Justin Lofton raises the trophy in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Truck Series North Carolina Lottery 200 auto race in Concord, N.C., Friday, May 18, 2012.(Photo by The Associated Press)

55 starts.

That’s all it took for Justin Lofton to end up in Gatorade Victory Lane. Friday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Lofton beat Brad Keselowski for his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory. A driver who didn’t think he had enough gas to finish this race, was able to cross the stripe and do one heck of a burn out for the crowd at the track.

Lofton’s victory in the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 was the third first time winner of 2012. He joins John King who won at Daytona International Speedway and James Buescher who won at Kansas Speedway earlier this season. Lofton has also finished in the top ten in all five Camping World Truck Series races of 2012.

Once Lofton climbed out of his No. 6 CollegeComplete.com Chevrolet, all he could say to describe this moment was “amazing,” and adding that “it’s been a long time coming.” Read the rest of this entry »