Race #4 of the Joey Coulter’s-Fellows Truck Brokers Florida Pro Truck Series
With the sun blazing, humidity high and intense adrenaline running through the pits at Desoto Speedway, there was no doubt it was going to be an action packed race. The Pro Trucks had showed up in full force. A field of 24 trucks from all over Florida were there to tackle the fastest 3/8 mile high banked track. Dylan was excited to be back racing at Desoto.
The afternoon practices were challenging. Chad Pierce, the crew chief continued to make changes to the #7 Fellows Trucking Group Curing Cancer Charity Challenge Pro Truck. Every time the truck went out, it got a little faster. Dylan’s feedback every session helped Chad to get it dialed in for qualifying. Dylan would be going out 18th to qualify. After all 24 trucks had qualified, Dylan found himself mid pack. He qualified 11th with a 16.541 second lap. Pole was set with a 16.394. So as you can see, only .15 seconds between the fastest truck on the track and Dylan. Almost all the trucks were within a half a second of each other. What does this mean in a 50 lap race? It means it was going to be a side by side tight and very competitive field.
At 8:45pm, 24 Pro Trucks lined up to take the green flag. After a couple laps of warming up the tires, a lap around to wave at the crowd, it was time to race. As the fans and families of racing watched the yellow light on the pace truck go off, Dylan reached down one last time to tighten his belts. He was starting 11th, 6th row inside. As he gripped the wheel a little bit tighter, all he heard was “green green green”. Unfortunately, it wasn’t even 2 laps before the first caution flag was dropped. Dylan was able to take one spot before the yellow.
Dylan restarted in 10th. He was on top of the wheel as he was able to go low and gain a spot from the #78 truck. The next lap he took the #2x and #09 to put himself in 7th place. The next lap, lap 4 another caution flies. #42 and #51 spin coming out of turn 2. Dylan in his #7 Curing Cancer Charity Challenge Pro Truck restarted 7th. His truck was strong as he ran side by side with the #59 truck for a couple laps. He was trying to get to the inside of the #59 when the next caution flag came out.
Lap 6, Dylan was 7th. Dylan and the #2x ran side by side for two laps. The #2x was finally able to advance on the outside. Now Dylan is running 8th out of 24 trucks. Lap 11, shows another caution. Dylan gets a great restart this time. He gets to the inside on the #2x, keeps the pressure on him for a couple laps. The #2x breaks under the pressure and drives in way to hard. His truck pushes up the track and Dylan cruises by him to take 6th place. The field runs in this order for a couple laps. #36 truck who was running in 2nd place drops to the infield to put Dylan in 5th.
Caution flag on lap 21, with Dylan running in 5th. Once again, with Dylan being up on the wheel and paying close attention to the lead trucks, he gets another great restart. He is running side by side with the #2x again. This time Dylan is able to get by the #2x on the inside going through turn 1 and 2. The #2x is all over Dylan’s rear bumper. He actually hits Dylan a couple times but Dylan keeps his concentration on the race and is able to stay in front of him. Lap 24, the #2x gets to the inside of Dylan and is able to take the position after running a lap side by side, door to door racing. This puts Dylan back in 6th. Dylan is fighting a crazy loose truck. He finds himself taken on the inside a couple laps later by the #78 truck. Good thing the caution came out and Dylan would restart in 6th.
The field doesn’t even get a lap in before the next caution flag. #64 and #2x spin in turn 4. During this caution the back gate official stops Dylan on the back stretch to look at his left rear tire. Yes, it is flat. So as the crew runs to meet Dylan in the pits, the trucks gets lined back up to take the restart. It only takes Dylan’s guys a few seconds to change his left rear tire and he is back on the track for the green flag. The crowd cheers as Dylan’s truck reenters the track. He is 12th but not for long. Within the first green lap, Dylan shows he is on a mission to get back to the front as he passes the #7x truck on the inside and takes a spot from #75.
The field doesn’t even get a lap in before the next caution flag. #64 and #2x spin in turn 4. During this caution the back gate official stops Dylan on the back stretch to look at his left rear tire. Yes, it is flat. So as the crew runs to meet Dylan in the pits, the trucks gets lined back up to take the restart. It only takes Dylan’s guys a few seconds to change his left rear tire and he is back on the track for the green flag. The crowd cheers as Dylan’s truck reenters the track. He is 12th but not for long. Within the first green lap, Dylan shows he is on a mission to get back to the front as he passes the #7x truck on the inside and takes a spot from #75.
The #74 truck drives his truck to the infield which put Dylan in 9th. Lap 29, he gets a great run on the #28 to pass him on the inside. He is in 8th now. Caution flag on lap 32, the #2x truck spins the #09 truck out going into turn 3 right in front of Dylan. He quickly goes high to avoid the wrecked truck. When the field goes back green, Dylan is able to get by the #09 on the backstretch. Caution again for the #8 truck on lap 32.
Dylan restarts 7th, but after a quick restart he takes 6th place from the #09 truck. Lap 33, Dylan in his #7 Curing Cancer Charity Challenge Pro Truck is running in 5th. The first 5 trucks get a bit strung out. Within a couple laps though, the #2x is back on the rear bumper of Dylan. The 2x gets to the inside of Dylan but he can’t get it to stick, so Dylan drives away from him again. A couple laps later, the #2x drives his truck in way over his head and hits Dylan going into turn 3, but Dylan keeping incredible focus on the race is able to get his truck back under control and drive off. Lap 44, Chad commends Dylan for running a perfect line.
The next couple laps, Dylan fights off an over aggressive #2x truck. The two trucks are battling for position. While this is happening, the #64 truck pulls to the infield putting Dylan now in 4th place. With the white flag flying, the #2x truck makes one more attempt to move Dylan. As Dylan goes into turn 3, the #2x drives in once again over his head and door slams Dylan. Knocking Dylan’s truck sideways, #2x takes 4th at the checker flag. As the top trucks pull to the front stretch, Dylan very calmly pulls his truck up along side the #2x truck to show him his disappointment in the driving technique he had displayed.
Pulling a 5th place finish after having a flat tire, was a great accomplishment for Dylan and his team. They had worked hard all day and did a great job getting that flat changed quickly. Now all of you know by now that this is not the end of race day for Dylan. Even if the series doesn’t have an autograph session, Dylan does. He then went over to the grandstands and walked around. He handed out coloring sheets, hero cards and bracelets. The announcer, Rick Agnes was very receptive to Dylan taking the time to come over and meet the fans. Dylan is always going to thank the fans for coming out to watch the race, win or lose.
Special thanks to SpeedRacer Photos for their incredible action shots of Dylan.
(Photos-Ciara Martin /Press Release Credit – Kim Scheffler)
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