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Race report

Joey Coulter finishes 12th at Texas

"It was an odd night, it just didn't seem like we could go anywhere"

Joey Coulter

Joey Coulter

Philippe Champoux

With only three races remaining on the 2013 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) schedule, Joey Coulter entered this weekend's WinStar World Casino 350 at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) in Fort Worth with nothing to lose - "No Limits." Starting from the 19th position, Coulter would overcome an ill-handling Darrell Gwynn Foundation Toyota Tundra to finish 12th in the Lone Star State.

Joey Coulter
Joey Coulter

Photo by: Philippe Champoux

"It was an odd night, it just didn't seem like we could go anywhere," Coulter said. "I'm not sure if we were battling an engine issue, transmission issue or rear-end issue, but something was going sour on this Darrell Gwynn Foundation Toyota Tundra tonight. I was suffering from a really bad vibration most of the race. However, Harold (Holly) and the guys did a really good job on pit road, kept fighting and kept us in the hunt. They made some good adjustments throughout the night, got it free enough so I was able to find some speed. Overall it was a good night for this Kyle Busch Motorsports team."

Starting from the inside of row 10, Coulter spent the first 25 laps of the WinStar World Casino 350 at TMS inside the top-20 battling a Tundra that was, "Loose in and tight through the center of the corner and on exit." Although the Miami Springs, Fla. native searched the race track for a line that worked best with the handling, Coulter couldn't find any relief.

When the first of three caution flags was displayed for a spin by the No. 19 of Brad Keselowski, Harold Holly brought the black 18 machine down pit road for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment to aid in the handling. Quick work by the No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) pit crew allowed Coulter to gain four positions on pit road. When racing resumed on lap 28, the Darrell Gwynn Foundation Toyota was scored in the 16th position.

As the race continued caution-free for the next 32 laps the No. 18 Toyota Tundra began to get, "Tight off," and ultimately Coulter would lose two positions on track and be close to going one lap down to the race leaders. Just as Holly was about to bring the No. 18 machine down pit road for a scheduled stop, the second caution flag was displayed for an accident in Turn 2 involving the 77 and 99 machines. In an effort to help aid in the handling, Holly called for four fresh Goodyear tires, fuel and another round of chassis adjustments. When the field took the green flag three laps later, Coulter was scored 18th.

Just past the half-way point Coulter radioed into his crew that he was experiencing a major vibration. Holly encouraged his driver to stay focused and battle his way through it and that's exactly what he did.

Coulter would spend the next 37 circuits battling for position and when the third and final caution flag was displayed for oil on the track - caused by Kyle Busch - Coulter, who was scored 16th, was able to bring his Toyota Tundra down pit road for service. The KBM team went to work on the Darrell Gwynn Foundation machine. Four tires, fuel and a major chassis adjustment were in order. When racing resumed on lap 106, Coulter was scored 15th.

Over the final 41 circuits, Coulter would fight traffic on the track and an ill-handling Toyota Tundra. Ultimately, the junior year driver would knock off three positions in the final laps to cross the line 12th, his 12th top-15 finish of 2013.

Ty Dillon won the 15th Annual WinStar World Casino 350, his first win in five starts at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. Johnny Sauter (second) posted his ninth top-10 finish in five races at TMS. Ron Hornaday, Brendan Gaughan and Justin Lofton rounded out the remainder of the top-five finishers.

Kyle Busch Motorsports driver Darrell Wallace, Jr. finished seventh and owner-driver Kyle Busch led two laps before being sidelined early due to an engine failure and was relegated to a 28th-place finish.

There were three caution periods for 15 laps and eight lead changes among five different drivers.

Coulter remains 14th in the 2013 NCWTS driver point standings with 570 points; 50 points behind 10th-place Timothy Peters, 87 markers behind fifth-place Jeb Burton and 171 points behind series point leader Matt Crafton.

The Truck Series heads to Phoenix International Raceway next weekend for the Lucas Oil 150 on Friday night, November 8. Coulter, who has two starts at the 1-mile oval, has two top-five and four top-10 finishes. The 21st event on the 2013 NCWTS schedule airs live on FOX Sports 1 at 8:30 p.m. ET.

KBM

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