BUSCH: Rookie Tyler Mills trails for the first time in his career at Hickory

Tyler Mills picked up the 1st last place finish of his SCRL Busch Grand National Series career in Sunday's Goody's 200 at the Hickory Motor Speedway when his #12 unsponsored Ellis Racing Pontiac completed all 20 laps under power.

The finish occurred in his 18th career series start. In the SCRL Busch Series, it's the 4th for car #12 and the 34th for running at the finish. Across all the series in the SCRL, it's the 9th for the #12 and 301st for running at the finish.

Entering Season 3 of the Busch Series, Mills had never made a appearance in the SCRL before this season as Mills would be competing full time in a season he has hopes of possibly of trying to complete for wins. Mills finished 16th in his debut at Daytona, 19th at Richmond, 20th at Rockingham, 14th at the first Hickory event, 7th at Martinsville, 11th at Darlington, 10th at the first Orange County, 21st at Nashville, 16th at Langley, 14th at Milwaukee Mile and a 32nd at Dover. 37th at Charlotte, 15th at the first South Boston event, 24th at the second Hickory event, 15th in the second event at Orange County, 14th at the second South Boston before finishing 10th in the last round at Orange County.

The entry list for the ninth time this season would have only full time drivers as the series returned to Hickory, North Carolina in the series third of four stops at the 0.363 short track in Season 3.

In qualifying, Jack Lagasee won his fifth career busch pole with a lap time of 16.467 seconds. Mills would perform decent in qualifying, posting a time of 16.601, 0.134 seconds off Jack's pole, placing him 14th overall. Starting last in the race was the #88 Service Specialties Pontiac of Rohan Marmot who posted a time of 16.779 seconds, 0.312 seconds behind Jack's pole winning time.

On race day, Rohan would trail for the first lap before knocking the second Hickory last-place finisher the #15 Hendrick Honda Pontiac of Chase Miller into last on Lap 2, two time last-place finisher the #48 Williford Prod. Builders Pontiac of Matt McIntyre who would trail for two laps before knocking Darlington last-place finisher the #6 Mason Day Paving / Valvoline Chevrolet of Chris Kyle into last on Lap 5. Kyle would trail for two laps before knocking the #30 RC Cola Pontiac of Chakat Duskwatcher into last on Lap 7, a spot shi would hold for one lap before knocking the unsponsored #1 Lindy White Racing Pontiac of David Beyers, Beyers would remain in last for one lap before knocking Mills into last for the first time on Lap 9. Mills would remain in last for two laps before knocking the #45 Luck Stone / Dryden Oil of Boston Jones into last on Lap 11. Jones would trail for two laps before knocking Duskwatcher back to last on Lap 13, a spot shi would stay in for two laps before knocking Beyers back to last on Lap 15. Beyers would trail for two laps as well before knocking Jones back to last on Lap 18, trailing for two laps before passing Mills in Turn 2, with Mills trailing for the final quarter of the track and the first time of his career finishing last.

Rounding out the Bottom Five were: 24th was the aforementioned #45 of Boston Jones, 23rd was the #88 Rohan Marmot, 22nd was Daytona last-place finisher the #00 Thomas Bros. Country Ham Oldsmobile of Jeremy Ickle, and 21st was the #1 of David Beyers.

SCRLASTCAR STATISTICS
*This is the first time the #12 has finished last in a Busch Series race at Hickory.
*This is the first time the #12 has finished last in a Busch Series race since the Season 1 Inaugural 200 at the Asheville Speedway when Kyle Mests's #12 Industrial Boiler Pontiac completed all 15 laps under power; 68 races ago.

THE BOTTOM FIVE
25) #12-Tyler Mills / 20 laps / running
24) #45-Boston Jones / 20 laps / running
23) #88-Rohan Marmot / 20 laps / running
22) #00-Jeremy Ickle / 20 laps / running
21) #1-David Beyers / 20 laps / running