Narrow Defeat for Stewart Frisen at Atlanta

Stewart Friesen nearly broke his two-year winless streak in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Saturday afternoon at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Racing two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch for the win on the final lap, Friesen crossed underneath the white flag with the lead.

The two drivers ran side-by-side for over half the final lap with Friesen’s No. 52 Toyota on Busch’s outside door.

While Friesen got a run off turn four to gain the advantage, Busch used a side draft through the tri-oval to claw his back ahead of Friesen to win by 0.017 seconds.

Friesen credited his team for not giving up through the last two seasons where he placed 12th in the standings each year without a victory.

“Yeah, just so proud of my race team – our whole Halmar team,” Friesen said. “Chris Larsen (co-owner), everything he gives us to get the job done. We had a shot. This is my favorite truck, and we will keep digging with it. We had a shot. I got too far off my help there coming down the back on the last lap. I thought I could pack some more air on him getting into (turn) three and we surged ahead, but didn’t have the surge at the right time and he came back.

“Thanks to Toyota teammates there – was working well with Corey (Heim) there. He helped us to the front. Tried to shove Chandler (Smith) way up by him, and I was like just stick with me – I’ll keep shoving you by him. We will keep that bottom lane rolling, and then he moved up, so it kind of broke that plan apart. Just proud of our race team,” Friesen continued.

“It has been a grind these last couple of years, and we’ve got stuff going in the right direction. Jimmy (Villeneuve, crew chief) did a good job calling the race. Chris Lambert is the best spotter in the business. I’m lucky to have him on my side.”

As Friesen considered whether there was anything he could’ve done to hold Busch at bay, he admitted there were plenty.

“Oh man. 18 different things, I’ll have to rewatch what happened,” Friesen said. “I knew when we kind of surged ahead, and I got him pinned down there in turn three – that might have been the kiss of death because I didn’t have too much help pushing behind me at that point, but big thanks to the whole Halmar team.

“What a strong Tundra. We overcame some adversity, but qualified well, raced really, really well. Proud of the whole race team.”