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Austin Hill survives carnage to win season-opener at Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The defending NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series championship team returned and won their third consecutive race, but this time they had a new man behind the wheel of their hot rod.

Austin Hill took over the No. 16 Toyota from reigning series champion Brett Moffitt, who was unable to secure sponsorship to remain in the seat, and held off Grant Enfinger in Friday night’s season opener at Daytona International Speedway.

On the restart of the second overtime, Hill got ahead of the field and threw a huge block to prevent Matt Crafton from getting to the point. Throughout the race, Hill would get out to sizeable leads but somehow managed to keep the pack behind him. It was the same story in the end as he held off Enfinger to win his first Truck race in his 52nd career start.

“Man, this truck was fast, it really was. I knew we had a truck that could compete,” Hill said in Victory Lane. “I got a little scared there at the end. I thought (Enfinger) was going to get me, he had a big run.

“I can’t believe my first win came at Daytona. It’s so surreal. I can’t wait to party with these guys.”

Hill was constantly reminded by his crew to save fuel, but he was still nervous that he might run out.

“We pitted really early, and we already knew it was going to be close and then when we went overtime, I was so scared,” he said. “I just knew I was going to run out off (Turn) 4 and not make it to the line.

“So much stuff was going through my head, but – hey – we’re in Victory Lane.”

Ross Chastain finished third, Spencer Boyd was fourth, and Crafton slipped to fifth.

The first big wreck occurred on Lap 53 of the scheduled 100 lap race when Jordan Anderson got tapped by Sheldon Creed, which collected nearly a dozen trucks. Among those who were taken out of contention included Moffitt, Johnny Sauter, Brennan Poole, Myatt Snider, and Christian Eckes.

Eckes’ truck erupted in flames on Lap 63 coming down the frontstretch to bring out the caution. He was uninjured.

The race resumed on Lap 70, with Hill leading the pack.

On Lap 77, Cory Roper, who was making just his seventh Trucks start, got out of the groove and made contact with Ben Rhodes, causing him to spin and slam the inside wall to bring out another caution. Rhodes ended up taking the lead.

With 13 laps to go, Rhodes remained in front of the field followed by Stewart Friesen and Gus Dean.

The caution came out again on Lap 89 when Todd Gilliland got into his Kyle Busch Motorsports teammate Harrison Burton on the backstretch, sending them both wrecking into the wall off Turn 2.

The race returned to green with seven laps left, but Clay Greenfield and Timothy Peters wrecked on the restart lap.

The race restarted with three laps to go with Rhodes at the point, followed by Hill, and Dean. However, Creed got into Dean, which triggered another massive wreck to send the race into the first overtime. Rhodes did not make it out unscathed, ending his evening.

Sauter held off Friesen to win Stage 2, and Creed won Stage 1 with Hill behind him in second.

Angela Ruch, the niece of 1990 Daytona 500 champion Derrike Cope finished in eighth, the best finish of her career in any major series.

Billy Rock, a crewmember for the FDNY Racing team and driver Bryan Dauzat, was injured earlier in the race in a pit-road incident.

Rock, the team’s jackman, was struck by Dauzat’s No. 28 Chevrolet, which had lost its brakes. Rock was transported to Halifax Health Medical Center for further evaluation, and NASCAR officials said he was “awake and alert.” The nature of any injuries to Rock, however, were not disclosed.

February 15, 2019
Full schedule for Daytona International Speedway

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series head to Daytona International Speedway this weekend to kick off the 2019 season.

Please check below for the complete weekend schedule.

All times are Eastern.

Thursday, Feb. 14

2:35 p.m.: Truck Series first practice – FS2

4:35 p.m.: Truck Series final practice – FS2

7 p.m.: Cup Series Duel 1 (60 laps, 150 miles) – FS1

9 p.m.: Cup Series Duel 2 (60 laps, 150 miles) – FS1

Friday, Feb. 15

12:05 p.m.: Xfinity Series first practice – FS1

1:05 p.m.: Cup Series third practice – FS1

2:05 p.m.: Xfinity Series final practice – FS1

3:05 p.m.: Cup Series fourth practice – FS1

4:40 p.m.: Truck Series qualifying – FS1

7:30 p.m. Truck Series NextEra Energy 250 race (100 laps, 250 miles) – FS1

Saturday, Feb. 16

9:40 a.m.: Xfinity Series qualifying – FS1

12:05 p.m.: Cup Series final practice – FS1

2:30 p.m.: Xfinity Racing Experience 300 (120 laps, 300 miles) – FS1

Sunday, Feb. 17

2:30 p.m.: Cup Series Daytona 500 race (200 laps, 500 miles) – Fox

Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

February 12, 2019
Noah Gragson Falls Short of Truck Series Championship

Noah Gragson was looking to end the year on a high note at Homestead-Miami Speedway before he moves up to the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2019. However, his night went sour with 33 laps to go. A tire issue on his No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota prevented him from winning the championship and the race after a tremendous battle with Brett Moffit.

He led twice for 34 laps but had to settle for a third-place finish in Friday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Ford EcoBoost 200.

“I was just way too tight there at the end,” Gragson told MRN Radio. “We fired off pretty good and it was just a battle between having to back out of the racetrack, and not being able to turn. Just devastated for my guys, they worked really hard and this one would have been for them. I give all my credit to Rudy Fugle (crew chief), Kyle Busch Motorsports. Just unfortunate, but on the bright side, I learned a hell of a lot tonight. I raced a Cup rookie of the year for the championship, so that’s pretty cool to say. Just very thankful for the opportunity.”

Gragson finishes the season with one win, nine top fives and 18 top 10 finishes. Next year he will move to the Xfinity Series, replacing the retiring Elliott Sadler, at JR Motorsports.

November 16, 2018
Justin Haley Finishes Eighth at Homestead and Third in Final Standings

Justin Haley had quite the year with three wins which locked him into the Championship 4 after winning at Texas just a few weeks ago. However, the No. 24 GMS Racing team just couldn’t find the magic Friday night at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He finished eighth in the Ford Ecoboost 200 and third in the year-end standings after battling a loose truck all night.

“When we fired off and just about five laps into the run, we lost all speed. I think Johnny (Sauter) had the same issues,” Haley told MRN Radio. “I think the GMS camp just missed a little bit tonight and we win together, lose together.”

“Unfortunate night, but really good season. Everyone at Fraternal Order of Eagles and GMS has me an opportunity to run at the championship, definitely means a lot. So, going to hang our heads high and move on to next year.”

Haley believes they did the best they could trying to win the championship.

“It obviously could have gone better, but I say we made a solid run at it” he continued. “I’m not the best at running Homestead and I’m not the best running the board, so probably a little lack of driver here tonight as well.”

Haley finishes the season with three wins, nine top fives and 18 top 10 finishes with 60 laps led.

November 16, 2018
Brett Moffitt Wins Race and Truck Series Championship at Homestead

The Cinderella story came true and the cream rose to the top as Brett Moffitt won the race and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship after a career-high six wins in the series. It’s Moffitt’s first championship of any kind.

“Well I say, Zippy, and everybody at HRE gave me a really fast tundra and I think we made the bottom work, a helluva lot better than anybody,” the 2018 Truck Series Champion said to MRN Radio. “So that gave me an opportunity to get down there, but doing that is harsh on the tires. I knew we were faster than them, it was just about getting them and getting momentum off (Turn) 2, dive bomb into (Turn) 3.”

“The first attempt I did at it, I just wasn’t aggressive enough and got the tires hot, and had to go back up to the top to cool them down a few laps and make another charge, but I can’t just speak enough for everyone in this race team and how hard they worked. Our pit crew tonight did an amazing job and man those were a long last 20 laps.”

Stages of 30/30/74 laps made up the 134 lap race.

Grant Enfinger and Stewart Friesen started on the front row. Playoff drivers Noah Gragson started third, Justin Haley fourth, Moffitt fifth and Johnny Sauter sixth.

The first stage went 30 laps caution free and Enfinger led them all to take Stage 1. Gragson was second, Moffitt was third, Haley was sixth, and Sauter was 13th.

Stage 2 began on lap 37 and went to lap 60, and once again was caution free, but this time with a little more drama. Gragson took the lead on the restart, but Moffitt passed him just a few laps later to win Stage 2. Gragson was second, Haley eighth, and Sauter 10th. The playoff contenders were reporting their trucks were either tight or loose.

The final stage resumed with 67 laps to go and Moffitt and Gragson were on the front row.

Gragson led in the beginning but had to fight a hard-charging Moffitt who kept right with him for the lead. There were a couple of close calls, but eventually, Moffitt took the lead with 35 to go, which put Gragson back in second.

Unfortunately, a tire issue caused Gragson to pit earlier than expected and caused him to lose a ton of ground, which ultimately cost him the championship. After the pit stops, Moffitt recycled as the leader and was unchallenged for the rest of the race, going on to win his first ever Truck Series championship.

The team came close to shutting down right before the Chicagoland race, and Moffitt emphasized how important it was to have sponsorship or else they wouldn’t be here.

“It just speaks to how badass our people are, no matter what’s going on whether it’s diverse or not, or troubles or not,” Moffitt told MRN Radio. “They keep working and preparing to go to the racetrack week in and week out, whether they know they’re going or not, and that just says a lot.

For Moffitt credits his success in the Truck Series to his prior experience in the Cup Series for making him a better driver.

“Well I kind of blame my Cup career for being so good in the Trucks early on,” the Hattori Racing driver told MRN Radio.” “When I was Cup racing, I really wasn’t developed and I had to learn really quick, and the hard way essentially. Coming to a racetrack in a Truck, everything is a little bit easier and calmer, you’re not fighting as many handling characteristics as the Cup cars and in the Cup Series, you’re racing the 40 best guys in the world. It helped my learning curve. It wasn’t the ideal way to do it, but these Trucks are a little bit easier for me to adapt to.”

There were two cautions for 12 laps during the race and 10 lead changes among seven drivers.

This was Moffitt’s sixth win of the season and the seventh of his career. He led three times for 59 laps including the final 29 laps to become the 2018 Truck Series Champion.

Playoff drivers:
Noah Gragson 3rd
Justin Haley 8th
Johnny Sauter 12th

November 16, 2018
Weekend schedule for Homestead-Miami

Staff Report | NASCAR.com

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series will all be winding up at Homestead-Miami with the Championship 4 races in each series. Check out the full schedule for Ford Championship weekend below, which is subject to change.

Note: All times are ET

FRIDAY, November 16
8:35-9:25 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series first practice, No TV (Follow live)
10:05-10:55 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice, No TV (Follow live)
1-2:20 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series first practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN1) (Follow live)
2:35-3:25 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series first practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN App) (Follow live)
3:45 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series qualifying, FS1 (Follow live)
5:05-5:55 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series final practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN App) (Follow live)
6:10 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Busch Pole Qualifying, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN App) (Follow live)
8 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Ford EcoBoost 200, FS1 (134 laps, 201 miles) (Follow live)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
11 a.m.: Championship 4 Team Owner Media Availability: Walt Czarnecki (Team Penske), Joe Garone (Furniture Row Racing), Joe Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing) and Tony Stewart (Stewart-Haas Racing)
3:45 p.m.: Elliott Sadler
7:15 p.m.: Championship 4 Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying
9:45 p.m.: Post-NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race

SATURDAY, November 17
11:35-12:25 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series second practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN4) (Follow live)
12:35 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN App) (Follow live)
2-2:50 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN1, 4) (Follow live)
3:30 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Ford EcoBoost 300, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (200 laps, 300 miles) (Canada: TSN1, 4) (Follow live)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
11 a.m.: Manufacturers Media Availability: Jim Campbell (Chevrolet), Mark Rushbrook (Ford) and Ed Laukes (Toyota)
6 p.m.: Post-NASCAR Xfinity Series race

SUNDAY, November 18
3 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400, NBC/NBC Sports App (267 laps, 400.5 miles) (Canada: TSN3) (Follow live)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
11 a.m.: NASCAR President Steve Phelps
5:45 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race

November 15, 2018
Brett Moffitt Wins the Lucas Oil 150 at ISM Raceway

In a wild set of final restarts, Brett Moffitt sneaks around Noah Gragson and Harrison Burton to grab the win at ISM Raceway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 150.

On the final restart, Noah Gragson chose the outside, but collisions with Enfinger prevented him from getting a strong exit as Moffitt squeezed by to lead the final laps and secure the victory.

“We just had a badass Toyota Tundra,” said Moffitt. “We were focused (on Homestead) already and knew we just had to have a smooth night (tonight) but when the No. 98 (Enfinger) got up there we started worrying and knew we had to win.

“I can’t say enough about this group and all of our partners and HRE team.”

Gragson had to settle for second but dodged a bullet as the right driver won the race to allow him to secure the final Playoff spot for Homestead.

“Down there on that restart I spun the tires just a little bit in the restart zone and then in one and two I just got run up the race track,” said Gragson. “I guess I was top of three wide. We were beating and banging. I don’t know, that’s what you’ve got to do. I dish it, so I sure as hell have got to take it.

“I respect the 98 for what he did. He’s going for the win, I’m going for the win, but most importantly we’re going to be racing for a championship next weekend at Homestead.”

Harrison Burton, who won Stage 2 earlier in the night, finished third to match his best finish of the season. Grant Enfinger was in a must-win situation, but despite his valiant effort finished fourth. Stewart Friesen completed the top-five.

The other Playoff drivers were scattered across the field. Johnny Sauter finished seventh but had already secured a spot in the Championship 4 with his win at Martinsville. Matt Crafton finished 11th, but fell short on points and will not advance. Justin Haley had engine troubles late in the race and retired from the event. He finished 28th but with his win last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway will also participate for the 2018 Championship at Homestead.

Stage 1 Battles Between Gragson and Moffitt

Todd Gilliland visits pit road to get full service, including four tires and fuel, from his pit crew. Photo by Rachel Schuoler for Speedway Media.

As the green flag flew, Gragson wasted no time securing the lead and took off, gaining an extra few seconds on second place. Slightly past halfway through the first stage, yellow came out when Todd Gilliland was hit by Tyler Ankrum, who misjudged his middle line as the two were passing the lapped truck of Jason White. The two went spinning and made slight contact with the outside wall, but both trucks were able to continue in the race.

On the restart, Brett Moffitt was able to get around Gragson on the outside and lead the final laps of the stage. Gragson stayed within a few tenths of Moffitt all of these laps but wasn’t able to get a pass on Moffitt as he took the Stage 1 win.

However, pit stops would get the best of the front two. Gragson slid into his pit box and actually clipped the inside pit wall. The team would have to push the truck back to get started on the right side, and then have to move the truck again to get to the left side for a full-service pit stop. Moffitt was caught speeding, so both ended up toward the back of the field. While they had a somewhat comfortable gap with points, this put them at risk of losing the points they would gain if they couldn’t get into the top-10 for those stage points.

Penalties & Mistakes Shake Up Front for Stage 2

At the restart, many drivers got much more comfortable with the layout, giving them the confidence to run more aggressively. The middle of the pack went 3 and 4-wide with some trucks using the apron of the new Turns 1 and 2. However, most of the laps after were uneventful until the end, as the No. 13 Tenda Ford driven by Myatt Snider started to stall. As the stage ended with Harrison Burton winning over a hard-charging Matt Crafton, some gambling happened with pit road.

John Hunter Nemechek decided to take two tires on the stage ending pit stop. Matt Crafton lost about six positions on pit road. And the Playoff picture continued to shuffle as Gragson and Moffitt both cracked into the top-10 in the final laps of the second stage.

Final Stage Desperation Among Playoff Contenders

Most of the final stage was a strong battle between John Hunter Nemechek and Grant Enfinger. Nemechek was fighting hard to prove his two-tire stop would pay off, and Grant Enfinger, over 20 points below the cutoff line for the Playoffs, was in a must-win position. As both drivers were starting to feel the pressure, Nemechek’s tires eventually gave way with about 20 laps to go in the race. He spun coming out of Turn 4, right in front of Nemechek and Gragson, who had inched his way up into the third position.

During the yellow flag, Justin Haley suddenly started to drop fluid around the track. His lucky win last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway after Todd Gilliland ran out of fuel on the last lap already secures his position at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the championship race. His truck came down pit road, and as crew members surrounded the truck, many gave the nods that appeared to be terminal.

Riley Herbst spins and crashes to bring out the final caution of the Lucas Oil 150. Photo by Rachel Schuoler for Speedway Media.

The red flag came out while the ISM Raceway safety crew cleaned up fluid from Haley’s truck all around the raceway. The red flag was out for just over 10 minutes.

On the restart, it was a tricky decision for Enfinger. The inside line was shorter, especially with the dogleg right after the start-finish line, but it was now filled with speedy dry from the red flag incident, so he would run the risk of low grip going into the first turn. If he chose the outside, he would be clear of the speedy dry but would run the risk of Gragson slipping in the speedy dry and hitting him. The final verdict was choosing the bottom lane, forcing Gragson to restart on the outside. However, it was no contest on the restart. Gragson got a strong start and was able to clear Enfinger going into Turn 1, who was battling three-wide with trucks from the second row.

Gragson pulled out to a good lead and was on cruise control for the win, as the battle for second also calmed down. However, with a few laps to go, Riley Herbst lost control of his truck and spun to bring out the final yellow, setting up for one last restart. Gragson chose the outside once again, but as he and Enfinger were battling for the lead, Moffitt was able to make a three-wide move to get around both drivers and claim the top spot. He would hold onto that lead and take the win over Gragson.

The Camping World Trucks hold their championship race at Homestead Miami Speedway next Friday on November 16, as Johnny Sauter, Justin Haley, Brett Moffitt and Noah Gragson will battle in the Ford EcoBoost 200 to see who will claim the 2018 Championship.

November 9, 2018
Gragson Starting Out Front in Lucas Oil 150

Noah Gragson claimed his sixth pole of 2018 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and will start in front for tonight’s Lucas Oil 150 at ISM Raceway.

Being only 18 points above the cutoff line for the final round of the 2018 Playoffs, Gragson was determined to take the best step forward, setting a pace of 26.456 seconds at 136.075 mph.

“I’m going full offense mode,” Gragson said earlier today before qualifying. “I’m going to Phoenix to win the race. We ran really good there last year with Marcus Richmond and the team at Kyle Busch Motorsports. Myself and Christopher Bell, two teammates, we led I think all but 10 laps of that race, so I feel really confident in the way that I’ll be able to work with my Toyota Tundra out in Phoenix. It’s going to be a really good race track for my team and I feel really comfortable about it.”

Gragson beat Justin Haley, Harrison Burton, Stewart Friesen and Brett Moffitt, rounding out the top five.

While Gragson has started strong and raced well at Phoenix, he hasn’t finished better than 15th. Last year, a late-race crash with Justin Haley prevented him from getting a potential victory in the series. He has one DNF at the raceway, and during the 2018 Playoffs has only finished a best of seventh.

When asked about the new layout, Gragson gave his thoughts on moving the start-finish line.

“I guess it is kind of the same track with a different configuration — with the start-finish line. I don’t know if you’re going to be able to change your lap time — in theory, you shouldn’t. Coming off the corner you might be able to change it up a little in the old turn one –new turns three and four. It’ll be a little bit different — that’s for sure. Restarts are going to be sketchy — that’s for sure, but I feel like if we can stay up front in my Safelite AutoGlass Tundra it’ll be no problem. Just feel really confident going into this weekend and hopefully, we can pick up that win and move on to Homestead. Then it’s all hammer down from there.”

The rest of the Playoff contenders will start in the top 15 positions: Matt Crafton (ninth), Grant Enfinger (12th) and Johnny Sauter (14th). The green flag will wave at 8:40 ET later this evening.

November 9, 2018
Weekend schedule for Phoenix

Staff Report | NASCAR.com

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series will be in action at ISM Raceway in Phoenix. All three series enter their final elimination races that will set up the Championship 4. Check out the full schedule below, which is subject to change.

Note: All times are ET

Friday, November 9
10:30-11:20 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series first practice, FS2 (Results)
12:05-12:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice, FS2 (Results)
1:35-2:25 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series first practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Results)
2:35-3:25 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series first practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Results)
4:35-5:25 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series final practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Results)
5:35 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series qualifying, FS1 (Results)
7 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Busch Pole Qualifying, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Follow live)
8:30 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 150 (150 laps, 150 miles), FS1 (Follow live)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
12:15 p.m.: Chip Ganassi Racing
12:45 p.m.: Kurt Busch
1 p.m.: Justin Allgaier, Christopher Bell and Matt Tifft
3 p.m.: Chase Elliott
3:15 p.m.: Martin Truex Jr.
3:30 p.m.: Kyle Busch
4 p.m.: Jimmie Johnson and Fernando Alonso (via Skype)
4:30 p.m.: USAA Hats Off to Heroes Program
7:45 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying
10:15 p.m.: Post-NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race

SATURDAY, November 10
11:30-12:20 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series second practice, CNBC/NBC Sports App (Follow live)
12:35 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Follow live)
2-2:50 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Follow live)
3:30 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Whelen Trusted To Perform 200 (200 laps, 200 miles), NBC/NBC Sports App (Follow live)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
5:30 p.m.: Post-NASCAR Xfinity Series race

SUNDAY, November 11
2:30 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Can-Am 500 (312 laps, 312 miles), NBC/NBC Sports App (Follow live)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
5:30 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race

November 8, 2018
Custer edges Reddick in third closest NASCAR XFINITY Series race in Texas Motor Speedway history
- Twenty-Year-Old Passes Reddick On Final Lap To Win Second Xfinity Series Race Of His Career To Punch Ticket To Championship 4
- Regular-Season Champion Allgaier, Six-Win Bell In Danger Of Missing Championship Race At Homestead-Miami Speedway On Nov. 17
FORT WORTH, Texas (Nov. 3, 2018) — Cole Custer pulled off a dramatic, last-lap pass under Tyler Reddick to win Saturday’s 14th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 by .162 of a second in the third-closest NASCAR Xfinity Series race in Texas Motor Speedway history.

Custer became the first Round of 8 Playoff contender to punch his ticket into the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in two weeks. Custer took the lead on Lap 199 of 200 around the 1.5-mile TMS oval, moving under Reddick while barreling into Turn 1, maintaining as much focus as someone would need for online gaming. The two title contenders bounced off each other briefly down the backstretch but each kept their cars straight before entering Turns 3 and 4.

“I knew I had to make it happen in Turns 1 and 2 because it was harder to pass in Turns 3 and 4,” said Custer, driver of the No. 00 Autodesk Ford Mustang fielded by Stewart-Haas Racing. “I drove it maybe five car-lengths deeper than I did all day. We side-drafted down the backstretch and got together but it worked out.

“I can’t believe it. Going to Homestead – it’s awesome. We haven’t won all year but have been so close. This is the perfect time to do it. We had this fairly long winless streak and you begin to question everything you’re doing. Today, I was put in a situation to make something happen and it worked out. But you’ve got to put yourself in that situation in the first place.”

Custer, 20, scored his second Xfinity Series victory in 69 career starts but first of 2018. It also was his first win and fourth top-five finish in four starts at “The Great American Speedway.”

“He drove his butt off that last restart,” crew chief Jeff Meendering said of Custer. “He knew he had to be aggressive … stepped it up and that’s what we can do the rest of the year now. I got a lot of confidence going into Homestead.”

The final shootout was set up following a restart on Lap 198 after the race’s record 13th caution for a seven-car melee in Turn 4. The former series record for cautions of 10 was set on March 29, 2003. Starting on the inside lane, Reddick jumped out to an early lead, followed by Custer and fellow-Playoff contender Austin Cindric. Moments after completing Lap 199, Custer pointed the front end of his Ford under Reddick’s No. 9 BurgerFi Chevrolet Camaro SS through the track’s reconfigured/wider Turn 1-2 section and cleanly took the lead.

“It’s very treacherous,” Reddick, a series rookie, said of the Turn 2 exit. “You got to get all you can off that corner … but at the same time, it can put you in a bad spot and tear up some stuff.” Reddick’s 18th top-10 result of 2018 moved him into the point lead by seven over previous leader/JR Motorsports teammate Elliott Sadler, who finished eighth in the No. 1 OneMain Financial Camaro.

The record 13 caution periods consumed 54 laps, starting with a nine-car mishap on Lap 2 triggered by the spinning car of pole-sitter/Playoff contender Christopher Bell. Ironically, Bell crashed out of the previous Playoff race at the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway two weeks ago. At TMS, he rallied from his opening spin but ultimately was forced to retire after contact with Cindric put Bell into the Turn 4 wall on Lap 134. Bell’s No. 20 GameStop NBA 2K19 Toyota Camry suffered extensive suspension damage en route to a 32nd-place finish.

Bell said he was “caught off-guard” by the Turn 1 spin. “You saw the same thing from the No. 7 (Justin Allgaier) at Kansas,” said Bell, of Joe Gibbs Racing. “I didn’t feel like I was up to speed at all. The next thing I knew, I spun out. I don’t know, it has to be the tire combination. It’s tricky. There wasn’t much room for error.”

Despite his poor finish, Bell was upbeat about his chances at the 1-mile ISM Raceway in Avondale, Ariz., near Phoenix next week. “I won six races this year,” said Bell, the Norman, Okla., native who considers TMS his home track. “I’ve had a great season. We had a solid GameStop Camry today. We got a chance to win two more.”

Reddick led a race-high four times for 54 laps, while Custer also led four times but for only 16 laps. Hemric, who led three times for 42 laps in the No. 21 South Point Hotel & Casino Camaro, is third in the point standings following his 10th-place finish. Hemric, of Richard Childress Racing, is eight points behind Reddick but only one behind Sadler.

Playoff contender Allgaier led twice for 37 laps before finishing fifth in the No. 7 Suave MEN Chevrolet fielded by JR Motorsports. Allgaier occupies the fourth and final cutoff spot for Homestead, 20 points behind Reddick and 12 behind Hemric. Allgaier is only two points ahead of fifth-place Matt Tifft, who finished seventh Saturday in his No. 2 Andersons’s Maple Syrup Chevy, also fielded by RCR.

Custer is sixth in points but doesn’t have to count now that he is set for HMS. Bell, meanwhile, faces a must-win situation at ISM Raceway next week. He is 42 points behind the leader and 18 behind Custer.

Cindric, the final Playoff contender, is eighth in points after his third-place finish in the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford fielded by Team Penske. Cindric also faces a must-win scenario next week as he is 69 points behind Reddick and 27 behind Bell.

“After everything that happened today, this is great,” Cindric said after his second top-10 finish in two races at TMS. “I would have just been happy to finish the thing not in the fence. Every opportunity to be in the middle of something it seemed we were there. It is just perseverance by everyone. The guys over the wall did an amazing job getting the right front fender fixed (after opening-lap contact). We almost had a tire go down because of it.

“I’m really thankful to still be in the Playoffs and still have a shot to win a race. We were a few bumps and bangs away from really benefiting from that one. I was yelling all the way down the backstretch for something to happen (on the final lap). I’m thankful to everyone at Team Penske for really pushing hard this weekend. Obviously, it’s no doubt that these guys are the best in the business. To be able to unload a backup car and have a top three finish is unheard of.

“I’m really pumped. I’m ready to go to Phoenix and go put on a show and have a little fun.”
November 3, 2018