John Hunter Nemechek extended his points lead after a dominating victory in today’s ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond Raceway. Nemechek led 114 laps on his way to scoring his second win of the season. It is the fourth consecutive victory for Kyle Busch Motorsports and the sixth consecutive for Toyota to open the 2021 Truck Series season.
Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Richmond Raceway
Race 6 of 23 – 250 Laps, 187.5 Miles
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
2nd, KYLE BUSCH
3rd, Tyler Ankrum*
4th, CHANDLER SMITH
5th, JOHNNY SAUTER
7th, BEN RHODES
8th, GRANT ENFINGER
10th, AUSTIN HILL
13th, STEWART FRIESEN
15th, DEREK KRAUS
16th, SPENCER DAVIS
18th, MATT CRAFTON
20th, DANNY BOHN
33rd, JOSH REAUME
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, No. 4 Safeway Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports
Finishing Position: 1st
You were frustrated last time we talked and then you became a dad two days later. Today, you dominated today’s race. How do put that in perspective?
“Never give up attitude. I just can’t thank Kyle (Busch, team owner), everyone at Toyota, all of our great partners. It’s pretty cool to be able to come out here and do what we were able to do. We had a really fast truck. I’m super proud of all of my guys and thankful for them. Thankful for our partners, Safeway, ACME and all of their partners with them. I know the president is here from Safeway and ACME, so that’s pretty cool to get them a win on their own turf. Thank you for believing in me. It’s pretty cool. Taylor (Nemechek, wife) and Aspen are actually here in the motorhome, so hopefully we can get to celebrate with them. It’s been an amazing time with Aspen so far. This puts a lot of different things in perspective, but I just can’t thank all of my guys, all of our partners, everyone enough for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. It’s two wins. #HereForWins. Let’s go get more.”
What does it mean to be a two-time winner this season?
“It’s just so special. Just thankful for all my guys here. They are awesome and gave me one heck of a Safeway Toyota Tundra. Just can’t thank all of our partners enough for believing in me — Kyle (Busch, team owner) and everybody. I know he tried getting me there at the end and this is the third time we’ve raced against each other this year and I’m one up on him so far in his own equipment so that’s nice. Just super thankful, super blessed. Actually this trophy and flag, before I walked out of the motor home, Taylor (Nemechek, wife) said you brought me home a trophy from Vegas now this is Aspen’s first race so bring her one. We did it.”
What did you think of the aerodynamics of the truck during the race and did you have to chase it during the race?
“Way different than anything I’ve ever experienced or raced here. It took a little bit of adapting, but this Toyota Tundra was rolling. Dominant day again and same truck that we had in Vegas so this is our baby and we’re going to take care of it.”
KYLE BUSCH, No. 51 Cessna Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports
Finishing Position: 2nd
What more did you need to get up front and battle for the victory?
“Definitely not good enough in the long run, it would just overheat the tires. We tried to free it up and we got loose and that helped us last another five laps, but as soon as I felt tight and saw the 4 (John Hunter Nemechek) wiggle loose, I was like, ’Oh, we don’t have a shot to pass him.’ We hung with him at least. You know what the most discouraging thing about today is? KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports) 1-2-4 with three entirely different setups so what do we come back here with? That’s what’s most confusing now to me is the next time back, what do we do? Think the 4 was just overall better than us. It was fun to race up there with him and fun to race up there with the rest of the guys. I’m glad we could kind of get single-filed out at the end a little bit to where we could race amongst ourselves, but they were just better than us there.”
How happy are you with the performance of Kyle Busch Motorsports this season with four consecutive wins this season?
“It’s awesome. I joked with John Hunter (Nemechek) at the beginning of the year that if you win one and then I win one and you win one and then I win one, it would be pretty good to go back and forth. I didn’t think he was serious, but so far that’s kind of the way it’s going so I guess I get Kansas.”
CHANDLER SMITH, No. 18 JBL Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports
Finishing Position: 4th
How was your race today?
“It was a really good team effort today. It was a really good points day and that’s what we needed. Proud of everybody on this JBL Toyota Tundra team.”
JOHNNY SAUTER, No. 13 Vivitar/RealTree Toyota Tundra, ThorSport Racing
Finishing Position: 5th
What did your team do to your Tundra during the race to get you to the top-five at the end as you weren’t a very happy driver on the radio midway through the race?
“I’m always an unhappy race car driver. Track position is the name of the game anywhere you go anymore. You can’t pass. Our Vivitar Toyota had great speed over the first 50 lap run there and then all of the sudden it felt like someone flipped a switch there and it wouldn’t turn in a 40-acre field. We made adjustments and quite frankly they were huge adjustments and didn’t do anything to it. Just proud of everybody at ThorSport. It’s frustrating, this is probably my absolute favorite track that we go to and I love this type of racing. I never drove so hard to finish fifth in my whole life. I was just hanging on. It just would not turn. Got some work to do.”
Toyota Racing PR
