{"id":26855,"date":"2016-05-09T11:51:57","date_gmt":"2016-05-09T18:51:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/?p=26855"},"modified":"2016-05-09T11:51:57","modified_gmt":"2016-05-09T18:51:57","slug":"william-byron-scores-first-nascar-truck-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/william-byron-scores-first-nascar-truck-win\/","title":{"rendered":"William Byron Scores First NASCAR Truck Win"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"William
William Byron, driver of the #9 Liberty University Toyota, takes the checkered flag during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Toyota Tundra 250 at Kansas Speedway on May 6, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Robert Laberge\/NASCAR via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series rookie candidate William Byron rode an emotional roller coaster this weekend, seeing his overtime lead fade\u00a0away then reopen suddenly,\u00a0clearing the way to his first NASCAR victory in Friday night\u2019s Toyota Tundra 250 at Kansas Speedway.<\/p>\n

In only his fifth Truck event driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports, the 18-year old Byron grabbed the lead with 32 laps to go after starting third on the restart.\u00a0 A charging Ben Rhodes sailed too hot into turn three tapping then leader Timothy Peters to cause him to become squirrelly sending strong runner, Matt Crafton up high opening the door for Byron to advance to the lead.\u00a0 He continued his dominating pace building up a near five-second lead only to see it all dwindle away with four laps to go after Tyler Reddick spun in turn two.<\/p>\n

This set up another overtime finish with Byron being joined by his KBR Toyota teammate, Erik Jones, on the front row.\u00a0 It looked like the Kansas land rush when the green flag came out in the two lap Green-White-Checkered sprint sending Johnny Sauter to the front followed by Ben Rhodes.\u00a0 It appeared that Byron had lost all hope of a victory when going into turn three on the white flag lap, Rhodes again went into turn three traveling right into the rear of Sauter pushing them both high leaving Byron with a wide open track with a checkered flag waiting on him.<\/p>\n

“It was crazy the last couple of restarts, and I had the lead there on the green-flag run (before the caution that forced overtime), and I was really just praying for no cautions, but you have to earn it,” said Byron becoming the ninth NASCAR Next driver to win a national series event.<\/p>\n

“And my crew chief, Rudy Fugle, really told me about that on all the restarts.\u00a0 He\u2019s like, \u2018This is how you earn it\u2019.\u00a0 This is a dream come true.\u00a0 I was six years old watching Truck races.\u00a0 Didn\u2019t start racing until I was 14, and just to be in a Toyota Tundra like this is amazing.”<\/p>\n

\"NASCAR
John Wes Townley, driver of the #05 Jive Communications Chevrolet, leads the field to green during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Toyota Tundra 250 at Kansas Speedway on May 6, 2016 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Robert Laberge\/NASCAR via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Johnny Sauter looking powerful in the G-W-C period was none too happy about his consequences that were totally out of his control as the leader going into turn three before his mishap.<\/p>\n

“I just got ran over by a bozo; I guess he\u2019s just brain dead,” an irate Sauter said after the incident with Rhodes. \u00a0“It\u2019s just unfortunate that sometimes you can\u2019t race the way you want.\u201d<\/p>\n

Byron joins Sauter and John Hunter Nemechek as the first of three entries into the Truck Championship Chase of 8 that will start in the fall.<\/p>\n

After the winner Byron, finishing second was Matt Crafton, third, Daniel Hemric followed by Christopher Bell and Clint Bowyer rounding out the top five.<\/p>\n

The average speed of the Toyota Tundra 250 was 108.511 mph resulting in 11 caution flags for 47 laps in the action packed event.<\/p>\n

The NASCAR Trucks now head to Dover International Speedway next weekend on Friday, May 13 for the running of the Dover 200 airing on FOX Sports 1 at 5:30 p.m. EDT.<\/p>\n