TRUCKS: Chris Lafferty Takes 2013 LASTCAR Truck Series Lead In Canada

SOURCE: motorsport.com

Chris Lafferty picked up the 3rd last-place finish of his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in Sunday’s inaugural Chevrolet Silverado 250 at the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park when his #0 Koma Unwind Chevrolet fell out with clutch problems after he completed 3 of the race’s 64 laps.

The finish was Lafferty’s third of the 2013 season and his first since Iowa, five races ago.  Lafferty now leads the 2013 LASTCAR Truck Series Driver’s Championship by a single finish, breaking a tie with RSS Racing teammates Johnny Chapman and Chris Jones.  RSS entered just one truck in Sunday’s race - the #39 of Quebec native Alex Guenette.

Lafferty qualified 29th in the 30-truck field at an average speed of 94.160 mph, placing him directly behind team owner Jennifer Jo Cobb and her 28th-fastest #10 Koma Unwind Dodge.  Although the Ken Smith-owned #07 of Carl Long was the first truck to fall to the rear after an early spin, it was Lafferty who snagged last place when he edged Long by a single lap.

Rounding out the Bottom Five were Johnny Sauter, whose mechanical struggles culminated with a stall on Lap 58 that brought out the third yellow of the day, Brennan Newberry in his family-prepared #24 Chevrolet, and the Kyle Busch Motorsports #18 Monster Energy Toyota of Joey Coulter, who finished under power despite stuffing his truck into the tires.

After finishes of 6th or better in all five of his previous starts this year, Chase Elliott took the victory in a thrilling last-lap pass on Ty Dillon, who wrecked off the final corner while trying to save fuel.

LASTCAR STATISTICS
*Lafferty is the first Truck Series driver to finish last in a road course race since June 24, 2000, when Ryan McGlynn’s #00 Buyers Choice / Howes Chevrolet fell out with brake problems after the opening lap of the Bully Hill Vineyards 150.  The race was won by current Sprint Cup Chase contender Greg Biffle.  Finishing three spots in front of McGlynn was current Joe Gibbs Racing president J.D. Gibbs.

THE BOTTOM FIVE
30) #0-Chris Lafferty / 3 laps / clutch
29) #07-Carl Long / 4 laps / brakes
28) #98-Johnny Sauter / 34 laps / gas line
27) #24-Brennan Newberry / 38 laps / transmission
26) #18-Joey Coulter / 41 laps / running

LASTCAR TRUCK SERIES DRIVER'S CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) Chris Lafferty (3)
2nd) Johnny Chapman, Chris Jones (2)
3rd) Jeff Babcock, Ryan Blaney, Ricky Ehrgott, Mike Harmon, Jennifer Jo Cobb, Scott Riggs, Scott Saunders (1)

LASTCAR TRUCK SERIES OWNER'S CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) #0-Jennifer Jo Cobb (4)
2nd) #38-RSS Racing, #84-Chris Fontaine, #93-RSS Racing (2)
3rd) #10-Jennifer Jo Cobb, #29-Brad Keselowski, #81-Bobby Dotter, #92-Ricky Benton (1)

LASTCAR TRUCK SERIES MANUFACTURER'S CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) Chevrolet (7)
2nd) Ford (4)
3rd) RAM (2)
4th) Toyota (1)