MHR Drivers Nab Top-10 Finishes At Mid-Ohio

• Kraus Narrows Gap In Chase To Make The Playoffs

LEXINGTON, Ohio (July 9, 2022) – McAnally-Hilgemann Racing drivers Derek Kraus and Colby Howard both battled their way through the field to grab top-10 finishes in a thrilling NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on the 2.258-mile road course at Mid-Ohio on Saturday.

Kraus finished eighth in the No. 19 NAPA AutoCare Chevrolet Silverado, scoring his fifth top-10 of the year and closing to within just 19 points below the cutline for the playoffs – with one regular season race remaining. Howard scored a career-best series finish, taking ninth the No. 91 Gates Hydraulics Chevrolet Silverado

Both drivers faced a big battle, after starting in the back of the pack. Kraus had to drop to the back for the start after his crew had to replace a throttle body and Howard started near the back after having a subpar qualifying run in the rain on Friday afternoon. Pit strategy to gain track position was not an option, since pit stops for tires and fuel at this event were limited to stage breaks. Both drivers knew they would have to work their way to the front as they battled their way around the challenging road course.

Kraus was up to 20th by the end of the first stage of the race, with Howard in 30th. Both drivers continued to gain positions, with Kraus up to 16th and Howard in 23rd at the end of Stage 2. They continued to charge ahead in the final stage of the race, steadily picking up spots. Kraus and Howard were 10th and 11th, respectively, on the final the final restart – with three laps remaining. Both of them were able to gain two additional spots before taking the checkered flag.

Kraus, 11th in the championship standings, was able to trim 10 points from his margin below the cutoff line for the playoffs. Howard, who is in his first full season of competing in the Camping World Truck Series, moved up one spot in the standings to 17th.

To gain additional track time in preparing for Saturday’s race, Howard did double duty at Mid-Ohio. He raced one of three Bill McAnally Racing Chevrolets entered in the ARCA Menards Series event on Friday. His effort was sidelined by a mechanical problem, however, which left him with a 17th-place finish.

At the track on Saturday, MHR welcomed special guests of the NAPA Distribution Center in Columbus, Ohio. The group was coordinated by Daniel Wilson, General Manager of NAPA Columbus, and his team. Guests were treated to a VIP Experience – with the opportunity to be on the starting grid with the MHR drivers and teams, go behind the scenes for driver introductions, get a special pit tour, view the NAPA transporter and have a meet-and-greet with the drivers. Seats on the MHR pit boxes were available for selected VIP guest crewmembers.

Quote – Derek Kraus
“The day was pretty long, but we were able to come out of it at the end with a good finish. We had to start at the tail and slowly made our way to the front. The guys brought me a fast Chevy Silverado and that’s all I can ask for. It was a good, fun race overall.”

Quote – Colby Howard
“We’re super pumped up after this. It was an extremely hard-fought top 10. We had issues the first part of the race and just didn’t have the speed during the middle. We kept fighting and stayed on track to end up P9.”

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Event:
Race: O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 at Mid-Ohio (67 Laps) (Race 15 of 23) July 9, 2022
Location: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio (2.258-mile road course)
Format: Three Stages; Lap 20 / Lap 40 / Lap 67

Derek Kraus
No. 19 NAPA AutoCare Chevrolet Silverado RST
Age: 20
Hometown: Stratford, Wis.
Practice: 11th
Qualified: 23rd
Stage 1: 20th
Stage 2: 16th
Finished: 8th (Running, completed 67 of 67 laps)
Career series stats:
65 starts, 3 poles, 4 top fives, 24 top 10s
2022 series stats:
Races: 15 starts, 1 pole, 5 top 10s
Laps completed: 1,885/1,953
Laps led: 15
Series standings: 11th

Colby Howard
No. 91 Gates Hydraulics Chevrolet Silverado RST
Age: 20
Hometown: Simpsonville, S.C.
Practice: 17th
Qualified: 30th
Stage 1: 30th
Stage 2: 23rd
Finished: 9th (Running, completed 67 of 67 laps)
Career series stats:
20 starts, 1 top 10
2022 series stats:
Races: 15 starts, 1 top 10
Laps completed: 1,828/1,953
Laps led: 10
Series standings: 17th

Next Race:
CRC Brakeleen 150, July 23, 2022, Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Penn. (2.5-mile oval)