Justin Marks Finds First Xfinity Win at Mid-Ohio

Justin Marks and his #42 Katerra Camaro outlasted a rain-soaked charge from Sam Hornish Jr. on the races final restart and won his first Xfinity Series contest of his career. Marks put on a road racing clinic when it counted most and extended his lead to 3.7 seconds when the checkered flag flew. Furthermore, a late race caution came with four laps remaining in Saturday’s contest made things interesting. Marks was not detoured and closed the deal at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

“These are as tough conditions as you can put drivers in,” said Marks from a makeshift Victory Lane. “It’s just really also hard on everybody when it’s dry and wet and you don’t really know what to do. So strategy plays a big role in it. You know, my specialty is road racing in the rain in these stock cars and I don’t get much of an opportunity to do it. When that opportunity presents itself, you have to really take advantage of it and I about threw it away today. I knew if the race ended in the rain that we would have a real shot at winning it. I wish my family was here. I’m just really happy.”

As a result, Justin Marks dedicated the victory to former Chip Gnassi Racing’s Bryan Clauson. The talented driver passed away last Sunday night from injuries in an accident during the Belleville Midget Nationals in Kansas.

“Bryan’s short career in stock car racing came with Chip Gnassi Racing. Consequently, it’s great to be able to put this thing in Victory Lane to honor him and think about him,” added Marks. “He’s a real American hero race car driver. Bryan was. They don’t make them like that anymore.”

Sam Hornish Jr. captured the pole position in dry conditions from his qualifying efforts on Friday. Nevertheless, mother nature showed who’s the boss and drenched the 2.258 mile, 13 turn road course. The change in weather sent Hornish Jr.’s team to pit road for a swap of tires from slicks to wets on Lap 3.

The Californian also maintained the lead through the halfway point where he pitted from the front, giving the top spot to other drivers during green flag pit stops. Hornish Jr. was in a limited driving roll with the # 2 Rheem Chevrolet Camaro for Richard Childress Racing. The talented fill in settled for a respectable second place finish.

“All in all, a good day for the Rheem Chevrolet,” he said. “My hat’s off to Justin Marks. I generally held myself a rather good rain racer. Given the opportunity there at the end, I still couldn’t catch him. I would have had to take massive chances with our car to be able to do anything. Even then, you still gotta pass him to keep up with him. I’m proud of what the guys gave me on the No. 2 car today. I wish we would have also gotten a little more out of it. In the dry, I feel like we could win, but Justin just went out there and was just a monster in the wet.”

On the 50th of the event a yellow flag flew for debris. While the Mid-Ohio 200 was caution, the rain began to pour and drenched the road course. As a result, it sent almost all the drivers back to the pits for tires and fuel to finish the race.

Darrell Wallace Jr. found himself out front of the pack when the contest was back under way with 14 circuits remaining. The lead was short lived when Wallace Jr. lost control just two laps in and Ty Dillon took over the lead. The eventual race winner Justin Marks was lurking behind the Richard Childress racer as rain kept coming down. Justin Marks used his road racing prowess and eventually passed frustrated leader for good.

The Final Running Order for the Mid-Ohio 200 At Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course: