On Monday, Hattori Racing Enterprises’ Competition Director Mike Greci told NBC Sports its chances of making Friday’s race at Chicagoland Speedway were slim due to a lack of sponsorship.
“We’re looking at all our options and none of them are good,” he said.
A day later, Fr8Auctions.com boarded Brett Moffitt’s No. 16 truck.
Friday night, Moffitt passed John Hunter Nemechek on the last lap of the Overton’s 225 as Nemechek’s truck suddenly lost power.
“Man, this is great, this is awesome,” Moffitt told Fox Sports 1 after his third win of the year. “We didn’t know if we were coming. ... To be here in Victory Lane it’s an honor and a blessing. These guys work hard, I feel like we threw away a couple of wins earlier this season. I hate it for (Nemechek) whatever happened to him. ... But we’ll take them anyway we can get them now.”
Moffitt was followed by Ben Rhodes, Johnny Sauter, Noah Gragson and Brandon Jones.
Moffitt said the teams still needs sponsorship for races at Bristol, Eldora and Homestead.
Nemechek had led a career-best 64 laps upon taking the white flag but finished seventh.
Nemechek, who competes for points in the Xfinity Series, exited his truck and walked around it a few times before finally talking to the media.
“Just don’t have luck on our side right now,” an emotional Nemechek told Fox Sports 1. “Overall, it’s a good showing. The last three weeks they knew that we were here.”
STAGE 1 WINNER: John Hunter Nemechek won after a last-lap pass of Noah Gragson.
STAGE 2 WINNER: Noah Gragson
WHO HAD A GOOD DAY: Johnny Sauter bounced back to finish third after a jack issue under the final caution and having to pit a second time to tighten a wheel ... Ben Rhodes earned his fifth top five, but earned his first finish better than 16th in his last four races.
WHO HAD A BAD RACE: Dalton Sargeant, who started second, finished 20th, three laps down after spinning from contact with Stewart Friesen with 10 laps to go in Stage 2 ... Friesen finished 19th after being involved in a wreck with Jordan Anderson with 29 laps to go. He was running fifth.
QUOTE OF THE NIGHT: “We’re not even supposed to be here.” - Scott Zipadelli, crew chief for Brett Moffitt to FS1.
WHAT’S NEXT: Buckle Up in Your Truck 225 at Kentucky Speedway at 7:30 p.m. ET on July 12 on FS1.
John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 8 team simply ran out of gas. pic.twitter.com/WAILQHRWN0
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) June 30, 2018
Man I’m speechless. That one is gonna hurt for a while. So so close. Heart broken. Just keep doing what we’re doing and we’ll win one soon.
— John Hunter Nemechek (@JHNemechek) June 30, 2018
Hate that for @JHNemechek but pretty cool story for @Brett_Moffitt. Congrats man
— Kyle Larson (@KyleLarsonRacin) June 30, 2018
Man that really stinks to see for @JHNemechek
— William Byron (@WilliamByron) June 30, 2018
Oh my goodness....can’t believe @JHNemechek lost an engine on the last lap of the dang race. That’s a tough way to lose the race!!
— Matt DiBenedetto (@mattdracing) June 30, 2018