JOHNNY SAUTER/Dave Marr photo

Johnny Sauter and teammate Matt Crafton finished first and second, respectively, in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Careers for Veterans 200 race at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday.

The outcome left Sauter first and Crafton second in the driver standings. Both hurdled Ryan Blaney, who held the lead heading into the 100-lap event but fell to third place.

“This is a helluva day,” Sauter said. “Great pit stops all day long, that’s what got us in position. I’m going to relish it.

“We’re just past halfway (through the season). This is the momentum. This is the thing we needed to swing it.”

Sauter and Crafton drive for ThorSport Racing, which is based in Sandusky, Ohio. It was Sauter’s first race with new crew chief Jeff Hensley.

Sauter, a resident of Necedah, Wisc., drives the No. 98 Toyota, and Crafton, who’s from Tulare, Calif., drives the No. 88 Toyota.

The race featured three full-time Sprint Cup drivers.

Kyle Busch finished fifth in the No. 51 Toyota; Austin Dillon  17^th in the No. 20 Chevrolet, and Joey Logano 18^th in the No. 19 Ford.

Travis Kvapil, who has started 14 of the 22 Cup races run to date, finished 26^th in the No. 05 Toyota.

The race featured a front row of trucks owned by Rochester Hills native Brad Keselowski, who came into the race as the series leader in owner points.

Blaney had the pole in Keselowski’s No. 29 Ford, and Logano started second.

Sauter has 448 points.

Crafton trails Sauter by nine points.

“Track position was everything,” Crafton said. “We were definitely a top-three, top-five truck.”

Ron Hornaday Jr. finished third in the race in the No. 30 Chevrolet.

“What a blast,” he said. “I had a lot of fun.”

Blaney is 16 points behind Sauter.

Mike Curb took the owner points lead from Keselowski, who slipped to fourth.