Roulette Recap follows a randomly drawn NASCAR Xfinity Series driver throughout a race and recaps their efforts. The driver could face calamity on lap one or start from the rear and win the race – there is no telling ahead of time. May the odds be ever in the driver’s favor.
Kansas Lottery 300
Matt Mills took to Kansas Speedway for his fourth NASCAR Xfinity Series start of the 2023 season. He practiced and qualified his No. 53 Emerling-Gase Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro P27.
Unfortunately, a transmission issue forced Mills to start the race from the rear. During pace laps, he radioed in to let his team know he was still experiencing “that vibration.”
With all pre-race formalities behind him, there was only one way to better Mills’ season average finishing position of 25.7 – head forward.
Stage 1
As soon as the green flag waved, the caution was in the air as the No. 38 of Nick Leitz got into the wall and ultimately the No. 78 of Anthony Alfredo. Mills was sitting P34 and updated his team on his car, “I don’t know if it’s the drive shaft or what. But I can hear it. The whole car is just vibrating.”
Crew chief Paul Clapprood responded, “I’d say drive shaft. Just let me know if it gets worse.”
After a few caution laps, everyone lined up and tried things again with Mills in P33 on Lap 6.
Within a lap, Mills had gained two spots but found himself top of three, and spotter Jonathan Davis calmly helped his driver navigate the traffic.
The caution quickly waved again – this time, for debris on the track. Mills gave another update on his machine, “Still a nasty vibration. It fired off a little free and started getting tighter in traffic, especially in the corner. I just need more turn in the corner.”
Sitting P31, Clapprood made the call to pit for adjustments and fuel only.
Once serviced, Mills returned to the track in P31 to restart on Lap 19. Drivers were met with a messy restart and the caution was out again as Kyle Weatherman and Sam Mayer made contact and the No. 1 of Mayer went for a spin.
Davis joked with his driver, “It’s gonna be a lonnnng day, kid! They know it’s Lap 19, right?!”
When asked if he noticed a difference with the changes, Mills in P28 said, “Yes! We’re in better shape!”
The next restart came on Lap 26 with Mills in P27. Mills gained a spot on the restart and Davis coached his driver through the next few laps, encouraging him to, “Pick them off, one at a time.”
He worked his way to P25, but then fell back to P26. With 10 to go, Mills radioed in, “This is all I got.” However, as Daniel Hemric experienced trouble and hit pit road, Mills regained P25 and finished the stage there.
Stage 2
Clapprood asked for an update and Mills said, “I don’t know what to tell you. I’m driving my ass off, just no speed.” The crew chief made the decision to pit for tires, fuel, and a few more minor adjustments. Unfortunately, during the stop, the team had a runaway tire and then a speeding penalty.
Mills lined up at the tail-end of the longest line to restart P29 on Lap 52. Within six laps, Mills had gained three spots and was settling in on the third ‘long’ green-flag run of the day.
One lap later, the No. 00 of Cole Custer slammed the wall and the caution waved. And with Custer’s misfortune, Mills gained one more spot.
Mills was informed that Lap 53 was his fastest lap, but when asked how his car felt, there were still complaints about the vibration.
The next restart saw Mills in P24 (Lap 65). Drivers at the front of the field took things three- and four-wide to start. And immediately, there was yet another Playoff driver with trouble which afforded Mills another spot.
As the laps ticked by, Mills was taking to heart his spotter’s advice to ‘pick them off one at a time.’ As Mills got around Kyle Sieg, he had his eyes set on Brennan Poole and breaking out of the top 20.
With 17 to go, the No. 9 of Brandon Jones brought out the caution as he went for a stroll in the grass.
Mills said his car was trending back tight on the exits. He also noted that he got into the wall “a little bit.” Clapprood opted to keep Mills on track where he restarted P21 on Lap 80.
As had been the case through the opening 79 laps, it was a shaky restart, but drivers kept it clean. Mills held his line and broke out of the top 20 with nine to go. However, he finished the stage P20.
Clapprood called for eight-lap scuffs for the next run in order to save the sticker tires for a late run.
Stage 3
Following his stop, Mills lined up P25 on Lap 97. Immediately, the caution waved as Sammy Smith, Justin Allgaier, and Jones tangled. Mills maintained P25 through the chaos.
With instructions to save fuel, Mills sat P23 for the Lap 104 restart. In an aggressive restart, he lost a position but held on to P24 as the field settled down.
With 82 to go, Mills worked his way around Blaine Perkins and set his eyes on Jeremy Clements in P22.
As the race ran its longest green-flag run of the day, Mills finally had the opportunity to settle in and learn. Davis continued to encourage and coach Mills through the laps.
With 71 laps remaining, the leader, John Hunter Nemechek sailed past Mills. Davis said, “Stay right behind him. We’ll be the dog.” This would also give Mills another opportunity to learn.
Six laps later, Mills got into the wall but was able to keep running.
Two laps later, the No. 45 of Rajah Caruth went for a massive spin through the infield grass and ended up on pit road. Unfortunately, this came after a tap from Mills. Mills was sitting in P18, but unfortunately not in the lucky dog position.
Under yellow, Clapprood and the team debated whether or not to pit. Ultimately, he brought his driver in for fresh tires and fuel.
With 57 to go, Mills was lined up P26, still down a lap and racing for the lucky dog position. In the opening lap, he went three wide and gained two spots. But, the caution was back out as Caruth went for another spin. Mills had worked his way to P20 and was just shy of being the lucky dog.
Another restart had Mills sitting P20 with 50 to go. The game plan was to be in the lucky dog spot and then hit pit road for fuel and tires on the next, very likely, caution.
Ten laps later (40 to go) Mills was maintaining P21. With 28 to go, Mills jumped one spot to P20. Thirteen laps later, he gained one more position.
Mills was encouraged to save fuel in the closing laps as they were already short a few laps. With eight laps remaining, Nemechek lapped Mills for a second time and the race was on to not run out of fuel.
The caution never waved, but Mills made it fine on fuel. When the checkered flag waved, he found himself with a season-best finish of P19. The post-race conversation seemed to have the team in good spirits.
Davis: Great work today! That was fun working with you!
Clapprood: P19! Great day!
Mills: The car felt good!
Clapprood: If I could get it not to vibrate, think how good it’d be!
Sponsor Shoutout & Social Channels
As NASCAR fans know, sponsors make the sport go ’round. We want to give a shoutout to JF Electric and Utilitra for sponsoring Matt Mills and the No. 53 team at Kansas.Â
Keep up with Matt Mills (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) and Emerling-Gase Motorsports (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) on all their social channels.
