Sauter Wins Truck Race At Martinsville, Chase Elliott 6th In Debut

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (AP) – Johnny Sauter passed Jeb Burton for the lead on a restart with 17 laps to go Saturday and won the NASCAR truck race at Martinsville Speedway, his second victory in two series races this season.

Sauter earned his eighth career victory in the series, and second at Martinsville.

“Two for two starting out. This is unbelievable,” Sauter said in Victory Lane.

He got there by passing Burton, the pole-sitting rookie making just his seventh start in the series, on the outside following a restart on the 234th of 250 laps, and then holding on as the field behind him shuffled.

Matt Crafton rallied to finish second and Burton was third, followed by Timothy Peters and Darrell Wallace Jr.

Dawsonville, Georgia’s Chase Elliott finshed 6th in his NASCAR Trucks Series debut. Georgia drivers Max Gresham and John Wes Townley finished 30th and 32nd respectively.