Daytona, Fla.—On Friday, Feb. 19, Lawless Alan made his NASCAR Camping World Truck series debut on the famed Daytona road course. With NASCAR COVID protocols in place and no previous starts, it meant Alan would take the green flag from 40th without ever turning a lap in his Reaume Brothers Racing, AUTOParkit.com, Toyota.
“It was a real challenge,” Alan said. “I started last and took the green without having ever driven a NASCAR Camping World Truck before — and it was raining! During the first stage it was just about keeping it on the track and getting more comfortable in the truck.”
Despite being tossed into the deep end, Alan used his previous Daytona experience to pick up 10 spots during the first stage.
“Fortunately, I’d raced on the Daytona road course twice in Trans Am, so except for the front chute chicane, I knew the track. At the end of the first stage, we did a pitstop for fresh rain tires. As the laps went by, I started to get more and more comfortable in the truck,” Alan said.
Toward the end of stage two, the track developed a dry line and Alan got into a groove and started making up ground. By the end of the stage, he was up to 12th.
“During our second pit stop we put on slicks and I was ready to make a charge. The truck was good and we were headed for the front.”
Unfortunately, adversity was waiting for the 34 truck in the form of debris.
“During the stage caution my steering suddenly became really stiff, so I had to pit. Once the hood was up the team immediately saw that we had broken a power steering line so we headed to the garage.”
The repair took six laps to fix but Alan did return to the track. “My guys did a great job of getting us back out there so we could get as many owner points as possible. And we were able to pick up several spots by getting out and logging laps. And it gave me more seat time which is what it’s about for me right now.
“All in all, a good experience. I think our Toyota AUTOParkit Truck was capable of finishing in the top 10, and after starting 40th that really says something about this young team. I want to thank Reaume Brothers Racing for the opportunity and I’m looking forward to getting back in the truck at Circuit of the America’s. COTA is another track I’ve run in Trans Am so I’m really looking forward to it.”