Haley Gets First Career Truck Win at Gatdeway

Photo Credit: Ryan Michaelesko

MADISON, IL – RIS – Justin Haley got his first career win in the NASCAR Camping World truck series on Saturday night at Gateway Motorsports Park.  Haley took the race lead from Noah Gragson on a restart late in the Eaton 200. Haley maintained that lead through another restart and seven laps to claim that first-career series win.

"I've been dreaming about this day since I was a little kid," Haley said.

The 19-year-old Haley, from Winamac, Indiana, took the lead when Kyle Busch Motorsports teammates Noah Gragson and Todd Gilliland made contact racing for the lead on a restart with seven laps to go.

Haley then held off GMS Racing teammate Johnny Sauter, a four-time winner season, on the final restart with two laps left, with Brett Moffitt spinning near the front of the field.

"I'm about to cry," Haley said. "I raced my heart out. That's what I've worked for my whole life.

Haley won in his 37th series start.

Gilliland was a career-best second, followed by Sauter, Myatt Snider, Zane Smith, Chad Finley, Jesse Little, Riley Herbst and Cody Coughlin.

"I'm pretty happy with where I finished," Gilliland said. "I guess I need to communicate better what I think I need for the race. The track just changes so much in these trucks compared to the K&N cars. It's just about keep bringing fast trucks to the racetrack every week and our finishing positions keep moving up. It's just about being there at the end."

Gragson ended up 10th after cutting a tire. He led the first 63 laps of the final stage.

Sauter increased his series lead to 73 points over Gragson.

Pole-sitter Grant Enfinger won the first 35-lap stage, and 17-year-old Christian Eckes took the second in his second series start. They each led from start to finish.

The cars were stopped on the track with 41 laps to go to clean up fluid from John Hunter Nemechek's Chevrolet. Debris cut an oil line, with Tate Fogleman and Justin Fontaine sliding through the mess and crashing. Nemechek, the Gateway winner last year, was running second, at the time.

Unofficial Finishing Order, Villa Lighting delivers the Eaton 200 presented by CK Power at Gateway Motorsports Park

Pos, Driver, Truck

1) Justin Haley, No. 24 Fraternal Order of Eagles Chevrolet

2) Todd Gilliland #, No. 4 Royal Canin Toyota

3) Johnny Sauter, No. 21 ISM Connect Chevrolet

4) Myatt Snider #, No. 13 The Carolina Nut Co. Ford

5) Zane Smith, No. 54 Crosley Brands/LaPaz Margarita Mix Toyota

6) Chad Finley, No. 42 Auto Value Certified Service Centers Chevrolet

7) Jesse Little, No. 97 Rustic Rub Co./JJL Motorsports Ford

8) Riley Herbst, No. 51 Advance Auto Parts Toyota

9) Cody Coughlin, No. 2 JEGS.com Chevrolet

10) Noah Gragson, No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Toyota

11) Austin Hill, No. 02 ARCO National Construction Chevrolet

12) Kevin Donahue, No. 63 First Responder Racing Chevrolet

13) Stewart Friesen, No. 52 We Build America Chevrolet

14) Brett Moffitt, No. 16 AISIN Group Toyota

15) Wendell Chavous, No. 49 SobrietyNation.org Chevrolet

16) Austin Self, No. 22 GO TEXAN Chevrolet

17) Tyler Matthews, No. 83 First Responder Racing Chevrolet

18) Josh Reaume, No. 33 Colonial Countertops Chevrolet

19) Ben Rhodes, No. 41 Alpha Energy Solutions Ford

20) Matt Crafton, No. 88 Ideal Door/Menards Ford

21) Grant Enfinger, No. 98 Champion Power Equipment Ford

22) Jennifer Jo Cobb, No. 10 Driven2Honor Chevrolet

23) Jordan Anderson, No. 3 Bommarito/Lucas Oil Chevrolet

24) Norm Benning, No. 6 Zomongo/H&H Transport Chevrolet

25) John Hunter Nemechek, No. 8 Toenjes Brick Contracting Chevrolet

26) Justin Fontaine #, No. 45 ProMATIC Automation/Superior Essex Chevrolet

27) Tate Fogleman, No. 20 Overkill Motorsports Chevrolet

28) Christian Eckes, No. 46 Mobil 1 Toyota

29) Ross Chastain(i), No. 50 VIP Racing Experience Chevrolet

30) Dalton Sargeant #, No. 25 Performance Plus Motor Oil Chevrolet

31) Bryant Barnhill, No. 15 WCIParts.com Chevrolet

32) Joe Nemechek, No. 87 Fleetwing/D.A.B. Constructors Chevrolet

 (i) Ineligible for driver points in this series

Ron Fleshman with John Davison

RIS NASCAR Editor.  Has been with RIS since the middle 90's. Writes on each of the three main series of NASCAR.

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Volume 2018, Issue 6, Posted 3:23 PM, 06.24.2018