After qualifying first and starting sixth Saturday night, Valencia race truck driver Connor Cantrell finished seventh at Irwindale Speedway.

Cantrell was as high as fourth in the race, but he was involved in a two-car crash.

The driver was penalized, after the racing official ruled he caused a spinout.

The run put Cantrell 12 points behind Pete Mintey Jr., who finished third on Saturday.

"It's definitely a heartbreaker," crew chief and father Jim Cantrell said. "We've got three races to go, so we have to go back and work harder. You'd like to get mad about it, but there's nothing you can do now."

Before the race, Cantrell was four points behind Mintey Jr. Cantrell had won five of his previous seven races.

Cantrell's next race is on Sept. 6, on back to school night. Students and teachers get in for free.

Sept. 20 is his next race scheduled. Both races are at Irwindale Speedway.