NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series
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TRUCKS: Blaney Youngest Series Winner
Ryan Blaney won in just his third NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start …
Tom Jensen  |  Posted September 15, 2012   Newton, IA
Eighteen-year-old Ryan Blaney became the youngest winner in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series history when he captured Saturday night’s American Ethanol 200 race at Iowa Speedway.

Blaney survived a series of late-race restarts to deliver the first victory for Brad Keselowski’s truck team and become the seventh first-time series winner this season, tying a record.

Ty Dillon finished second in his No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, taking over the points lead after Timothy Peters crashed into Matt Crafton on Lap 36 en route to a 19th-place finish.

Peters’ Red Horse Racing teammate Todd Bodine finished third, ahead of Crafton’s teammate, Johnny Sauter, in a ThorSport Racing Toyota. Cale Gale completed the top five.

The second five consisted of Nelson Piquet Jr., Drew Herring in his first start in the No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota, Jeff Choquette, Crafton and Miguel Paludo.

Blaney, who was fast all weekend, took the lead for good when Parker Kligerman pitted on Lap 151. Kligerman had led 107 laps to that point.

But the end of the race featured some agonizing moments for Blaney, as there were four caution periods in the final 35 laps, including three in the final 13 circuits.

“I was having trouble on restarts all night,” said Blaney. “I could not not make it spin the tires. Whatever I did, starting fast or starting slow, I could not just keep the tires from not spinning and figured out a little thing there at the end and was able to at least hold my own into one and that was really all we needed to do.”

Still, Blaney drove like a veteran to hold the lead each time.

“We had a really good truck for about five laps and then we’d kind of even out,” said Blaney. “I knew if I could just have the lead through (Turns) 1 and 2 we would have had ‘em. It’s unbelievable. I’ve got to thank Brad Keselowski for giving me this chance and hopefully we get a few more.”

It was also a big night for Blaney’s father, Dave, the veteran NASCAR driver and crew chief Doug Randolph.

“Man, it was just a pleasure to watch him drive tonight. He was on it,” Randolph said of the younger Blaney. “The Cooper Standard RAM was solid all night. The guys on pit road did a great job. I feel great for Ryan and his family. My first crew chiefing gig was with his dad, so I feel really close to the family and it’s exciting to see this.”

“It’s unbelievable,” added Dave Blaney. “He (Ryan) does such a good job. Thanks to everybody that’s helped him from Tommy Baldwin and especially Brad Keselowski, Penske, everybody. He does so good and he catches on so quick it’s fun to watch.”

Tom Jensen is the Editor in Chief of SPEED.com, Senior NASCAR Editor at RACER and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. You can follow him online at twitter.com/tomjensen100.
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