FORT WORTH, Texas (June 11, 2011) — David Mayhew took on driving duties of the No. 2 MMI Services Chevrolet Silverado for Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) during the WinStar World Casino 400K at Texas Motor Speedway. After starting mid-pack, the Bakersfield, California native battled a loose-handling truck as he worked his way to a solid third-place finish, the driver’s best-career finish in five starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Just laps into the 167-lap event, Mayhew radioed to the crew that the No. 2 truck was loose everywhere on the track. With the night’s second caution on lap 22, crew chief Bruce Cook used the opportunity to bring Mayhew to pit road. The team took four tires, fuel and made air-pressure adjustments in an effort to tighten up the truck. Mayhew returned to the track looking strong and didn’t waste any time as he began to move up through the field earning a position in the top 10 within the first 25 laps of the race.
Cook brought Mayhew onto pit road for a fuel-only stop during the third caution of the race on lap 52. Back on track, Mayhew relayed to the team that the truck was again very loose and began to slip back in the field. A third yellow-flag pit stop fell on lap 67 allowing the No. 2 KHI crew to take four tires and fuel. Mayhew headed back on track in the 20th position to restart the race. The driver remained patient as the laps wound down, slowly working his way back through the field moving up to the third position by lap 95.
On lap 112 Cook called the No. 2 MMI Chevrolet to pit road during the seventh caution of the race for what the team hoped would be the final stop of the night. The No. 2 crew put on four scuff tires, made an air-pressure adjustment and added fuel to the truck. A great pit stop by the KHI crew put Mayhew in the 10th position for the restart. With less than 30 laps remaining, Mayhew steadily worked his way into the fourth position.
During the final laps, Mayhew fought hard to make his way around the No. 29 of Parker Klingerman, completing the pass just as the 10th and final caution flag of the event flew. Back to green-flag racing, Mayhew and Klingerman ran side-by-side during the last three laps, until Klingerman inched ahead of Mayhew as they approached the checkered flag leaving Mayhew with a solid third-place finish.
The Truck Series will be back in action Thursday, July 7 for the UNOH 225 at Kentucky Speedway. Catch the action live on SPEED at 8:00 p.m. ET.
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