NOAPS Race Recap: Timberland PRO 200

Last year’s champion, Jesse Love, was fastest in qualifying, which put him on the pole in the Timberland PRO 200 at Phoenix Raceway. Brandon Jones joined Love on the front row for the race start. William Sawalich and Sheldon Creed started the race on the second row. The stage lengths were 45 laps for the first and second stages, while the final stage was 110 laps.

Rain in Phoenix?

Love got a good launch to take the lead into turn one, but Jones stayed close. He got a great exit out of turn two to pull away out in front. Jones stayed on the rear bumper of the leader.

Sam Mayer, after starting in the rear, gained 16 spots before lap ten.

Ryan Sieg got into the left rear of Nick Sanchez into turn three. They were both able to keep it going.

On lap ten, Love had his lead at almost a second and a half. Ten laps later, that lead had more than doubled.

Creed got around Jones to take the runner-up spot after working hard for the pass.

The first caution came out on lap 23 for moisture in the air.

Love and Creed restarted the race with 14 to go in the stage. Creed dove into turn one and took the lead out of two. He scampered away by almost half a second.

Corey Day got turned into the outside wall. He was able to keep it going, and no caution was thrown.

Jones, after putting wet weather tires on under the caution, fell like a rock as the track was not wet enough for his tire selection.

Mayer continued his run up the leaderboard. He drove his way into the top ten and set his eyes on the top five.

Love caught and passed Creed with five to go.

Creed held on to the lead to win stage one in the Timberland PRO 200! Creed, Justin Allgaier, Rajah Caruth, and Sammy Smith rounded out the top five.

Under the caution, Creed lost power in his car. He had to be pushed to the pits.

Love on Top

Allgaier and Love restarted from the front row. Allgaier got a great jump and took the lead into turn one. He was clear out front on the back stretch.

Love stayed on the rear bumper of the leader as they pulled away from Taylor Gray in third. Gray could not stay with them and fell back by over two seconds.

Love stayed patient and started to use the outside line in the turns to maximize the lengths of the straights. He got to the inside of Allgaier on lap 72 and ran him up the track a bit. Allgaier still held on to the lead. Love took another shot at it and was able to retake the lead.

Allgaier was able to keep Love from coasting the rest of the stage. He stayed within a second of the leader as they caught lapped traffic.

Love stayed out front and got the stage sweep in the Timberland PRO 200! Allgaier, Gray, Day, and Mayer finished the stage in the top five.

Late Race Cautions

Day joined Love on the front row for the restart. Day took the lead on the outside through turns one and two.

The fourth caution came out when Lavar Scott and Brennan Poole got together out of turn two. They collected Taylor Gray, who was on the inside of them. The three of them bounced off of each other, but Gray got into the inside wall.

On lap 107, Love got a better launch on the restart to take the lead in front of Day. Day fought back and was able to clear for the lead.

Love used a great run on the back stretch to retake the lead. He pulled away by over a second.

Mayer continued his speed. He caught and passed Day for second.

Patrick Staropoli got loose, but was able to hold onto it. Anthony Alfredo got into his left rear, which sent him sideways. He fell four positions to 19th.

Love built his lead to over three seconds.

Allgaier caught Day and began to hound him for third. He got underneath but Day fought hard to hold on. The fighting brought Carson Kvapil to the rear bumper of Allgaier. On lap 142, Kvapil got around him.

Mayer began to close the gap to the leader. Love caught some lapped traffic, which slowed him.

Kvapil was the first among the leaders to pit. He began the pit cycle on lap 152. Allgaier was next to make his scheduled stop. Immediately followed by Love.

Brent Crews assumed the lead.

The fifth caution came out when Poole got loose on the back stretch. He tapped the inside wall and his right-side tires blew.

35 to go

Mayer and Love brought the race back to green. Love turned down the dogleg, and the field followed him. Love retook his lead in turns one and two. Allgaier got third after a good restart.

Love pulled away from Mayer by over half a second but could no more than that.

Mayer began to inch closer to the lead. He used the entire track to find speed and seemed to find some. The lead was cut to three tenths of a second. Mayer continued his hunt and even got to the left rear bumper of Love.

Love found a bit of speed and pushed the lead back out to half a second.

With five to go, Love caught a gaggle of lapped cars. Mayer used the traffic to close the gap back to around two tenths of a second. Mayer continued to hunt for speed.

Love took the white flag. Mayer sent it deep into turn three to try for the lead but had nothing. Jesse Love held on to win the Timberland PRO 200! Mayer, Allgaier, Day, and Smith rounded out the top five.

Marvin’s Minute:

The points lead is again shaken up after Creed had some mechanical issues, and Love almost max pointed the race. Allgaier got the fastest lap, which is the only point Love did not get. Creed fell to fourth, and Love took the lead by 36 points. It is truly anyone’s championship to win as the series heads to Talladega next week!