For three years running Kentucky Speedway’s winner became the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion. It may not happen in 2011 – although contenders will get a second chance when the series returns in October.
Kyle Busch, ineligible for series points, spoiled the party last week, winning for the fifth time in eight season starts.
What the UNOH 225 did was muddy the waters considerably as the top six championship contenders stumbled. Leader Johnny Sauter actually increased his lead by three points to 23 over Cole Whitt. But Sauter and Whitt finished outside the top 20 for the second consecutive week – and the land rush from behind continues.
• James Buescher continued his remarkable charge back from the virtual oblivion of a Phoenix DNQ. Buescher’s sixth consecutive top 10 brought the 21-year-old driver to fourth place in the standings 32 off the lead.
• Parker Kligerman, a Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender who by his own admission wrecked too much equipment early on, posted his second consecutive runner up finish to rank fifth in overall points.
• Joey Coulter came within a late caution of posting his first victory, finished seventh and retained his solid top-10 ranking.
Three rookies – Whitt, 20; Kligerman, 20 and Coulter, 21 – continue to rank among the top 10 overall. What appeared an early Whitt runaway toward the Sunoco title has narrowed considerably. His lead over Kligerman is just 11. Coulter trails by 15.
| 
|