SEASON IN REVIEW
Abingdon, Virginia driver Caleb Roark picked up his third LASTCAR Truck Series Championship in 2016, scoring six last-place finishes in eight starts during a twenty-three race season. Roark became the first Truck Series driver to score three consecutive championships and four consecutive last-place finishes. He tied the record of six last-place finishes, the most in a single Truck Series season, joining Phil Bonifeld (1999), Mike Garvey (2011), and Chris Lafferty (2013).
Roark’s Truck Series dominance continued into his sixth Truck Series season. With Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing starting a merger of sorts with Mark Beaver’s MAKE Motorsports, both Cobb and Roark, among others, took turns in both Cobb’s #10 Chevrolet and MAKE’s #1 Chevrolet. Following his season debut at Gateway on June 25, Roark earned his first last-place finish of the year the next week at Kentucky on July 7, where he did not complete a lap in the #1 due to electrical issues. A photograph from Lee Spencer showed the #1 being pushed to the garage by a tow truck. Roark’s remaining five last-place finishes all came while driving Cobb’s #10 Driven2Honor.org Chevrolet. His second finish of the year came two races later at Pocono on July 30, where the engine let go on the opening lap.
Three rounds after, beginning at the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park on September 4, Roark began a record-setting four-race last-place streak which took the LASTCAR lead from owner-driver Tommy Joe Martins and, ultimately, clinched him the title. In Canada, Roark made three laps, but lost significant ground to the rest of the field each time by, retiring soon after with brake issues. He made 11 at Chicagoland on September 16, but electrical troubles ended his day. Loudon on September 24 was saw his most spectacular exit of the year when, while attempting to come down pit road, his #10 slid into the sand barrels at pit entrance.
Roark’s four-race streak ended in Las Vegas on October 1, where electrical issues were again the listed cause. That night, he tied Wayne Edwards for the second-most last-place finishes in Truck Series history with 13 apiece. Only Johnny Chapman, who earned his 14th on June 7, 2013, had more.
Roark clinched the championship unopposed despite not running the final five races of the season.
OTHER LASTCAR HEADLINES
Twelve drivers picked up their first Truck Series last-place finishes in 2016, none bigger than two-time series champion Matt Crafton. Crafton’s streak of 374 career races without a single last-place run, dating back to his series debut in 2000, came to an end at Bristol on August 17 when his #88 Ideal Door / Menards Toyota lost an engine after 70 laps of the UNOH 200. It was perhaps the longest streak without a last-place finish in Truck Series history.
Last place played a role in the inaugural Truck Series chase when John Hunter Nemechek’s must-win situation at Talladega on October 22 ended with the engine letting go on his #8 Fire Alarm Services Chevrolet after 13 laps. It was the first last-place finish for Nemechek, son of two-time LASTCAR Cup champion and Cup last-place record holder Joe, and came in his 49th series start.
Popular newcomer Jordan Anderson and Bolen Motorsports turned heads with a gutsy effort at Eldora on July 20. Piloting his #66 FK Rod Ends / Columbia, SC Chevrolet, Anderson bashed the outside wall in opening practice. The crew made repairs in time for Wednesday’s first Heat Race, during which Anderson twice lost control. The second incident, coming to the checkered flag, sent Anderson head-on into the outside wall, destroying his vehicle. Still, the team managed to patch the truck together well enough to take the 31st spot they earned in the 32-truck field. The battered machine ran just five laps before retiring with engine trouble, taking home last place.
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
1st) Caleb Roark (6)
2nd) Tommy Joe Martins (2)
3rd) Jordan Anderson, Christopher Bell, Norm Benning, Brandon Brown, William Byron, Matt Crafton, Claire Decker, Ryan Ellis, Spencer Gallagher, John Hunter Nemechek, Johnny Sauter, Austin Wayne Self, Andy Seuss, Ryan Truex, Josh White (1)
