Team Information:
Started: 20th
Finished: 3rd
Laps: 151/151
Laps Led: 0
Status: Running
2016 Driver Points: 9th
2016 Owner Points: 9th
Cameron Hayley Race Recap:
Cameron Hayley, driver of the No. 13 RIDE TV Toyota Tundra, made his second career start at Chicagoland Speedway in Friday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) American Ethanol E15 225. Starting 20th, the ThorSport Racing driver ran as high as second, even contended for the race win in the final laps of the race extended event, and brought home a third-place finish. The solid result was Hayley’s first top-five finish at Chicagoland Speedway, and his fifth of the 2016 NCWTS season.
Chicagoland Speedway marked the final race for Hayley to make his way into the inaugural NCWTS Chase, and the Calgary, Alberta, Canada native, and his ThorSport Racing team proved they came to the “Windy City” to win. Not happy with his Toyota Tundra in practice, crew chief Eddie Troconis made wholesale changes to the No. 13 machine before qualifying on Friday afternoon. Although the duo knew the RIDE TV Tundra wouldn’t show speed in single truck qualifying, they proved the changes were for the better in the 150-lap event.
Starting from the 20th position, Hayley struggled with the balance of his RIDE TV Toyota Tundra. Troconis, brought the No. 13 machine to pit road three times, under caution, for scheduled stops at laps 47, 84, and 106, respectively, for four tires, fuel, and adjustments. Fighting a tight Tundra on long runs, Hayley ran consistently inside the top-15 for a majority of the event. With a never give up mentality, the sophomore driver recovered from a pit road penalty on lap 47, and a pit strategy call on lap 106 that had the ThorSport Racing driver scored 21st with just over 40 laps remaining.
Showing patience and drive, Hayley was able to work his way through traffic in the final 40 laps, and was sitting second on a final green-white-checker flag restart, sending the race into overtime. Starting on the outside of the front row, the 29 truck tried to make it three-wide, forcing Hayley to get loose and fall back to third. The leaders were single file on the final lap, as Hayley made one last attempt at the lead in Turn 4. Unfortunately, the caution flag was thrown right before the trio could make it to the stripe. Hayley would settle for a third-place finish behind race winner, Kyle Busch.
Cameron Hayley Quote:
“We didn’t have a winning truck at the beginning of this race. Eddie Troconis and the entire No. 13 RIDE TV team really battled back, gave me a great Tundra there at the end. I have a lot to learn from Kyle (Busch). We definitely had the faster Tundra there at the end. He blocked my move there, and it was all I could do. Overall a great Toyota Tundra. We tried. We’re not in the Chase, but we can’t say we didn’t try.”
News & Notes:
- The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) had two practice sessions on Thursday in preparation for Friday night’s American Ethanol E15 225 at Chicagoland Speedway. Cameron Hayley was 13th, and 17th, respectively, in both sessions.
- Making his second NCWTS start at the 1.5-mile track, Hayley started 20th, ran as high as second, contended for his career-first win, but finished third.
- In two starts at Chicagoland Speedway, Hayley has one top-five finish (2016).
- In 16 NCWTS starts in 2016, Hayley has led 21 laps en route to five top-five, and nine top-10 finishes.
- In 42 career NCWTS starts, Hayley has led 99 laps en route to nine top-five and 24 top-10 finishes.
- Hayley’s ThorSport Racing teammates finished 19th (Rico Abreu), 25th (Ben Rhodes), and 27th (Matt Crafton).
- Up Next: The UNOH 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 24, 2016 at 1:00pm ET.