2023 Fiber Fuel 400

The 2023 Fiber Fuel 400 is the 9th race of the 2023 Piston Cup Season.

Aaron Maracas made his second and final current start replacing Cam Spinner for the TripleDent team. This race was also shortened to 150 laps like all other road courses this season besides Nürburgring which was only 100 laps. Eric Jones also returned this race.

## Transcript

### Start

Dale: The green flag is out and we are underway here at Watkins Glen!

Natalie: Wheelhouse and Lugnut lead us off!

### Intense Battle

Dale: Alex has led so many laps and Lugnut has been in second for so many laps!

Natalie: Henry Lugnut got his first and currently only career win last season at this very race!

Dale: That ended up having Cohen and Lugnut having their worst run in yet!

Natalie: Lugnut to the inside of Alex in the esses and takes the lead!

(5 laps later)

Dale: Alex has been side by side with Lugnut the last 2 laps since he got back to him and AMAZING DRIVING BY THE ROAD COURSE RINGERS OF THE PISTON CUP!

Natalie: These two are believed to be the future of road course racers in the Piston Cup!

Dale: With Henry winning last season at this race, Alex and Red Bull good on road courses, this season is perfect for the duo with FIVE road courses on the schedule, we already had the first of the Nürburgring 250 last week but we have this race, the Fiber Fuel 400 at Watkins Glen of course, then we have the Leak Less 400 at Sonoma, then we go to the Cakey Fillings 250 at Road America, then we go to our second and final international race on the schedule as these guys head to ITALY for the Amazon 250 at Monza on the F1 track layout!

Natalie: Well these guys STILL SIDE BY SIDE WITH 20 LAPS REMAINING AT THE GLEN BUT ALEX HAS PASSED LUGNUT IN THE ESSES WHERE LUGNUT PASSED HIM 5 LAPS PRIOR!

### Finish

Dale: 2 laps left as the two leaders 10 SECONDS ahead of third place go through the esses!

Natalie: Into the inner loop part of the racing track!

Dale: Into turn 5 and onto the straight away!

Natalie: Lugnut is drafting AND HE PULLS OUT GOING INTO TURN 6!

Dale: OH LUGNUT PUSHES HIMSELF AND GEARBOX JR WIDE AND NO CONTACT BUT THEY GO INTO THE GRASS AND SAND OUT OF TURN 6 AND INTO THE FINAL TURN 7!

Natalie: Side by side and OH GEARBOX RUNS LUGNUT OUT OF ROOM, LUGNUT HAS TO CHECK UP TO AVOID CONTACT!

Dale: THE FINAL LAP OF THE RACE!

Natalie: Into turn number 1, GEARBOX OVER SHOOTS THE TURN AND LUGNUT DIVES TO THE INSIDE AS THEY ENTER THE ESSES ONE LAST TIME!

Dale: Coming to the inner loop BUT LUGNUT PULLS TO THE INSIDE!

Natalie: VERY RISKY GOING IN HERE SIDE BY SIDE!

Dale: NO CONTACT YET THOUGH!

Natalie: OH THERE IN THE GRASS AS GEARBOX JR CLEARS INTO TURN 5!

Dale: That might have been the race right there BUT NO GEARBOX IS SLOWER!

Natalie: Gearbox might be slower from the grass!

Dale: HENRY SENDS IT INTO TURN 5 AND OVER SHOOTS THE CORNER WAY OFF AND INTO THE GRASS AND ONTO THE STRAIGHT AWAY!

Natalie: Henry Lugnut is drafting right back up and passes Gearbox Jr!

Dale: GEARBOX JR BUMPS HIM INTO TURN 6!

Natalie: HENRY GOES WIDE NOW!

Dale: INTO THE FINAL TURN HENRY COMES BACK ON AND THEY ARE SIDE BY SIDE!

Natalie: GEARBOX SLIDES OUT OF THE FINAL TURN AND ONTO A BUMP!

Dale: WOW!

Natalie: Henry Lugnut clears him!

Dale: HENRY LUGNUT WINS AT WATKINS GLEN AND THE FIBER FUEL 400 FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR! And his second win!

(Buc-ees Radio)

Henry: YES GUYS! YES YES YES YES!

Hanz: Great job today Henry!

### Post Race Interviews

#### Alex Gearbox Jr

Shannon: Well Alex the two race road course sint comes to an end until later in the season, but what momentum from these races do you think you and the Red Bull team can build from these last two races.

Alex: Well I mean we have been working super hard to be able to perform well on ovals since January and it hasn't been all that bad but we gotta keep working on it to finish top 5 in rookie of the year standings at least.

Shannon: Alex Gearbox Jr pleased with his run today just coming up short to the Road Course Ringer everyone is calling him now, Henry Lugnut is with Milo.

#### Henry Lugnut

Milo: Right Shannon, thank you and Henry Lugnut, the first time since Alex Quint back in 1981 and 1982 someone has won this race back to back before, and now everyone is referring to you as "The Road Course Ringer".

Henry: I just want to say thanks to my team for everything leading up to these two wins I have gotten at this track and this is already by third year and I still can't believe it but we still have 3 more road courses left, which is also three more wins for me and this team!

Milo: Thanks Henry and now Shannon has caught up with Eric Jones.

#### Eric Jones

Shannon: The return for Eric Jones has him get a third place finish, well needed for this team even before the suspension.

Eric: Yeah it is the breakthrough we needed to win this season and I think we have a pretty good chance next race I have won the Nitroade 400 the last two seasons.

Shannon: Eric Jones great about his chances next week at Charlotte as he is undoubtedly the favorite to win, trying to make it 3 in a row at the Nitroade 400.

## Results

1. Henry Lugnut - 150 Laps - 43 Points
2. Alex Gearbox Jr - 150 Laps - 42 Points
3. Eric Jones - 150 Laps - 41 Points
4. Cruz Ramirez - 150 Laps - 40 Points
5. Daniel Swervez - 150 Laps - 39 Points