BROOKLYN, Mich. — Nelson Piquet Jr. saved enough fuel to win comfortably in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series VFW 200 today at Michigan International Speedway.
Piquet and Kurt Busch got into an accident on the backstretch on Lap 57 as they raced at the front of the pack. Piquet saved the truck without getting hit and went into the pits for new tires and fuel.
“We knew going in that we could run approximately 40 laps, that means green laps on fuel,” said winning crew chief Chris Carrier.
“With about 42 or 43 laps to go, after one of the restarts, somebody took the air off his spoiler. He spun around. Miraculous job staying out of the fence. … Nike Air Max sale We had to come in and put tires on. We just went ahead and packed it full of fuel.”
Piquet, a former Formula One driver and the son of a three-time Formula One champion, did a good job conserving fuel late in the race and went on to drive the No.30 Autotrac Chevrolet to his first win in 42 Truck Series races.
“It shows it doesn’t matter whatever I sit in, if it’s a go-kart, open wheel, Formula One, NASCAR, Nationwide, K&N, I can win a race,” Piquet said. “I’m happy when I win these races to prove to fans I’m capable of winning in any kind of cars they put me into.”
Piquet also won his first race in the Nationwide series in June at Road America in Wisconsin.
Brad Keselowski (Rochester Hills) finished eighth today.
“We had a decent day,” Keselowski said. “We needed some more speed and didn’t have it today. We’ll keep working on it and see if we can find it. We weren’t a mile off and we weren’t right there. We were somewhere in between.
MARQUEE DRIVERS MOVE TO THE BACK: Jimmie Johnson, who switched motors, and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who went to a backup car, will start in the back of the field for today’s Pure Michigan 400. Sam Hornish Jr., who drove in today’s Nationwide race at Montreal, is scheduled to drive the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Dodge and would also drop to the back of the field. If he doesn’t drive, Parker Kligerman would and remain in his original qualifying position (17th).
MAKING PIT STOPS IN METRO DETROIT: Carl Edwards, Trevor Bayne, Jeff Gordon and Johnson all made trips to metro Detroit before coming to Michigan International Speedway for Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400.
Edwards, who drives No. 99 Geek Squad Ford for Jack Roush, visited the Dearborn Truck Assembly Plant on Thursday as well as Roush’s automobile collection in Livonia.
“We were at the F-150 plant in Dearborn, where they build almost all the F-150s and got a tour that was spectacular,” Edwards said. “That Ford plant was unreal. That was really cool to get to see that and be a part of that.”
Edwards said he also went to the Ford Proving Grounds and drove the new Lincoln MKZ and the 2013 Fusion.
“Trevor and I got to race around an autocross course. I was in a Mustang and he was in the Fusion. That was a lot of fun. The neatest thing was to go to the truck plant and see how that whole operation comes together. … It is an unbelievable operation.
“A lot of times we spend and put a lot of effort forth in marketing these vehicles and talking about the way they drive, but that was the first time I had been to the factory and seen the folks that put them together and I thought that was great.”
Gordon and Johnson attended an event for Chevrolet in conjunction with the Woodward Dream Cruise.
"I think (Gordon) was doing something with the Corvette, and I went to the Volt plant,” Johnson said. “It was a great experience, and there are a lot of dedicated race fans in the whole plant. There was a lot of cheering and there were people in there everywhere. I could hear them yell and cheer and scream, and I signed a bunch of autographs. It was a great experience.”
Contact George Sipple: 313-223-4796 or [email protected].
Piquet and Kurt Busch got into an accident on the backstretch on Lap 57 as they raced at the front of the pack. Piquet saved the truck without getting hit and went into the pits for new tires and fuel.
“We knew going in that we could run approximately 40 laps, that means green laps on fuel,” said winning crew chief Chris Carrier.
“With about 42 or 43 laps to go, after one of the restarts, somebody took the air off his spoiler. He spun around. Miraculous job staying out of the fence. … Nike Air Max sale We had to come in and put tires on. We just went ahead and packed it full of fuel.”
Piquet, a former Formula One driver and the son of a three-time Formula One champion, did a good job conserving fuel late in the race and went on to drive the No.30 Autotrac Chevrolet to his first win in 42 Truck Series races.
“It shows it doesn’t matter whatever I sit in, if it’s a go-kart, open wheel, Formula One, NASCAR, Nationwide, K&N, I can win a race,” Piquet said. “I’m happy when I win these races to prove to fans I’m capable of winning in any kind of cars they put me into.”
Piquet also won his first race in the Nationwide series in June at Road America in Wisconsin.
Brad Keselowski (Rochester Hills) finished eighth today.
“We had a decent day,” Keselowski said. “We needed some more speed and didn’t have it today. We’ll keep working on it and see if we can find it. We weren’t a mile off and we weren’t right there. We were somewhere in between.
MARQUEE DRIVERS MOVE TO THE BACK: Jimmie Johnson, who switched motors, and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who went to a backup car, will start in the back of the field for today’s Pure Michigan 400. Sam Hornish Jr., who drove in today’s Nationwide race at Montreal, is scheduled to drive the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Dodge and would also drop to the back of the field. If he doesn’t drive, Parker Kligerman would and remain in his original qualifying position (17th).
MAKING PIT STOPS IN METRO DETROIT: Carl Edwards, Trevor Bayne, Jeff Gordon and Johnson all made trips to metro Detroit before coming to Michigan International Speedway for Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400.
Edwards, who drives No. 99 Geek Squad Ford for Jack Roush, visited the Dearborn Truck Assembly Plant on Thursday as well as Roush’s automobile collection in Livonia.
“We were at the F-150 plant in Dearborn, where they build almost all the F-150s and got a tour that was spectacular,” Edwards said. “That Ford plant was unreal. That was really cool to get to see that and be a part of that.”
Edwards said he also went to the Ford Proving Grounds and drove the new Lincoln MKZ and the 2013 Fusion.
“Trevor and I got to race around an autocross course. I was in a Mustang and he was in the Fusion. That was a lot of fun. The neatest thing was to go to the truck plant and see how that whole operation comes together. … It is an unbelievable operation.
“A lot of times we spend and put a lot of effort forth in marketing these vehicles and talking about the way they drive, but that was the first time I had been to the factory and seen the folks that put them together and I thought that was great.”
Gordon and Johnson attended an event for Chevrolet in conjunction with the Woodward Dream Cruise.
"I think (Gordon) was doing something with the Corvette, and I went to the Volt plant,” Johnson said. “It was a great experience, and there are a lot of dedicated race fans in the whole plant. There was a lot of cheering and there were people in there everywhere. I could hear them yell and cheer and scream, and I signed a bunch of autographs. It was a great experience.”
Contact George Sipple: 313-223-4796 or [email protected].
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