Aric Almirola came back from two laps down to win his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race in Friday afternoon’s event at Delaware’s Dover International Speedway.
Almirola, driver of the Billy Ballew Motorsports No. 15 Graceway Pharmaceuticals Tundra, was running third on lap 198 of the 204-lap event at the one-mile concrete oval — when he was able to pass race-leader Kyle Busch and second-place Johnny Benson on a restart following a caution period. During additional late race caution periods and a green-white-checkered flag finish, the 26-year-old driver was able to hold off all challengers to register win number one in the NCWTS — in his 55th series start.
“This is such a long time coming,” said Almirola, following the race. “I’ve raced a lot of NASCAR races to finally be here in victory lane. What a treat it is to be here. It’s all about never giving up. Todd Bodine says it to me every week and you just laugh at him, but it’s true. Never give up because you never know when things will come back your way.”
“What a truck we had,” added Almirola. “We had a good truck right off the trailer. We tried a few things the last couple of weeks at the races in Nashville and Kansas, and we got off our game. We went right back to our basics and its working. I’m so excited. I can’t wait to go to the rest of these races. To do it the way we did it — to come back from two laps down — blowing the right front tire and not damaging our truck. What a race!”
This marks the third straight year in which a Toyota racer has earned their first career NASCAR victory at Dover. Last year, Brian Scott recorded his inaugural victory at the Delaware track and two years ago it was Scott Speed picking up his first NASCAR win. Scott currently drives a Camry in the Nationwide Series for Braun Racing, and Speed pilots the No. 82 Red Bull Camry in the Sprint Cup Series.
Kyle Busch started from the pole in the Kyle Busch Motorsports No. 18 Toyota Tundra and dominated most of the race — leading the field four times for a total of 172 laps — before the 25-year-old driver ran out of fuel. He finished 16th, completing 202 of 204 laps.
Rookie Tundra driver Justin Lofton finished third in the Red Horse Racing No. 7 Toyota Tundra — his best career finish in the series.
Other Tundra drivers picking up top-10 finishes behind Almirola and Lofton were Todd Bodine (fifth), David Starr (sixth), Mike Skinner (eighth) and Johnny Benson (10th). Tayler Malsam (20th), Timothy Peters (25th) and Max Papis (29th) were also driving Toyotas in the race.
Since joining the NCWTS at the start of the 2004 season, Tundra drivers have now won 68 races and 70 pole positions in a total of 156 series races.
In the NCWTS championship point standings, Almirola moves into the top spot following his Dover victory. Almirola is 27 points ahead of second-place Bodine and 72 points in front of third-place Peters. Tundra drivers Starr (eighth) and Skinner (ninth) are also in the top-10 in the points.
The next NCWTS race on the schedule is at Charlotte Motor Speedway, May 21.
Toyota NCWTS Driver Finishing Positions at Dover International Speedway
1st, ARIC ALMIROLA
3rd , JUSTIN LOFTON
5th , TODD BODINE
6th , DAVID STARR
8th, MIKE SKINNER
10th, JOHNNY BENSON
16th, KYLE BUSCH
20th, TAYLER MALSAM
25th, TIMOTHY PETERS
29th, MAX PAPIS
Toyota Drivers in NCWTS Point Standings — following Dover International Speedway**
1st, ARIC ALMIROLA 920 points
2nd, TODD BODINE 893 points
3rd, TIMOTHY PETERS 848 points
8th, DAVID STARR 737 points
9th, MIKE SKINNER 734 points
12th, JUSTIN LOFTON 674 points
13th, TAYLER MALSAM 674 points
16th, JOHNNY BENSON 601 points
17th, KYLE BUSCH 592 points
** unofficial point standings
