By Aaron Bearden, Motorsports Editor
As far as Noah Gragson’s concerned, he won Saturday night’s Villa Lighting Delivers the Eaton 200.
Even if the record books won’t show it.
“That’s a win for me in my book,” Gragson said of his run. “It doesn’t show on the stat sheet, but I have the confidence that we won that race.”
Gragson was the dominant driver in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ summer trip to Gateway Motorsports Park. The Kyle Busch Motorsports sophomore led a race-high 63 laps, and found himself in position to claim his third-career victory with the laps winding down.
That all changed on a Lap 154 restart. Gragson held the lead through the start-finish line, but the Nevadan’s No. 18 Toyota was sent sailing up the race track in Turns 1 & 2. He quickly drifted back to fifth, surrendering the lead to eventual race winner Justin Haley.
Afterward Gragson claimed the culprit for his late drop to be a leaking tire.
“The second-to-last run, we had a long green flag run,” he said. “I was running first, and I started getting loose in. We were riding around in first under that second-to-last caution, and I felt like the right-rear tire was going down, so I asked my crew guys with the one to go, “How’s it look?” And they said it was okay.
“I took the green and I was the leader. I went down into Turn One and I was really, really loose. Got in the door of somebody, and then ended up coming down pit road, changing four tires. We ended up having a flat right-rear tire, slow leak.”
A final caution shortly after the restart allowed Gragson an opportunity to return to pit road for four fresh tires, but there weren’t enough laps left for the 19-year-old to rise back through the field. He ultimately ended his night in 10th – a salvageable result, but one that didn’t properly show the pace his team had managed throughout the night.
“We led the whole entire race, were definitely there when it mattered and was in contention,” Gragson said. “Definitely feel like we got robbed there tonight.
“I can’t thank my crew enough. All of the guys on the No. 18 Satellite AutoGlass Toyota Tundra. They did a hell of a job getting my truck fixed after my mistake in practice. (We) led laps, and led when it counted. Just a bad luck deal.”
While he didn’t end up with the result he wanted, Gragson still helped his playoff hopes at Gateway. Gragson scored nine more points than third-place Brett Moffitt, increasing his advantage over the Iowan to 23 points with just six races remaining before the playoffs.