Camping World Trucks - Paludo Race Report - Texas

FT. WORTH, November 6, 2011: Miguel Paludo loves Texas Motor Speedway. The rookie of the year contender already recorded a top-10 finish in the spring event and desired nothing less than a repeat performance after a recent rash of bad luck. Paludo started in the 17th position and worked his way into the top-10. A late race restart allowed Paludo to gain one additional position ending the race as the top Toyota, finishing ninth.

"It was a good race," Paludo said after the event. "It was good to get a top-10 finish; it was good for the guys and good for me as well. I'm still trying to finish in the top-15 in the point standings so we need runs like this. We fought a loose truck during the race. We made adjustments, got free, got good in the middle, so next time we need to be a little bit tighter, but overall it was a good run for us."

Paludo began the WinStar World Casino 350K from the 17th starting position. The No. 7 truck had begun to make forward progress when the first caution of the night waved on lap 13. Paludo gave up the 16th position to come to pit road for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment. The No. 7 truck was scored in the 19th position for the restart on lap 20. Before the trucks were able to come up to full speed the caution was displayed again for a competitor who experienced a blown engine. The team had been on pit road only moments earlier and decided to remain on the track.

As the field took the green-flag, Paludo fought to gain positions. He settled into the 16th position reporting to the team that the truck was too free on entry and he had to lift going into the corners. The caution was displayed once again on lap 31. The team chose to bring Paludo down pit road for fuel only and a wedge adjustment. The strategy gained Paludo several positions on the track, moving him into the seventh spot for the restart on lap 37. Paludo remained too free, slipping back to the 15th position. The fourth caution of the event flew on lap 55. The No. 7 team came down pit lane for four tires, fuel and another chassis adjustment.

Many of the leaders chose to take on fuel only or two tires under the caution period, relegating Paludo to restart in the 14th position. The changes made on pit road helped the handling of the No. 7 truck significantly. Paludo was scored in the seventh position on lap 66. Paludo did his best to maintain his top-10 running position but continued to fight a loose-handling truck, settling back into the 13th spot on the long green-flag run. As the race neared green-flag pit stops, the caution flew once more on lap 97.

Paludo brought the No. 7 machine down pit road for the final time of the 147-lap event. The team took on four fresh tires, added fuel and made a final chassis adjustment. A quick stop by the team returned Paludo to the track in the ninth position for the restart on lap 103. As the laps wound down, Paludo was able to hold on racing hard to remain in the top-10. With only six laps remaining in the event, the caution was displayed for the final time as another competitor became victim to a failed engine.

The No. 7 team was scored in the 12th position when the caution waved. Under the caution period, a few of the leaders began to run out of fuel, moving Paludo into the eighth position for the green-white-checkered restart. Paludo fought hard and was able to come home with his second top-10 finish at Texas Motor Speedway in 2011, coming home ninth and recording top honors at the highest finishing Toyota Tundra driver.