Roulette Recap follows a randomly selected driver throughout a race to break down their efforts. There is no telling ahead of time how the race will go. The driver could face calamity on the opening lap or start from the rear and win the race. With that, may the odds be ever in the driver’s favor.
Ambetter 302
Kyle Weatherman qualified P27 for the Ambetter 302 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. As the sun started to set on his roller-coaster season, he hoped to better his annual average finish of 24.5. Even more? He looked to notch another top-10 finish in his 2024 belt.
Before the command to fire engines, Spotter Tab Boyd asked his driver how he was doing. Weatherman replied, “Ready. To. Go!”
Unfortunately, he was one of two drivers forced to drop to the rear of the green flag.
Stage 1
There was a great deal of jockeying throughout the field on the opening lap.
He worked up to P30 by Lap 3. Then, he was forced three-wide when Leland Honeyman, Jr. got loose ahead of him.
He had to dodge traffic again, but before more ground could be made, the caution waved. On Lap 5, Honeyman was hitting pit road with a flat tire and damage. However, Weatherman was running P28 and fairly happy with his car.
The race resumed on Lap 9 and the leaders opted again to take it three-wide. This chaos allowed Weatherman to work to P25. Two laps later, he had gained three more spots to be scored P22.
One lap later, he worked his way around Jeremy Clements for another spot. On Lap 15, he noted he was a little tight, center off, but maintained P21.
Lap 19 saw Weatherman break into the top 20. But two laps later, Sheldon Creed, who was also forced to the rear, worked his way around the DGM driver. As Weatherman lost another spot, crew chief Mario Gosselin encouraged his driver, “Hang onto it. We’ll fix it!”
As drivers took 11 to go, the second caution waved. This time, it was for Dylan Lupton slow on track.
With pit strategy varying, the No. 91 team opted to stay on track. This allowed Weatherman to restart P11 with six laps remaining in the opening stage.
Weatherman fell like a rock as fresh tires overtook him. He finished the stage P31.
With the opportunity to pit, Gosselin told the crew, “No penalties. I know you want to make up 10 spots here, but we’ve got a good car.”
Stage 2
The team did indeed have a nice, clean stop, and Weatherman started the second stage in P25. Over the next 25 laps, Weatherman did not gain ground. However, he used the opportunity to learn how his car was handling in and out of turns as the track changed with the setting sun.
On Lap 68, Weatherman again worked around Clements to gain a spot.
Suddenly, with nine to go in the stage, Boyd noted Weatherman’s lap times and said, “I’d say you’re in it!”
Stage 2 came to a close and Weatherman was scored P24. He gave an update on his car, stating, “Back is pretty free, but picks up a tightness, center off.”
Stage 3
The No. 92 team delivered another clean stop and got their driver back on track in P21 with 105 to go in the race.
The caution waved immediately as the No. 19 of Taylor Gray went for a spin. After a clean-up and re-rack, Weatherman rolled off P17.
He settled in at P24. But, on Lap 128, Weatherman had lost four more spots and was told the leader was closing in on him.
Ten laps later, the leader did indeed overtake Weatherman, but the team kept at it.
Green flag pit stops began, and then, on Lap 145, Weatherman noted, “I just lost all lateral grip.”
Weatherman came to the pits three laps later for his green flag stop and returned to the track in P28, down one lap.
As more drivers took to the pits, he worked his way up four spots. He remained there until drivers took 31 to go. At that time, Kyle Sieg went for a spin and brought out the caution, and the No. 91 team started talking pit strategy.
Gosselin opted to take the wave around, get back on the lead lap and, “Hope for another quick caution.” With that, Weatherman lined up P23 with 25 to go, as the last car on the lead lap.
That caution Gosselin was hoping for came with seven to go. The crew chief immediately gave orders to the team for upcoming adjustments. Weatherman returned to the track in P22 with two to go. Boyd noted, “You’ll be at a pretty good tire advantage here.”
Despite chaos throughout the field, Kyle Weatherman brought it home P20.
Click here for a full recap of the Ambetter 302!
Sponsor Shoutout + Driver & Team Socials
NASCAR fans know sponsors make the sport go ’round. We want to give a shoutout to MyRadar Weather who played a huge part of the weekend for Kyle and the No. 91 team.
Be sure to give Kyle Weatherman (Facebook, Instagram, X) and DGM Racing (Facebook, Instagram, X) a follow to keep up with the latest news from the driver and team.
