James Buescher and the No. 31 Space Coast Center Chevrolet Silverado team headed to the “Monster Mile” for the next stop on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule. The No. 31 team had a fast truck but had to survive the 36-truck field as well as the one-mile Dover International Speedway to bring home their fourth top-10 result in the last five races.

In the two practice sessions on Thursday, the No. 31 team struggled to find the handling of their Space Coast Center Chevrolet. Buescher radioed to crew chief, Michael Shelton, saying the truck was really loose as he entered the high-banked corners in addition to being tight up off. The team went to work making changes to both the front and the rear of the truck in hopes of finding a solid balance. By the end of “Happy Hour” practice, the team felt like they had a truck capable of competing for the win.

Buescher started the 200-lap event from the 14th position but as soon as the green flag was displayed to the field, he was on a march towards the front. By lap three, the Space Coast Center Chevrolet had cracked the top-10. He radioed into his team describing the truck as a bit loose on entry and tight exit off the corners but the handling issues he was describing didn’t appear to hinder his push towards the front.

When the caution flag was displayed to the field on lap 45, the No. 31 Space Coast Center team prepared to see their truck on pit road. Buescher rolled down the pit lane on lap 46 for service. The team went to work changing four tires and filling the truck with Sunoco racing fuel. They also made an air pressure adjustment to the Goodyear tires, hoping to tighten the truck up for the next segment of the 200-lap race.

Buescher saw the green flag again displayed to the field on lap 50 where he found himself in the 12thposition. He radioed into his crew on lap 52, explaining the changes really helped the truck come alive and was again on the prowl for the race lead.

On lap 68, Buescher radioed into his team explaining he had a serious vibration in the right front wheel which was progressively getting worse. Michael Shelton told his driver to bring his machine to pit road if he thought there was a problem. Buescher knew he would lose valuable track position if had to make a green-flag stop, but was exceptionally worried about the issue so he rolled down the pit lane on lap 71 taking on two right side tires and fuel under green-flag conditions. The unscheduled stop cost him a lap to the leaders, but he made the right decision. After further review, the team discovered that the right front wheel was loose and would have been catastrophic if not resolved.

Luckily for the No. 31 Space Coast Center Chevrolet, the caution flag was displayed to the field two laps later and Buescher was deemed the “Lucky Dog” beneficiary. He regained his lap and was poised to make his way back towards the front of the field.

Buescher spent the next 100-laps keeping his Space Coast Center Chevrolet out of harm’s way. He clicked off consistent lap times around the one-mile concrete track not putting his machine in any compromising positions knowing he had to make it to the end.

When the caution flag was displayed to the field on lap 154, Buescher and his No. 31 Space Coast Center team elected to stay on the racing surface to keep track position. The field was put back under the green flag on lap 160 and the Space Coast Center Chevrolet was mired back in the 15thposition. Within one lap, Buescher had already broken back into the top-10. He radioed into his team on lap 180, saying the truck was loose from the center through the exit of the corners. The loose condition was certainly not hindering his ability to make up ground on the leaders.

James Buescher survived three late-race caution flags to bring his No. 31 Space Coast Chevrolet across the finish line in the eighth spot. The solid result catapulted him into the 12th in the season-long championship point battle. He sits only three points outside the top-10.

The No.31 Turner Motorsports team will return to action this Friday, May 20that the Charlotte Motor Speedway. The NC Education Lottery 200 will be broadcast live on SPEED with coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m. EST. The race can also be heard on MRN Radio as well as Sirius/XM Radio channel 90.