NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Almirola started 10th in the No. 51 Zyclara/Graceway Pharmaceuticals Tundra and ran among the top-10 most of the afternoon. He battled for the lead with fellow Tundra drivers Kyle Busch and Todd Bodine on the final restart, with eight laps to go in the 200-mile race. All three Tundras were running three-wide before Almirola finally passed Busch and Bodine on lap 94 to cross the finish line 0.111 seconds ahead of Bodine.

“We struggled at the beginning just being really tight,” said Almirola, following the race. “We worked on it and worked on it and tried to get it freed up, but dirty air was so bad.  On those last couple restarts I knew if I could just get to the front we’ll have a different truck and sure enough we got to the front and as soon as we got to the front it was a totally different truck.  It drove great.  I don’t think I lifted those last 10 laps.  My hats off to Billy Ballew (team owner), Richie Wauters (crew chief) and everybody at Billy Ballew Motorsports.  Our Graceway Pharmaceuticals Tundra was awesome today.”

The 26-year-old Tampa, Fla.-native battled his Tundra being tight in the early going, but his Billy Ballew Motorsports crew was able to make adjustments and the key for his Tundra was to get in clean air.

“This place you can draft so well, but at the same time I knew if I kept Todd’s (Bodine) nose in dirty air that I could upset his truck,” added Almirola. “And that’s what I tried to do.  I tried to break the draft down the straightaways as much as possible and in the corners I tried to take his lane away so he could get tight.  Fortunate enough for us today, that was the key.”

It is Almirola’s second career NCWTS victory and the sixth win for Toyota in 2010. He earned his first career Truck Series win last month at Delaware’s Dover International Speedway.

Tundra drivers have won three times at the two-mile Michigan oval, including the first-ever win for a Tundra in the Truck Series in 2004 by Travis Kvapil. Tundra drivers have compiled a total of 71 victories since Toyota entered the series in 2004.

Bodine (second) and Busch (third) also earned top-five results for Toyota. The runner-up result for Bodine marks the sixth consecutive top-10 result, including the third straight top-two finish for the veteran driver who is currently leading the NCWTS point standings.

“I really believe if the race was 10 laps longer that I probably would have beat him,” said Bodine about racing Almirola for the win. “He was starting to get really tight down there blocking me and I was still rolling good. I wasn’t getting any tighter, I was still rolling good and the longer the run went, the faster our truck was. The Germain crew, they build great Tundras, put them on the race track every week and knock on wood, we’ll keep doing it and keep plugging away and keep these top-fives -- when we can win, we win.”

There was a NCWTS track record 20 lead changes among 10 drivers during Saturday’s race. Almirola (seven laps), Bodine (33) and Busch (25) all led laps in Tundras on Saturday.

Timothy Peters (sixth), David Starr (eighth) and Nelson Piquet Jr. (10th) also posted top-10 finishes at Michigan for Toyota. Tundra drivers Mike Skinner (12th), Justin Lofton (18th) and Brad Sweet (19th) were also in the field.

On lap 39 the race was red flagged and delayed nearly 40 minutes as a rain shower passed through the Irish Hills area.

With the runner-up finish, Bodine continues to lead second-place Almirola in the unofficial NCWTS point standings following Michigan, now holding a 55-point lead. Tundra drivers Peters (third), Skinner (sixth) and Starr (eighth) are also in the top-10 in points after nine of 25 races.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will have a month off before returning to action at Iowa Speedway, July 11.

Toyota NCWTS Driver Finishing Positions at Michigan International Speedway
1st, ARIC ALMIROLA
2nd, TODD BODINE
3rd, KYLE BUSCH
6th, TIMOTHY PETERS
8th, DAVID STARR
10th, NELSON PIQUET, JR.
12th, MIKE SKINNER
18th, JUSTIN LOFTON
19th, BRAD SWEET

Toyota Drivers in NCWTS Point Standings -- following Michigan International Speedway**
1st, TODD BODINE 1,443 points
2nd, ARIC ALMIROLA 1,388 points
3rd, TIMOTHY PETERS 1,278 points
6th, MIKE SKINNER 1,171 points
8th, DAVID STARR 1,132 points
12th, JUSTIN LOFTON 995 points
13th, KYLE BUSCH 957 points
** unofficial point standings