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Camden Murphy Picks Up Midwest Truck Series Victory At The Milwaukee Mile

Three wide doesn’t usually work on most race tracks. However, at the spacious Milwaukee Mile three wide is sometimes the only way to get it done. Camden Murphy took that approach and made a three wide pass for the lead down the front stretch then retook the lead on a late race restart to get the win at the 2014 ARCAfest at the Milwaukee Mile.

While Andy Jones and Blake Brown raced side by side for the lead coming down the front stretch, Camden Murphy pulled to the inside of both going three wide to make the pass for the lead with just eleven laps to go. Murphy held the lead after a restart with six laps to go and scored the win.

“The first time I was on this track I was twelve years old in this exact truck,” said Murphy. “The last four or five years we’ve definitely been struggling.”

Tim Lampman and Kevin Knuese led the field to the green with Lampman getting the early lead. Chester Ace followed Lampman into the second spot while Knuese settled in for third. The pack of trucks behind jostled for position until the yellow came out on lap 2.

Kurt Kleven brought out the yellow when he spun and hit the turn two wall.
Lampman would get the lead on the restart, however Ace would duck inside of Lampman a lap later and clear for the lead in turn one. Jones followed into second as Lampman began to fade. Ace pulled out by a few truck lengths as Jones had to battle with Blake Brown for second. Jones and Brown were racing side by side as Murphy moved past Lampman into the fourth spot on lap 5.

Brown and Jones were still racing side by side for second and actually chased down and caught up to the rear bumper of Ace on lap 8. Brown was on the outside of Jones and continued the momentum and moved to the outside of Ace heading down the front stretch. Brown and Ace raced side by side through the turn before Brown cleared for the lead down the back stretch.

Jones followed Brown around Ace and into second. Murphy was able to make it a four truck race as he caught the lead trio as they raced side by side for position.

Jones would look to the inside of Brown heading into turn one, but Brown wasn’t going to give up the lead so easily. They stayed side by side for several laps before Brown retook sole possession for the lead on lap 16. Murphy would clear past Ace for third on lap 18 and looked to move in on the lead duo.
Jones and Brown went back to racing side by side on lap 19 as Murphy closed in on their tailgates. Murphy got a great run off of turn four and pulled to the inside of Brown and Jones making it three wide down the front stretch at The Mile. The battle to see who would back of last went to Murphy as he cleared for the lead heading into turn one. Brown wasn’t going to be outdone just yet, as he got back around Murphy a lap later to retake the lead.

The yellow would come out with just six laps remaining when debris was spotted on the track setting up a shootout to the checkers.

Murphy would get a great jump coming to the green on the restart, but Brown held strong alongside. Murphy would get off the corners better and used that to his advantage and cleared Brown for the lead coming off of turn four with five laps to go.

Once out in front Murphy quickly opened up a few truck lengths advantage and pulled away for the victory.

It may have been a short distance race, but for Murphy that didn’t make it any less special.

“It’s thirty laps here, that’s about the same as fifty laps at a short track,” said Murphy. “Maybe a little more, who knows. It was definitely a heck of a race when you’re racing against some of the best in the country. Especially Blake (Brown), he’s one of the best drivers in the Midwest if not the country. To be able to beat him is something spectacular.”

The battle with Brown is what made the race great. Murphy explained it from his viewpoint.

“To be honest with you I was going into turn one after we got the green and thought we had a right front going down,” said Murphy. “It didn’t stick it just went straight.”

The right front was just fine and not only did it eventually stick, it went straight to the lead and straight for the win.
85 Camden Murphy
71 Blake Brown
2 Andy Jones
93 Chester Ace
26 Mike Corvo
73 Jerry Wood
33 Kevin Knuese
5 John Beale
21 Tim Lampman
30 Joshua James
34 Ryan Finley
3 Fred Oswald
51 Kurt Kleven

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