Truex Bounces Back at South Boston

SOUTH BOSTON, Va. – Michael Waltrip Racing development driver Ryan Truex finished third in Saturday’s NASCAR K&N Pro Series East event at South Boston Speedway. It was a strong rebound for Truex and his No. 00 Toyota team after finishing 14th in the season-opener at Greenville (S.C.) Speedway a week earlier.

“Our car was really strong from the moment we unloaded it,” said Truex, the 2009 K&N Pro Series East champion. “This team just seems to be able to bounce back whenever we have trouble. This is not even the strongest car in our stable and we still finished third with it. That just shows you how good this team is.”

Truex qualified fifth for the event and never ran outside the top five. The closing laps featured a spirited battle between Truex, second-place finisher Cole Whitt and race winner Max Gresham. Unfortunately, Truex couldn’t advance his position and settled for third.

"It was just tough racing - short-track racing, beating and banging and doing everything you can to get to the front," said Truex. "I was kind of banking on maybe the 84 (Whitt) and the 18 (Gresham) would get in a little trouble there racing side-by-side, maybe I'd be able to slip under them. But they did a great job. It was a fun race."

The solid finish moved Truex up to fourth in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series standings, 49 markers behind Whitt.

The next event on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East calendar is May 23 at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa. It is a combination event with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West.