Wallace Jr. Scores Second Career NASCAR Victory at Gateway

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Darrell Wallace Jr. put a stop to his rough start to 2014 that he has experienced. On Saturday night, his win gives the No. 54 team confidence as they continue to attempt climbing out of the hole he was in for the first six races of the season.

Despite Cole Custer winning the pole, it was Wallace Jr. storming to the lead on the first lap. He led until points leader Matt Crafton took the lead on the restart after the third caution of the race.

The No. 8 truck of John Hunter Nemechek came alive halfway through the race. He was able to show muscle at the front of the field when he led and held off most competitors for a good part of the race.

Crafton challenged Nemechek multiple times, but he failed to retake the lead. However, around lap 120, the No. 88 soared to the lead. A few laps later, Crafton slammed the turn four wall ending his day.

Wallace Jr. went back to the lead on the ensuing restart. His Kyle Busch Motorsports teammate Erik Jones made his way up to second following another yellow-flag, displayed for Nemechek who spun after cutting down a tire.

Jones’ time at the front was short-lived as with seven laps remaining, contact with German Quiroga on the backstretch led to Jones spinning through  the grass and making hard contact with the inside wall.

Despite a hard charge from Quiroga on the last restart, Wallace Jr. prevailed and took the checkered flag. The victory is the fifth for KBM in 2014 and continues Toyota’s winning streak which began at the close of last season.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is off next week, but they will return in two weeks at Kentucky Speedway.

Results via ESPN.com

POS DRIVER CAR MANUFACTURER LAPS MONEY START LED PTS BONUS PENALTY
1 Darrell Wallace Jr. 54 Toyota 160 2 85 48 5 0
2 German Quiroga Jr. 77 Toyota 160 9 5 43 1 0
3 Timothy Peters 17 Toyota 160 10 0 41 0 0
4 Johnny Sauter 98 Toyota 160 13 0 40 0 0
5 Ron Hornaday Jr. 30 Chevrolet 160 16 0 39 0 0
6 Cole Custer 00 Chevrolet 160 1 0 38 0 0
7 Ryan Blaney 29 Ford 160 14 0 37 0 0
8 John Wes Townley 5 Toyota 160 15 0 36 0 0
9 Chase Pistone 9 Chevrolet 160 5 0 35 0 0
10 Tayler Malsam 32 Chevrolet 160 18 0 34 0 0
11 Joey Coulter 21 Chevrolet 160 8 0 33 0 0
12 Mason Mingus 35 Toyota 160 19 0 32 0 0
13 Tyler Reddick 19 Ford 160 7 2 32 1 0
14 Ben Kennedy 31 Chevrolet 160 17 0 30 0 0
15 John Hunter Nemechek 8 Toyota 160 12 53 30 1 0
16 Bryan Silas 99 Chevrolet 158 23 0 28 0 0
17 Tyler Young 02 Chevrolet 157 22 0 27 0 0
18 Jeb Burton 13 Toyota 157 6 0 26 0 0
19 T.J. Bell 50 Chevrolet 157 24 0 25 0 0
20 Gray Gaulding 20 Chevrolet 156 4 0 24 0 0
21 Korbin Forrister 08 Chevrolet 156 27 0 23 0 0
22 Norm Benning 57 Chevrolet 156 26 0 22 0 0
23 Erik Jones 51 Toyota 153 3 4 22 1 0
24 Ray Black Jr. 07 Chevrolet 139 20 0 20 0 0
25 Ted Minor 12 Chevrolet 138 25 0 19 0 0
26 Matt Crafton 88 Toyota 123 11 11 19 1 0
27 Jennifer Cobb 10 Dodge 112 29 0 17 0 0
28 Scott Stenzel 36 Dodge 22 30 0 16 0 0
29 Adam Edwards 75 Chevrolet 6 32 0 0 0 0
30 Charles Lewandoski 42 Chevrolet 4 28 0 14 0 0
31 Caleb Roark 0 Chevrolet 3 31 0 0 0 0
32 Justin Jennings 63 Chevrolet 2 21 0 12 0 0