NASCAR: Austin Dillon captures Truck Series win in Nashville

---

---

LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC
Austin Dillon started Friday night's Camping World Truck Series race on the pole and finished with a win.

By AL PEARCE on 7/22/2011

Pole-sitter Austin Dillon took the lead from Johnny Sauter with 23 laps remaining Friday night and drove away to easily win the Lucas Deep Clean Camping World Truck Series 200 at Nashville Speedway. It was Dillon’s third career Truck Series win (his first this year), all of them from the pole.

Dillon, grandson of six-time Sprint Cup championship owner Richard Childress, led the first 29 of the 150 laps around the 1.333-mile track. Timothy Peters came forward and dominated the middle portion of the race, leading twice for 67 of 73 laps at one point. But Sauter and Dillon restarted ahead of Peters after the next-to-last caution at lap 103, and both drove away from the rest of the field. Dillon led laps 104-106, Sauter led 107-127, then Dillon led the final 23.

Sauter finished a distant second, then Peters, ex-Formula One driver Nelson Piquet Jr., Parker Kligerman, Todd Bodine, James Buescher, David Starr, Elliott Sadler, and second-faster qualifier Joey Coulter. All told, Peters led twice for 67 laps, Dillon four times for 56, Sauter once for 21, Coulter once for four and Cole Whitt once for two laps.

TOP 10 FINISHERS

1. Austin Dillon, Chevrolet

2. Johnny Sauter, Chevrolet

3. Timothy Peters, Toyota

4. Nelson Piquet Jr., Chevrolet

5. Parker Kligerman, Dodge

6. Todd Bodine, Toyota

7. James Buescher, Chevrolet

8. David Starr, Toyota

9. Elliott Sadler, Chevrolet

10. Joey Coulter, Chevrolet

POINTS LEADERS

1. Johnny Sauter, 431

2. Austin Dillon, -18

3. James Buescher, -42

4. Cole Whitt, -43

5. Timothy Peters, -47

6. Matt Crafton, -54

7. Parker Kligerman, -58

8. Joey Coulter, -65

9. Ron Hornaday Jr., -69

10. Todd Bodine, -81

Next event: July 29, Clermont, Ind.

 

AutoWeek loves passionate comments and debate, but remember that you're part of a diverse community. Above all: be respectful. Critique statements, not people; talk about the automotive world, but skip the political rhetoric, hate speech, and obscenities. While we can't read every post, this site is moderated and AutoWeek will remove comments as we see fit. Questions? Read our Terms of Use or email moderator@autoweek.com.