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Category: Truck Series

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series news and information

  • Weekend schedule for Phoenix 2020 season finale

    Weekend schedule for Phoenix 2020 season finale

    The NASCAR Cup, Xfinity and Truck Series all head to Phoenix Raceway this weekend for the 2020 championship season finale.

    Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin will be competing for the Cup Series Championship while Chase Briscoe, Austin Cindric, Justin Allgaier and Justin Haley vie for the Xfinity Series title.

    Brett Moffitt, Sheldon Creed, Grant Enfinger and Zane Smith will contend for the Truck Series 2020 championship.

    All times are Eastern.

    Friday, November 6
    8 p.m.: Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Lucas Oil 150 race (Stages 45/90/150 Laps = 150 Miles) FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Pole: Grant Enfinger

    Saturday, November 7
    2 p.m.: ARCA Menards Series West Arizona Lottery 100 race (100 Laps, 100 Miles) Trackpass/MRN
    5 p.m.: Xfinity Series Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 200 race (Stages 45/90/200 Laps = 200 Miles) NBCSN/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Pole: Justin Allgaier

    Sunday, November 8
    3 p.m.: Cup Series Season Finale 500 race (Stages 75/190/312 Laps = 312 Miles) NBC/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Pole: Chase Elliott

  • Four Takeaways from the NASCAR Truck Series Race at Martinsville

    Four Takeaways from the NASCAR Truck Series Race at Martinsville

    The NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series visited Martinsville Speedway last Friday night for their second to last race of the 2020 season and the final event before the Championship 4 race at Phoenix Raceway.

    Two playoff spots were up for grabs as only two drivers (Sheldon Creed and Brett Moffitt) were already locked in based on their wins in the Round of 8. The two final positions were changing with a different driver almost every single lap. At different points during the race, Matt Crafton held one of the spots while Austin Hill was in too. Unfortunately for both drivers, they would miss the Championship 4 due to problems.

    Grant Enfinger, in a must-win situation, took the checkered flag after the 200 laps were completed. Enfinger is one of the Championship 4 participants and Zane Smith collected the last spot based on points.

    As the focus is normally the playoff drivers this time of the year, we’ll take a look at some other stories we may have missed during the Truck Series race at Martinsville last Friday night.

    1. Austin Hill Returns For 2021 Campaign – It was announced during the FOX Sports 1 prerace show on Friday night that Austin Hill would return to the No. 16 Hattori Racing Enterprises Toyota Tundra for the 2021 season. Hill has had great success with HRE Racing by capturing six career wins including his first at Daytona last year. The Georgian has been close to advancing to the final four many times but hasn’t found that lucky moment to get him over the hump. Unfortunately, Friday’s announcement wouldn’t be lucky for Hill, as he was out of the race early with an engine problem, prematurely ending his bid for a Championship 4 spot.
    2. Stewart Friesen’s Respectable Performance – 2020 has been a strange year for Stewart Friesen and the No. 52 Halmar Racing team. The Canadian has yet to win any races this season and unless something major happens, that drought will continue into 2021. However, Friesen showed some promise on Friday night by winning his first stage victory of the year. The last time he won a stage before Martinsville was last year at Talladega when he won the second stage in the Surglands Shine 250 last October. When all was said and done Friday night, Friesen finished sixth and gained his 11th Top 10 of the year.
    3. Wrecks, Wrecks and More Wrecks – While wrecks were to be expected in a typical Martinsville Truck Series race, there seemed to be more than usual Friday night. The cause of it? No one will really ever know but championship contender Zane Smith compared the race to a “Bowman Gray like atmosphere.” There were 11 cautions for 82 laps which equals to 41% of the race running under caution and only an average of 9.8 green-flag runs. This year’s number of cautions nearly matches the 2019 fall race where 12 cautions for 80 laps were seen. Perhaps Martinsville being the final elimination race of the season had something to do with the craziness we saw Friday night.
    4. Danny Bohn Earns First Career Top 10 Finish – Danny Bohn is normally a name that continues to fly under the radar in the Truck Series. Bohn, the former NASCAR Whelen Modified star, has been competing in the Truck Series on a part-time basis this season with just nine starts to his credit. Before Martinsville, Bohn originally had a best finish of 16th at Gateway earlier in the summer. Come last Friday, the New Jersey native finished seventh for the first-ever Top 10 finish in his career. But the finish shouldn’t be too surprising since Bohn has competed on short tracks across the country in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Series.
  • GMS Racing Gander Trucks Phoenix Preview

    GMS Racing Gander Trucks Phoenix Preview

    Sheldon Creed, No. 2 Trench Shoring / Chevy Accessories Chevrolet Silverado
    Phoenix Raceway Gander Trucks Stats
    – Starts: 2, Best start: 3, Best finish: 10, Laps led: 16

    2020 Gander Trucks Stats
    – Starts: 22, Wins: 4, Best start: 1, Best finish: 1, Top 5s: 8, Top 10s: 12, Stage Wins: 11, Laps led: 560

    Notes:

    – Sheldon Creed has qualified for the Championship 4 for the first time in his career and enters the season finale as the number one seed.
    – Creed and the No. 2 team will compete with chassis No. 327 this weekend in Phoenix. Creed has three starts with this chassis in 2020 including a win at Gateway in August.
    – Creed has a series high 11 stage wins and 560 laps led in 2020.

    Quote:

    “I’m pumped heading into Phoenix. We had a decent run here last year and our teammate won so we have some good notes to go off of. My guys have built me fast trucks all year and I know this week will be the same. We’re going to go out there and leave it all on the line and hopefully walk away with another win and a championship.”

    Zane Smith, No. 21 Michael Roberts Construction Chevrolet Silverado
    Phoenix Raceway Gander Trucks Stats
    – No prior Gander Trucks starts at Phoenix Raceway.

    2020 Gander Trucks Stats
    – Starts: 22, Wins: 2, Best start: 1, Best finish: 1, Top 5s: 6, Top 10s: 12, Laps led: 328, Stage wins: 5

    Notes:

    – Zane Smith is set to make his first Gander Trucks start at Phoenix Raceway. The rookie has a pair of top-five finishes in the November 2019 Xfinity Series race and the 2020 ARCA race at the track.
    – Smith and the No. 21 team will compete with chassis No. 330 on Friday in Phoenix. Smith has led 120 laps in five starts with this chassis this season, including his trip to victory lane at Dover in August.
    – Smith is the only rookie to qualify for the Championship 4 and enters the season finale as the number four seed.

    Quote:

    “It’s so cool to be able to compete for a championship in my rookie season. We’ve known all year that we need to work together as a team, and that’s what’s gotten us to this point with three GMS trucks in the final four. Phoenix is one of my favorite racetracks and I had a strong finish in Xfinity last year and ARCA this year. Friday night is going to be competitive, but I’m ready to go chase a win and my first championship.”

    Brett Moffitt, No. 23 Plan B Sales Chevrolet Silverado
    Phoenix Raceway Gander Trucks Stats
    – Starts: 2, Best start: 5, Best finish: 1, Top 5s: 1, Top 10s: 2, Laps led: 19

    2020 Gander Trucks Stats
    – Starts: 22, Wins: 1, Best start: 1, Best finish: 1, Top 5s: 10, Top 10s: 15, Laps led: 391, Stage Wins: 6

    Notes:

    – Brett Moffitt’s No. 23 PlanB Sales Silverado will be a tribute to retiring seven-time NASCAR cup Series Champion, Jimmie Johnson, and a throwback to the infamous No. 48 Chevrolet he piloted in 2007, for his second Cup title.
    – Moffitt will compete for his second Gander Trucks championship on Friday night and is seeded third in the standings entering the season finale. This is the third consecutive year that Moffitt has qualified for the Championship 4.
    – Moffitt and the No. 23 team will compete with chassis No. 328 this weekend in Phoenix. Moffitt has two top-five finishes and 50 laps led in three starts with this chassis this season.
    – Moffitt has one win at Phoenix Raceway in 2018.

    Quote:

    “Friday night is all about winning and taking home that second championship. I won here in 2018 so I know what it takes to do make it to victory lane at Phoenix Raceway. This team has worked hard all year to be consistent and make it to this point, now we’ve just got to go out finish the job with another win.”

    Sam Mayer, No. 24 All Weather Armour Chevrolet Silverado
    Phoenix Raceway Gander Trucks Stats
    – Starts: 1

    2020 Gander Trucks Stats
    – Starts: 5, Wins: 1, Best start: 15, Best finish: 1, Top 5s: 2, Laps led: 54

    Notes:

    – Sam Mayer has one prior Gander Trucks start at Phoenix Raceway in 2019. Mayer started on pole for the 2019 ARCA West race and led 63 laps.
    – Mayer and the No. 24 team will compete with chassis No. 312 this week in Phoenix. Teammate Zane Smith competed with this chassis at Gateway earlier this season. This chassis finished in the top 10 three times in five starts in 2019 for GMS.
    – Mayer will pull double duty this weekend, competing in the ARCA West Series race on Saturday morning.

    Quote:

    “Coming off a roller coaster of a weekend at Martinsville, we just have to put our head down and get to work. It’s cool that we have three of our GMS teammates in the final four, and I hope that they can get the championship. My primary goal for Friday night is to win and prove myself for next year. I can’t thank GMS enough for the great year I’ve had with them in the Truck Series.”

    Tyler Ankrum, No. 26 LiUNA! Chevrolet Silverado
    Phoenix Raceway Gander Trucks Stats
    – Starts: 2, Best finish: 6, Top 10s: 1

    2020 Gander Trucks Stats
    – Starts: 22, Best start: 2, Best finish: 2, Top 5s: 3, Top 10s: 9, Laps led: 54, Stage wins: 1

    Notes:

    – Tyler Ankrum will return to run full-time for GMS Racing in the Gander Trucks in 2021.
    – Ankrum and the No. 26 team will utilize chassis No. 311 at Phoenix. Ankrum has one top-five finish in two starts with this chassis in 2020.

    Quote:

    “I’m bummed we’re not in the hunt for a championship anymore, but I’m proud my teammates for representing GMS in the final four. My guys on the 26 team bring fast trucks to the track every week and I know this week will be the same. We still have a bit of unfinished business this year and that’s to go out and win a race on Friday night.”

    ABOUT GMS RACING

    GMS Racing competes full-time in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series with drivers Brett Moffitt, Sheldon Creed, Tyler Ankrum and Zane Smith as well as part-time with David Gravel and Chase Purdy. The team also competes in the ARCA Racing Series with Sam Mayer. Since the team began in 2014, GMS Racing won the 2016 Gander Trucks Championship, the 2019 ARCA East championship and has grown to occupy several buildings located in Statesville, N.C. The campus also includes operations for GMS Fabrication. More information can be found at https://gmsracing.net/.

    SOCIAL MEDIA

    To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow GMS Racing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

  • NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series Power Rankings – Martinsville II

    NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series Power Rankings – Martinsville II

    With just one race left before the Championship 4 event at Phoenix International Raceway, Truck Series drivers and teams were vying for the final two spots in the Playoffs. Two of those spots were already claimed by GMS Racing drivers Sheldon Creed and 2018 Truck Series Champion Brett Moffitt.

    Positions third and fourth were up for grabs as six drivers were desperately trying to lock themselves in to fight for a championship spot with only two still available. At some points during the race it looked as though Austin Hill would race his way in, but due to engine woes, the Georgian would be out of the race early and his championship hopes were eliminated, as well. Despite six cautions making up the final stage, at the conclusion of the 200 laps, it was rookie Zane Smith and race winner Grant Enfinger who took the last two spots and earned a shot to win the championship.

    However, there were other drivers like Austin Hill who was once inside the cut line but now find themselves having to wait until next year to try again. We’ll take a look at this week’s Power Rankings following the Martinsville Truck Series race.

    1. Grant Enfinger – After years of trying, Grant Enfinger finally can make a bid for the Truck Series championship after being so close to advancing when the Championship 4 format was implemented. Enfinger was in a must-win situation heading into Martinsville, or in a worst-case scenario, needed a lot of help from other playoff drivers who experienced trouble throughout the night. Fortunately for Enfinger, he didn’t have any trouble at all in the race, aside from lining up behind the race leaders at one point during one of the late cautions. The Alabaman reclaimed the lead with just two laps to go, and never looked back, and ultimately advanced to the Championship 4 for the first time in his career. In addition, he led 49 laps and finished eighth and third, respectively, in Stage 1 and 2.

      Previous Week Ranking – Third
    2. Zane Smith – Smith led 20 laps before coming home with his sixth and most important top-five of the season. His finish was enough to get him locked into the Championship 4 at Phoenix. Smith was in a position to possibly win the race at some points. But his main objective was to fend off Matt Crafton to get the position, which he did, as Crafton finished behind Smith in the running order. Now, Smith will have to overcome his biggest challenge yet and that is to win the championship over his GMS Racing teammates at Phoenix.

      Previous Week Ranking – Fourth
    3. Sheldon Creed – Despite bringing out the caution at Lap 176, Creed rebounded to an eighth-place finishing position for his 12th Top 10 of the year. Creed won the first stage and led 65 laps en route to his eighth-place position. He will also be racing for his first championship alongside his teammate Zane Smith.

      Previous Week Ranking – First
    4. Matt Crafton – While it was a disappointing finish in Crafton’s eyes, it could have certainly been worse, such as not finishing the race. The ThorSport driver had the lead at certain moments in the race, including at one point when he was one of the four hopefuls to fight for the championship. He led six laps and finished second in both stages before finishing fifth in the running order for his ninth top-five of the season. Unfortunately for Crafton, he finished behind Zane Smith and that was not good enough to move on to defend his 2019 Truck Series Championship.

      Previous Week Ranking – Fifth
    5. Ben Rhodes – Rhodes came home in the second position after starting seventh. He was one of the unlucky ones that did not advance to the Championship 4, missing the position by one spot. Despite not advancing, the Kentucky native collected his ninth top-five of the year.

    Fell Out

    1. Austin Hill – Engines woes eliminated Austin Hill from championship contention and he was credited with a 35th place finish. Hill was above the cut line heading into the race and most likely would have been racing for the championship, had the engine not expired on his No. 16 Toyota. However, like many others, he will have to wait until next year to try again for the championship.

      Previous Week Ranking – Second
  • Grant Enfinger scores Martinsville victory, locks into Championship 4

    Grant Enfinger scores Martinsville victory, locks into Championship 4

    Despite a bundle of late-race cautions in the final 20 laps on Friday night at Martinsville, Grant Enfinger, who was in a must-win situation, held off his ThorSport teammate Ben Rhodes to claim his spot in the Championship 4 by winning the NASCAR Hall of Fame 200.

    “It was tough; we knew we were going to have to take our gloves off and fight for this one,” Enfinger said after celebrating with his team. “It’s been an up and down season for us, but we tended to peak when we needed to. And now I feel really good about our chances at Phoenix.”

    No Trucks were sent to the rear following prerace inspection and Sheldon Creed was on the pole based on the metric system. Stages of 50-50-100 made up the 200-lap event.

    Stage 1: Lap 1 – Lap 50

    When the green flag flew, the battle for the lead was between GMS drivers Sheldon Creed and Zane Smith with Creed taking the lead on Lap 12 and leading through the early portions of the race. Three cautions would slow the first stage. The first yellow came on Lap 14 with a major stack up on the frontstretch. Tanner Gray was spun after contact from the No. 02 of Tate Fogleman. Others involved included Ray Ciccarelli, Danny Bohn, Trevor Bayne and Codie Rohrbaugh.

    During the pit stops, Bayne was penalized for removing equipment while Rohrbaugh was penalized for pitting too soon.

    Another yellow flew on Lap 49 when the No. 44 of Natalie Decker was bumped from behind by the No. 3 of Jordan Anderson. From there, a 19 lap green-flag run occurred before Clay Greenfield in the No. 68 spun in Turn 3, bringing out a late-stage yellow and ending the first stage under caution. Sheldon Creed took the stage victory with Crafton, Sauter, Zane Smith, Rhodes, Moffitt, Eckes, Enfinger, Lessard, and Friesen completing the Top 10 stage finishers.

    Stage 2: Lap 59 – Lap 100

    A lot of action was seen throughout Stage 2 including problems for Austin Hill in the No. 16. Hill, who recently announced his return to Hattori Racing in 2021, began experiencing engine-related issues as his truck began shutting off and on.

    Meanwhile, two drivers had tire issues. On Lap 72, Parker Kligerman in the No. 75, had a left-front tire go down after contact with Austin Hill, while the race leader, Sheldon Creed, experienced a left-rear flat.

    Fortunately for Kligerman and Creed, both drivers caught a break a few laps later when the No. 68 of Greenfield would once again bring the caution out in Turn 3. During the caution, problems continued to get worse for Hill as the team attempted to diagnose his engine problem. The issue was found during a Lap 90 caution, as it was reported that Hill had a dead cylinder.

    Unfortunately for the Georgia native, the truck quit running on Lap 117 and he was credited with a 35th place finish which ended any chance of making it to the Championship 4.

    The stage would restart with two to go on Lap 98 and featured exciting action as Stewart Friesen in the No. 52 picked up his first stage win of the 2020 season. Crafton, Enfinger, Lessard, Moffitt, Ankrum, Eckes, Sauter, Hocevar, and Rhodes were the Top 10.

    it was at this very moment, we would see Enfinger’s first glimpse at the lead, as the No. 98 team used a different pit strategy during the stage break, staying out to assume the lead for the Stage 3 restart.

    Stage 3: Lap 112 – Lap 200

    As in most cases, Stage 3 saw the most action and the most yellows with six yellows flown through the remaining 88 laps.

    It would seem as though once a restart took place, another yellow would ensue which created a couple of harrowing moments for Enfinger who was trying to race his way in for a Championship 4 spot. On a Lap 161 restart, his teammate Johnny Sauter spun his tires and fell back to 18th with Enfinger right on his back bumper. Enfinger wrestled the lead away but was once again involved in a caution with 25 to go when Sheldon Creed, who was battling with Enfinger, got spun in Turn 4 after contact by the No. 98 truck.

    Things weren’t looking so great for Enfinger with the restart that came with 10 to go, as he restarted in the fourth position with some stronger trucks in front of him, including Raphael Lessard and Brett Moffitt. But the Alabaman caught a lucky break just one lap later when the No. 4 of Lessard wrecked in Turn 2 with contact from the No. 99 of Rhodes after Rhodes was caught from behind by the No. 23 of Moffitt.

    Following the yellow, the restart came with two laps to go with Enfinger and Rhodes making up the front row and both needing a victory to advance to the Championship 4. As fate would have it, Enfinger fended off Rhodes and got his fourth win of the year.

    Rhodes, unfortunately, finished second and would miss out on making the Championship 4 by just one position.

    “We had a shot, but first off, congrats to Grant they worked their butts off all year,” Rhodes said of his teammate. “They have three wins, this is their fourth, they deserve it. We were racing as hard as we can. Didn’t have the speed we needed but we hung around and my team had good strategy all day long. It’s just unfortunate.”

    There were 11 cautions for 82 laps and 16 lead changes among nine different leaders.

    Those racing for the championship include Sheldon Creed, Brett Moffitt, Grant Enfinger and Zane Smith. The driver who has the has the best finish of these four contenders next week at Phoenix International Raceway will win the Truck Series championship.

    Official Results following the NASCAR Hall of Fame 200 at Martinsville Speedway.

    1. Grant Enfinger, led 49 laps
    2. Ben Rhodes, led one lap
    3. Zane Smith, led 20 laps
    4. Christian Eckes
    5. Matt Crafton, led six laps
    6. Stewart Friesen, won Stage 2, led five laps
    7. Danny Bohn
    8. Sheldon Creed, won Stage 1, led 65 laps
    9. Austin Wayne Self
    10. Derek Kraus
    11. Trevor Bayne
    12. Tyler Ankrum
    13. Carson Hocevar, led five laps
    14. Timmy Hill
    15. Spencer Boyd
    16. Dawson Cram
    17. Brandon Jones
    18. Sam Mayer, OUT, Crash
    19. Jordan Anderson, 1 lap down
    20. Raphael Lessard, 1 lap down
    21. Clay Greenfield, 2 laps down
    22. B.J. McLeod, 2 laps down
    23. Johnny Sauter, 3 laps down
    24. Parker Kligerman, 4 laps down
    25. Ray Ciccarelli, 4 laps down
    26. Norm Benning, 4 laps down
    27. Natalie Decker, 5 laps down
    28. Brett Moffitt, OUT, Crash
    29. Jennifer Jo Cobb, 26 laps down
    30. Ryan Truex, 31 laps down
    31. Tanner Gray, OUT, Damage Vehicle Policy
    32. Todd Gilliland, OUT, Overheating
    33. Spencer Davis, OUT, Brakes
    34. Codie Rohrbaugh, OUT, Overheating
    35. Austin Hill, OUT, Engine
    36. Tate Fogleman, OUT, Crash
    37. Josh Reaume, OUT, Transmission

    Up Next: The NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series will head to their final race of the season to decide a champion at Phoenix International Raceway on Friday, Nov. 6 live on FOX Sports 1 and MRN Radio.

  • Weekend schedule for Martinsville Speedway-2

    Weekend schedule for Martinsville Speedway-2

    NASCAR heads to Martinsville Speedway this weekend to determine who will advance to the Championship 4 season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

    Joey Logano is the only Cup Series driver already locked into the Playoffs, leaving three open spots. In the Xfinity Series Chase Briscoe is the only driver that has clinched a spot with his win at Kansas Speedway. Sheldon Creed and Brett Moffitt have secured their place in the Truck Series, leaving two available spots for the Playoffs.

    All times are Eastern.

    Friday, Oct. 30

    8 p.m.: NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series NASCAR Hall of Fame 200 Race (Stages 60/120/200 Laps = 175 Miles) FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Pole: Sheldon Creed

    Saturday, Oct. 31

    3:30 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Draft Top 250 race (Stages 70/140/250 Laps = 131.5 Miles) NBC/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Pole: Austin Cindric

    Sunday, Nov. 1

    2 p.m.: NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 (Stages 125/250/500 Laps = 266.5 Miles) NBC/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Pole: Brad Keselowski

  • Sheldon Creed locks into Championship 4 with Texas Victory

    Sheldon Creed locks into Championship 4 with Texas Victory

    With just three races left in the 2020 Truck Series season, Texas Motor Speedway was the site for race No. 2 in the Round of 8 Playoffs.

    Sheldon Creed won in an overtime restart after fending off a hard-charging Austin Hill late in the going. Creed had one of the dominate trucks throughout the race, winning Stage 1, before taking the lead once again inside 15 to go and claiming the third victory of his career.

    “Two trucks locked in for the organization, that’s awesome and hopefully we can get the other two (Zane Smith and Tyler Ankrum) or at least one more next weekend,” Creed said. “Hard racing today. Man, it’s crazy. We’ve just been working for this all year, and I feel like I’ve improved so much and put so much work into this. Man, going to Martinsville stress-free is so nice.”

    Stage 1: Lap 1 – Lap 35

    The first stage was relatively calm until two laps to go. The No. 49 of Timothy Viens brought out the first accident of the day when Viens hit the Turn 4 wall. With the caution coming out so late in the stage, NASCAR officials decided to end the stage under yellow, which gave Creed the stage victory. Austin Hill, Moffitt, Rhodes, Crafton, Chandler Smith, Eckes, Zane Smith, Enfinger, and Gilliland completed the Top 10.

    Stage 2: Lap 40 – Lap 71

    After the restart for Stage 2, the No. 40 Niece Motorsports truck of Ryan Truex was penalized for a restart violation. Truex would later be out of the race due to a broken trackbar.

    A few moments later on Lap 42, the No. 68 of Clay Greenfield had hard contact with the Turn 2 wall following an incident with the No. 56 of Tyler Hill. One more caution would fly on Lap 53 when the No. 02 of Tate Fogleman crashed off the exit of Turn 4.

    The restart came on Lap 57 with playoff driver Matt Crafton passing Creed for the lead on Lap 65. Crafton hung onto the top spot and won the second stage over Creed. Rhodes, Zane Smith, Kraus, Chandler Smith, Eckes, Austin Hill, Enfinger, and Moffitt wrapped up the Top 10.

    Stage 3: Lap 77 – Lap 152

    The third and final stage had the most incidents of the afternoon with six cautions during the last stage.

    The first of those yellows occurred at Lap 93 as the No. 98 of Grant Enfinger was in a must-win situation going into Martinsville. The No. 98 ended up blowing up with smoke down the backstretch creating the fifth yellow of the day.

    As the race wore down, tempers started to heat up between drivers, especially Ben Rhodes and Chandler Smith who were involved in incidents. First, on Lap 107, Rhodes blocked Gilliland’s strong run going into Turns 1 and 2 causing Gilliland to crash hard in the Turn 2 wall. Then later in the race on Lap 146, the Kentucky native intentionally turned the No. 18 of Christian Eckes on the frontstretch creating the second to last yellow of the race.

    Meanwhile, Chandler Smith was involved in an accident with the No. 15 of Tanner Gray at Lap 118. Smith’s day went from bad to worse when the left-rear tire fell off the No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota Tundra machine following a pit stop for repairs.

    When the yellow flew for the Rhodes and Eckes accident, it brought out the 11th overtime restart in Texas Motor Speedway Truck Series history.

    The late-race yellow would necessitate a restart on Lap 151, past the scheduled distance of 147 laps.

    Nonetheless, Sheldon Creed was able to punch his Championship 4 ticket by holding off Austin Hill for the victory and joining his GMS Racing teammate Brett Moffitt at Phoenix.

    There were 10 cautions for 49 laps and 14 lead changes among six different drivers.

    Creed led eight times for 131 laps en route to victory and picked up six playoff points.

    Official Results following the SpeedyCash.com 400 at Texas Motor Speedway.

    1. Sheldon Creed, won Stage 1, led 131 laps, Advanced Championship 4
    2. Austin Hill (Playoff driver), led one lap
    3. Zane Smith (Playoff driver)
    4. Raphael Lessard
    5. Brett Moffitt (Playoff driver), Already advanced to Championship 4
    6. Matt Crafton (Playoff driver), won Stage 2, led 13 laps
    7. Austin Wayne Self
    8. Dylan Lupton
    9. Derek Kraus, led two laps
    10. Tanner Gray
    11. Tyler Hill
    12. Chase Purdy
    13. Jordan Anderson
    14. Spencer Boyd
    15. James Buescher
    16. Tyler Ankrum (Playoff driver)
    17. Danny Bohn
    18. Dawson Cram
    19. Josh Bilicki, OUT, Crash
    20. Ben Rhodes, led one lap, 1 lap down
    21. Chandler Smith, 1 lap down
    22. Ray Ciccarelli, 1 lap down
    23. Johnny Sauter, 2 laps down
    24. Jennifer Jo Cobb, 3 laps down
    25. Christian Eckes, OUT, Crash
    26. Norm Benning, 9 laps down
    27. Josh Reaume, OUT, Brakes
    28. Stewart Friesen, OUT, Crash
    29. Trevor Bayne, OUT, Engine
    30. Natalie Decker, OUT, Vibration
    31. Todd Gilliland, OUT, Crash
    32. Grant Enfinger, OUT, Engine
    33. Tate Fogleman, OUT, Crash
    34. Ryan Truex, OUT, Suspension
    35. Clay Greenfield, OUT, Crash
    36. Trey Hutchens, OUT, Ignition
    37. Tim Viens, OUT, Crash

    Up Next: The NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series will continue their playoff schedule with the last race in the Round of 8 at Martinsville Speedway Friday night, Oct. 30th, live on FOX Sports 1 and MRN Radio.

  • Weekend schedule for Texas

    Weekend schedule for Texas

    NASCAR heads to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend for Race 2 in the Round of 8 as the Playoffs continue.

    Among the active drivers in the Cup Series, Jimmie Johnson has seven wins while Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch have three wins each at Texas. Matt Kenseth has won twice at the 1.5-mile track. Kurt Busch, Joey Logano, Ryan Newman and Austin Dillon each have one previous win.

    Last weekend’s winners at Kansas Speedway, Logano in the Cup Series, Chase Briscoe in the Xfinity Series and Brett Moffitt in the Truck Series, have clinched a spot in the Championship 4.

    All times are Eastern.

    Saturday, Oct. 24

    4:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 (Stages 45/90/200 Laps = 300 Miles) NBCSN/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Pole: Chase Briscoe

    Sunday, Oct. 25

    Noon: Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 400 (STAGES 35/70/147 Laps = 220.5 Miles) FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Pole: Sheldon Creed

    3:30 p.m.: Cup Series Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 (Stages 105/210/334 Laps = 501 Miles) NBCSN/PRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
    Pole: Kevin Harvick

  • NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series Power Rankings – Kansas II

    NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series Power Rankings – Kansas II

    In a rare event, the Truck Series competed for the second time at Kansas Speedway, after two previous races on July 24 and 25 earlier this season. Brett Moffitt won Saturday afternoon after a battle with his GMS Racing teammate Zane Smith.

    Moffitt blocked Smith going into Turns 3 and 4, causing Smith to go sideways and bringing out a late-race yellow. Despite the contact between the teammates, Moffitt is now in the Championship 4 for a third consecutive year dating back to his championship year in 2018.

    Smith, however, lost out on an opportunity after having the dominant truck and leading 37 laps, only to finish 11th. The Huntington Beach, CA native now sits fourth in the standings, only seven points above the cut line. The next two races at Texas and Martinsville won’t be easy for Smith but if he can manage his own race and win a couple of stages, he looks good to make the Championship 4 as long as he does not suffer any engine failures or other issues along the way.

    With Moffitt winning for the 12th time in his career, we’ll take a look at how others did following Saturday’s race at Kansas Speedway.

    1. Sheldon Creed – Had there been one more lap, we could have been a different story in terms of a winner. Sheldon Creed had the best truck early on throughout the first two stages of the race, sweeping them both. Creed led a race-high of 61 laps en route to a second-place finish, earning his seventh top five of the season. Currently, Creed is 26 points above the cut line and could lock himself into the Championship 4 in the next two races.

      Previous Week Ranking – Fourth
    2. Austin Hill – Despite the contact with competitor Christian Eckes, the No. 16 Hattori Racing Enterprises team rebounded to a third-place finish after fixing damage during a long pit stop under a stage break. Aside from the contact, Hill led 13 laps and ended up with his 10th top five of the year. Though the finish was probably disappointing after winning here back in July, Hill sits somewhat comfortably, 19 points above the cut line in third.

      Previous Week Ranking – Fifth
    3. Grant Enfinger – It was somewhat a quiet Kansas outing in Enfinger’s camp after winding up fourth for his seventh top-five of the 2020 season. The Alabaman finished inside the Top 10 in both stages with finishes of seventh and 10th respectively. However, things will begin to get tight for the No. 98 team as Enfinger sits seven points below the cut line, among the first to possibly be eliminated. But, as usual, anything can and will happen in racing over the next two weeks. Still, not a bad finish by Enfinger.

      Previous Week Ranking – Second
    4. Zane Smith – Smith came close to his third victory of the year if not for the late-race contact with his teammate Moffitt and could have been fighting for his first championship. While the 11th place finish was certainly frustrating, the California native had a strong race going up to that point. Smith finished fourth in Stage 1 and second in Stage 2. Unfortunately, he could never rebound for a Top 10 finish despite putting four fresh tires on following the spin, prior to the original final lap.

      Previous Week Ranking – Not Ranked
    5. Matt Crafton – A ninth-place finish was all Crafton could do in his No. 88 Ford F-150 Saturday afternoon at Kansas. In Stage 1 and Stage 2, he finished fifth and sixth respectively. Though the ThorSport driver will more than likely have to win at either Texas or Martinsville if the defending champion wants to defend his title again as he is 15 points below the cut line.

      Previous Week Ranking – First

    Fell Out

    1. Ben Rhodes – Hurting his playoff chances on Saturday was Ben Rhodes and the No. 99 ThorSport team. The Kentucky native now faces a must-win situation (33 below the cut line) after being penalized twice for too many men over the pit wall while under the damaged vehicle policy. Rhodes’ final finishing position was 20th, three laps down.

      Previous Week Ranking – Third
  • Four Takeaways from the NASCAR Truck Series race at Kansas

    Four Takeaways from the NASCAR Truck Series race at Kansas

    Following a one-week hiatus, the NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series returned to action Saturday afternoon on a windy day at Kansas Speedway.

    The Clean Harbors 200 was the opening round for the Round of 8 Playoffs and we already know one driver who will be in the Championship 4 at Phoenix, that being Brett Moffitt. Moffitt will be looking for the second Truck Series championship of his career.

    The focus of the race was on Moffitt and the playoff drivers but we will also discuss other takeaways after the 20th race of the 2020 Truck Series season.

    1. Hailie Deegan Full-Time In 2021 – It was only a matter of time before Deegan would eventually make her way up the ladder in one of NASCAR’s three touring brands. The California native competed in her first Truck Series start Saturday afternoon, driving in the No. 17 DGR-Crosley Ford F-150 and coming home to a 16th place finish, one lap down. During the race, Ford Performance had announced that their developmental driver, Deegan, will be going full-time in the Truck Series next year starting at Daytona. Deegan just wrapped up her first full season in the ARCA Menards Series, earning four top fives and 17 Top 10 finishes while finishing third in points. However, the Truck Series could present a learning curve for Deegan in her first season. Only time will tell how well she adjusts.
    2. Timothy Peters Returns – With Stewart Friesen out of the race in the No. 52 Halmar team (competing in a dirt race), Truck Series ace Timothy Peters piloted the No. 52 on Saturday afternoon. Peters made his first start since Talladega last year driving for Joe Nemechek’s team. The Providence, North Carolina native finished a respectable seventh place after starting 28th. Peters seems to be making one-off and part-time efforts over the last couple of years, but if a competitive ride were to open up for him, it seems likely that a team owner would want Peters as part of their organization. Peters has 11 Truck Series wins to his credit and was a runner-up for the championship in 2012 driving for the now-defunct Red Horse Racing team.
    3. Niece Motorsports Announces James Buescher Return – Speaking of returns, Niece Motorsports announced last week that former Truck Series driver and 2012 series champion James Buescher is slated for a return race at Texas Motor Speedway this Sunday. Buescher’s last series start came five years ago in 2015, driving the No. 31 Bob Newberry entry at Martinsville where he finished seventh after starting 15th.
    4. Tyler Hill Earns Best Season Finish – Tyler Hill drove the No. 56 Hill Motorsports team truck owned by his brother Timmy Hill to a 14th place finish Saturday. The finish marked Tyler’s best so far this season with his previous best coming at Las Vegas where he finished 17th.