March 19, 2024

Nemechek wins NCWTS M&M's 200 at Iowa Speedway

Planned and executed — John Hunter Nemechek and his team came in with a strategy for Iowa Speedway. In-race adjustments pushed the 20-year-old to his second consecutive win in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Nemechek came in to pit road under caution with 15 laps remaining. His crew put four tires on and it paid of in the NCWTS M&M’s 200 presented by Casey’s General Store at Iowa Speedway.

On a restart with six laps remaining in the race, he was able to pass truck series points leader and reigning champion Johnny Sauter, who finished second in his No. 21 Chevrolet, for the win. Nemechek drove his No. 8 Fire Alarm Services/Romco Equipment Company Chevrolet to Iowa’s Casey’s General Stores Victory Lane.

“It feels really good,” Nemechek said about winning his second straight NCWTS race. “It’s unbelievable for sure. We knew we we’re going to have a good truck this weekend running here. We led laps last year here at Iowa, qualified for the pole, but didn’t finish it out like we wanted.”

Nemechek learned of the traditions at Iowa Speedway’s Victory Lane Friday night. The Casey’s General Store pizza delivered to the winner, photos with the fans in the stands and of course, the gas pump trophy.

Brandon Jones ran third followed by Grant Enfinger and Christopher Bell. Bell led a race-high 99 laps after taking the lead away from pole winner series rookie Noah Gragson on Lap 17. Sauter led 72 of the 200 laps. Chase Briscoe was the race leader for seven laps.

Gragson, who became the youngest NCWTS pole winner at Iowa Speedway, jumped out to the lead on the green flag and stayed there until Bell got past him. Nemechek had been the youngest truck series pole winner at Iowa.

The 18-year-old Gragson finished sixth. Briscoe was seventh. Rounding out the top 10 were Austin Cindric, Jesse Little and Justin Haley.

“Restarting fourth there and pushing Johnny into Turn 1, I was kind of in the catbird seat,” Nemechek said.

Sauter retains a 42-point lead over Bell in the NCWTS driver points standings.

Bell won the Stage 1 of the race (60 laps) and Sauter won Stage 2 (60 laps). It was Nemechek winning the final stage (80 laps) and taking the checkered flag for the M&M’s 200 over the Iowa Speedway earn of corn finish line Friday night.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to Kentucky Speedway for the Buckle Up In Your Truck 225 on July 6.