American Racing News Vol 1, Issue 2 Issue 4 | Page 10

BELL EARNS FIRST CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES WIN OF 2016

MADISON , Ill . -- A gutsy decision to use the bottom lane for a restart with two laps to go paid off for Christopher Bell , who earned his second career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory in Saturday night ' s third annual Drivin for Linemen 200 at Gateway Motorsports Park .
Bell , driver of the No . 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota Tundra , survived a chaotic and intense second half to edge Ben Rhodes to the checkered flag , giving KBM its 50th victory in the series , tying Roush Fenway Racing for the all-time series wins lead .
Rhodes , who contended for his first career win , had to settle for a career-best second .
For the second consecutive year , Mother Nature soaked the 1.25- mile track shortly before qualifying was to begin , forcing the field to be set by combined practice speeds , handing the top starting position to Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate Rhodes .
Despite an hour and fifteen-minute delay for inclement weather , Rhodes would lose the lead on the start from veteran Johnny Sauter who held command untilTyler Reddick elected to stay out on a Lap 26 caution for an incident in Turn 3 .
The bold strategy for Reddick paid off with the race lead until the event ' s third caution on Lap 65 for the expiration of the caution clock . During routine pit stops , a quick stop from William Byron ' s crew handed him the lead .
The NASCAR Next alumnus led for a whopping 48 laps , until outside pole sitter Sauter squeezed ahead on pit road following a Lap 113 caution for the second expiration of the caution clock .
The two would be under attack on the restart from Christopher Bell who surged into the lead on Lap on Lap 119 and despite losing the lead to Rhodes on Lap 149 , the Toyota Racing development driver reclaimed the lead on Lap 153 and held on for his first NCWTS win on pavement .
The event was red-flagged three times for incidents . The first for a three-truck incident in Turn 3 on Lap 120 lasted six minutes , 38 seconds . The second came 11 laps from the finish for a seven-truck accident in Turn 4 for a total of 10 minutes , 50 seconds . The final red flag broke out behind the leaders for an incident betweenSpencer Gallagher and John Wes Townley that lasted 12 minutes , 49 seconds . The two drivers wrestled after climbing from their trucks and were summoned to the Truck Series hauler post-race .
By Chris Knight | NASCAR Wire Service
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