James Buescher 12th at Martinsville NASCAR Truck go

[NickHolt]

James Buescher 12th at Martinsville NASCAR Truck go

 

Martinsville Speedway – Kroger 200 - October 23, 2010

 

James Buescher and the No. 31 Wolfpack Rentals Chevrolet Silverado team made their final short track start of the year at the famed Martinsville Speedway on Saturday afternoon. The 20-year-old Texas native survived all 200-laps in route to a 12th place finish.

 

In the two practice sessions on Friday afternoon, Buescher struggled with a tight race truck. He explained to his crew his machine would not turn in the center of the corners which was hurting his corner exit speed. The team went to work making multiple adjustments to both the front and the rear suspension of the truck hoping to find a combination which was both drivable as well as fast. By the end of the final practice, the No. 31 truck was inside the top-20 on the speed chart and Buescher felt like they had made the right adjustments to dial the truck in for the 200-lap race.

 

James Buescher started Saturday afternoon’s race at the half-mile Martinsville Speedway from the eighth spot under perfect fall conditions. On lap six, he radioed to crew chief Michael Shelton explaining the truck was tight in the center of the corners and he was having to wait on his machine to rotate before he could get back to the gas. Shelton and the No. 31 Wolfpack Rentals team started to work on a plan for adjustments to their truck at the first pit stop.

 

When the caution flag was displayed to the filed for the second time on lap 25 the No. 31 crew prepared to see their driver on pit road. Buescher rolled into his pit stall on lap 26 for service. The team went to work changing four tires and filling the car with Sonoco racing fuel. They also made a slew of chassis adjustments hoping to help Buescher’s truck rotate in the corners.

 

James Buescher restarted the race in the 26th spot on lap 28. He knew he was going to have to be patient on his way back towards the front of the 36-truck field. For the next 50 laps, Buescher methodically sliced his way through the competition. He radioed to his crew explaining the truck was still tight handling in the corners but the adjustments the team made really helped the it rotate.

 

By the halfway point, Buescher had his No. 31 Chevrolet Silverado in the fifth spot and was running lap times as fast as the leader. He again radioed to his team asking crew chief Michael Shelton to loosen the truck up a bit more for the final sprint to the finish.

When the caution flag was displayed to the field on lap 147, Buescher prepared to hit pit road for the final stop of the day. He rolled onto pit road on lap 149 for service. The team again changed four tires and filled the truck up with enough fuel to make it to the end of the 200-lap event.

 

Buescher restarted the event on lap 154 in the 19th position but was immediately on a tear towards the front of the field. By lap 175, he broken into the top-15 and survived both three late race cautions and a green-white-checkered finish to bring his Wolfpack Rentals Chevrolet in the 12th spot.

 

“It was a hard fought day,” commented Buescher after the 200-lap event at Martinsville Speedway. “We struggled with a tight race truck from the time we unloaded but Michael [shelton] and all the guys on the Wolfpack Rentals Chevrolet did a great job making the right adjustments. Martinsville [speedway] is a tough place where you have to survive. We did what we had to do and to walk out of here with a 12th place finish isn’t what we wanted, but it could have sure been a lot worse. We are all looking forward to the next four races and trying to get Turner Motorsports into victory lane.”

 

The No.31 Turner Motorsports team will return to action this Saturday, October 30th at the high banks of the Talladega Superspeedway. The 94-lap event can be seen live on SPEED with coverage beginning at 3 p.m. EST. The event will also be aired on both MRN Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio channel 128. Check local listings for start times.