.
In overtime, a strong restart by the Wallkill, New York native allowed his No. 02 Jersey Filmmaker to maintain pace with leaders Austin Hill and Sheldon Creed but without a partner to push himself past first and second, Dippel took third – earning not only his career-best finish but the best performance for Young’s Motorsports.
“I’m really excited about the finish at Michigan, we were so close,” Dippel told CATCHFENCE.com. “The trucks have been getting better and I’ve been learning a lot on the big tracks. Hopefully, we can keep the momentum going.”
For team owner Tyler Young, Saturday’s performance by Dippel and rookie Gus Dean felt like a victory. While Dippel earned his second straight top-10 finish, Dean, the two-time ARCA Menards Series also contended for a top-10 finish but late race track position worked against the Bluffton, S.C.-native who wheeled his No. 12 Overkill Motorsports to a career-best 13th.
With noteworthy performances from two of the three truck operation, Young is confident his teams can continue to ride the momentum and shine during the latter races of the 2019 season.
“I’m tickled to death,” offered Young. “I’m really proud of Tyler (Dippel) and Chad (Kendrick). They did a super job all day. They had a strong truck and Tyler was able to capitalize on restarts and put himself in a position to win the race.
“We’ve been around the Truck Series for a long time now and to see all of our hard work be rewarded with a career-best at Michigan is just awesome. Maybe before the end of the year, we’ll find ourselves in the right position where we can sneak a win with Tyler, Gus or Spencer (Boyd).”
Young who has transitioned from the driver to a owner and management role to his Mooresville, N.C. empire says Dean’s finish wasn’t an indicator of his performance.
“Gus did great,” added Young. “He went to the front and the team kept there on strategy. He had to get on the brakes to avoid running into some trucks ahead of him and he lost all his track position.
“He fought hard and came back with his best Truck finish. He’s going to make some more noise before the end of the year, I promise you.”
As for Dippel – a NASCAR Next alumnus heads to Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway eyeing his third straight top-10 finish, a track he finished sixth last year in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.
“I had pretty good success in the K&N car the last time there,” recalled Dippel. “I really like that place and I’m excited to get back to a short track and dice it up.”
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
