By Caleb Whisler, Staff Writer
The Texas Roadhouse 200 at Martinsville Speedway was another race where the No. 18 Toyota Tundra driven by Noah Gragson was unable to seal the deal and be in the top-five.
In qualifying, Kyle Busch Motorsports qualified one-two-three with Gragson qualifying in third. In the first two stages, Gragson finished second, but once the third stage went green, the team’s momentum to the wayside.
The Toyota driver believes that the issue arises with the Ilmor NT1 engine and the lack of passing.
“It’s just hard to pass with the Ilmor motors. I think NASCAR needs to go back and change stuff. I am not saying that they are in the wrong but they just need to make it better. I don’t like how this Ilmor motor is exiting the corner. You could flat foot it and it doesn’t go anywhere until about halfway down the straightaway,” he said.
“They need to figure out how to get wheel spin into it either through more horsepower. I don’t think harder tires is the key because that is going to be even less tire wear. We need something to get less grip to get more spin off of the corner. I think that is how you are going to get passing back.”
On restarts, Gragson and Johnny Sauter were working together, something that hasn’t been seen.
“It’s just respect to him and trying to benefit me as well. I am thinking big picture. I could have gone to the outside of him, raced him hard, pin him hard, and chance getting wrecked or I could have let him get on the outside and get in front of me. I felt like that was the safest bet for me for what our goal was for this weekend. It wasn’t planned,” he said.
Despite not contending for the race win, Gragson believed that the team executed their Martinsville plan.
“We had one goal and that was to gain as many points as possible. Obviously, win, but we got behind on pit stops. It’s almost impossible to pass. I am just thankful to be out here racing. I am happy with the result. With the stages, we gained nine points in each. It is what we needed to do.”
Gragson finished seventh in the race.