The Craftsman Truck Series gets a triple header weekend and a double header Saturday started off with the XPel 225 for the first road course race of the season at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

Thirty-nine teams brought trucks for the race to fill 36 starting spots including Cup Series regulars Ross Chastain, Alex Bowman, Parker Kligerman, and Kyle Busch.

The drivers have 20 minutes for a practice session before being divided into two groups for two 15 minute qualifying sessions.  At the end of each session, the top five drivers will move on to a second round of qualifying where they will have 10 minutes to make a run for the pole.

On his final lap, Sam Lecomte backed into the wall and caused dome damage to his truck.  This is his first time in the Craftsman Truck Series.  Lecomte is one of three drivers that will have to time his way into the race.

Alex Bowman had his qualifying run interrupted with a flat tire. 

Ross Chastain set a new track record for the Truck Series with 2.33.9.

The drivers moving on to the next round of qualifying from Group A are Ross Chastain, Ty Majeski, Nicholas Sanchez, Grant Enfinger, and Tanner Gray.

Stefan Parson has stepped in to practice and qualify the number 12 truck after Spencer Boyd has some traveling issues.

Matt Crafton will not make a qualifying run after a tire issue.

From Group Be, Christian Eckes, Kyle Busch, Carson Hocevar, Zane Smith, and Kaz Grala will move on to round two of qualifying.

Parker Kligerman’s truck has an engine issue – bad oil pan – and the crew will have to change the engine; putting Kligerman at the back of the field for race start.

Posting a time of 133.613 for a new track record, the “Melon Man” Ross Chastain puts his number 41 truck on the pole with Cup Series colleague Kyle Busch starting on the front row.

Mason Massey, Sam Lecomte, and Alex Bowman alls failed to make the race.

The starting lineup for the XPel 225:
Ross Chastain
Kyle Busch
Ty Majeski
Nicholas Sanchez
Christian Eckes
Carson Hocevar
Zane Smith
Grant Enfinger
Tanner Gray
Kaz Grala
Corey Heim
Tyler Ankrum
Ben Rhodes
Logan Bearden
Stewart Friesen
Hailie Deegan
Parker Kligerman
Lawless Alan
Taylor Gray
Rajah Caruth
Chase Purdy
Dean Thompson
Ed Jones
Kaden Honeycutte
Colin Garrett
Spencer Boyd
Colby Howard
Matt DiBenedetto
Timmy Hill
Mason Filippi
Bret Holmes
Jake Garcia
Dale Quarterley
Matt Crafton
Kris Wright
Daniel Dye

Kevin Harvick joins Jamie Little and Michael Waltrip in the FOX broadcast booth for today’s race.

Parker Kligerman, Matt DiBenedetto, and Matt Crafton will all start the race from the back of the field after crews made some unapproved adjustments to the trucks.  Kris Wright, Chase Purdy, Kaden Honeycutt, Spencer Boys, Taylor, Colin Garrett, Bret Holmes, and Daniel Dye will also be starting the race from the back of the field for a total of eleven drivers – nearly a third of the field – starting the race from the back of the field.

Stage one of the race is 12 laps with stage two of the race 14 laps, and stage three lasting 16 laps for a total of 42 laps around the 3.4 mile track.  While there are stages, there will be no caution flags at the end of those stages…except for an on track incident.

On a warm Texas afternoon Ross Chastain brings the field down for the green flag start of the race from the inside lane with Kyle Busch alongside with Chastain getting out in front.  The drivers are already five and six wide going up the hill.

Brett Holmes gets turned around.  Ed Jones has a smoking truck with a possible suspension issue.

Ross Chastain leads the field with Kyle Busch in second; Christian Eckes, Ty Majeski, and Zane Smith round out the top five.

Ed Jones is stopped on the track and brings out the caution flag on laps number two.

A few drivers from the back of the field came down pit road to top off the fuel.

Ross Chastain brings the field down for the green flag restart from the inside lane with Kyle Busch alongside on lap four.  Drivers quickly spread out five and six wide with Ross Chastain and Christian Eckes battling side by side with Eckes getting out in front.

Ross Chastain comes up to battle for the lead with Chastain edging out for the lead.

Lap four the top five are Ross Chastain, Christian Eckes, Zane Smith, Kyle Busch, and Carson Hocevar rounding out the top five.

Lap five, Ross Chastain has a third of a second lead on Christian Eckes; Zane Smith, Kyle Busch, and Carson Hocevar round out the top five.

After starting the race from the back of the field, Matt Crafton has entered the top 15.

Zane Smith and Kyle Busch make contact but the track stays green.

Lap six, Ross Chastain has pulled out to a lead of over a second on Christian Eckes; Zane Smith, Kyle Busch, and Carson Hocevar round out the top five.

Rajah Caruth was charged with cutting the S’s and will have to serve a pass through penalty.

Christian Eckes and Zane Smith continue to battle for the second place spot.

Lap seven, Ross Chastain leads the race by over a second on Christian Eckes with Zane Smith, Kyle Busch, and arson Hocevar rounding out the top five.

Lap eight, Kyle Busch has passed Zane Smith for third.

 Lap eight, Carson Hocevar gets turned around and into the gravel where he is stuck.  Kris Wright also gets turned around.  Hocevar brings out the second caution flag of the race. Hocevar reports power steering and brake issues in his truck.

The drivers are now within their pit windows to make it to the end of the race on one more load of fuel.

Drivers come down pit road for service with Ross Chastain winning the race off of pit road and Kyle Busch in second.  Christian Eckes is among the drivers who stayed out on the track.

Christian Eckes brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap eleven with Ty Majeski alongside.  Drivers are five and six wide going into turn one with Christian Eckes out in front.

Matt Crafton get into the gravel and grass in turn four but gets the truck moving again and back on the track; the track stays green.  Crafton was hit from behind by Hailie Deegan.

Lap eleven, Christian Eckes ahs a lead of over half a second on Ty Majeski; Corey Heim, Kaz Grala, and Tyler Ankrum round out the top five.

Lap 12, Ross Chastain and Kyle Busch are in the top 10.

Carson Hocevar and Ed Jones are off the track with Dean Thompson out of the race.  Matt Crafton brings his truck down pit road for service after his mishap.  He will also be charged with an uncontrolled tire.

Christian Eckes wins stage one.

The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Christian Eckes
Ty Majeski
Corey Heim
Kaz Grala
Tyler Ankrum
Ben Rhodes
Matt DiBenedetto
Ross Chastain
Kyle Busch
Zane Smith

Lap 14 drivers who did not pit during the caution flag come down pit road for their service.  Christian Eckes stalls the truck on pit road and gets a hand from the crew to get it moving.

Ty Majeski leads the race with Kyle Busch on his bumper.

Matt Crafton’s crew pushes the truck to the garage and is out of the race.

Lap 14 Kyle Busch passes Ty Majeski and brings Ross Chastain along.

Lap 16, Kyle Busch leads the race with Ross Chastain in second; Zane Smith, Ty Majeski – who has yet to make a pit stop – and Parker Kligerman round out the top five.

Parker Kligerman reports a number of issues with his truck.

Lap 18, Kyle Busch has a third of a second lead on Ross Chastain; Zane Smith, Ty Majeski, and Parker Kligerman round out the top five.

Hailie Deegan and Lawless Alan battle for ninth.

Spencer Boyd is out of the race.

Lap 19, Ty Majeski and Parker Kligerman battle for fourth.

Lap 20, Kyle Busch and Ross Chastain battle to the lead with Chastain getting out in front.

Tanner Gray was charged with short cutting the course and will have to serve a pass through penalty.

Lap 20, Christian Eckes brings his truck down pit road with a power steering issue.

Lap 21, Ty Majeski makes his scheduled pit stop.

Lap 21, Ross Chastain leads the race with Kyle Busch in second; Zane Smith, Ben Rhodes, and Parker Kligerman round out the top five.

Lap 22, Ben Rhodes comes down pit road for service.

Ross Chastain has pulled out to a lead of over a second and a half on Kyle Busch; Zane Smith, Parker Kligerman, and Lawless Alan round out the top five.

Lap 22, Kaz Grala has yet to make a pit stop.

Lap 23, Kyle Busch comes up to battle with Ross Chastain for the lead and takes the spot.

Kaz Grala makes his pit stop.  Prior to making his pit stop, Grala’s times were half a second slower than at race start.

Ross Chastain is reporting a fuel pressure issue and brings his truck down pit road for service.

Lap 24, three laps remain in stage two, Kyle Busch has a lead of over four seconds on Zane Smith; Parker Kligerman, Lawless Alan, and Colin Garrett round out the top five.

Drivers continue making pit stops.

Kyle Busch wins stage two.

The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Kyle Busch
Zane Smith
Parker Kligerman
Lawless Alan
Stewart Friesen
Hailie Deegan
Kaden Honeycutt
Ross Chastain
Ty Majeski
Ben Rhodes

Parker Kligerman has slowed on the track.  He reports something electrical with smoke in the truck.  The caution flag comes out.

Hailie Deegan and Kaden Honeycutt make contact and get loose.

Parker Kligerman is stopped on the track with a heavily smoking truck and is out of the race.  During qualifying on Friday, the 75 truck had an engine issue with a broken oil pan and had to be changed, sending Kligerman to the back of the field for the start of the race.  He was in third when he started having issues with the truck.

Lap 27, Kyle Busch makes his pit stop; along with some other drivers.  Ross Chastain also comes down pit road with crew members working in the bed of the truck.  Chastain has been reporting fuel pump issues.

With half of the top 10 making a pit stop, Zane Smith is the new leader.

Zane Smith brings the field down for the green flag restart with Ben Rhodes alongside with 13 laps remaining in the race.  Drivers quickly spread out across the track with Zane Smith out in front.  Kyle Busch restarted in 16th place.

Logan Bearden gets turned around  but gets the truck moving again after the traffic clears.

With 12 laps remaining in the race, Zane Smith leads the race with Ben Rhodes in second; Kaz Grala, Rajah Caruth, and Ty Majeski round out the top five with Kyle Busch in seventh – up nine spots since the race restarted.

Rajah Caruth and Ty Majeski battle it out for fourth.

Chase Purdy gets loose but gets the truck moving again and the track stays green.

Eleven to go, Zane Smith has a lead of over two and a half seconds on Ben Rhodes; Kyle Busch, Ty Mjeski, and Kaz Grala round out the top five.

Ten to go, Zane Smith has a lead of three and a half second on Ben Rhodes with Kyle Busch in third over six seconds bac; Ty Majeski and Kaz Grala round out the top five.

With nine laps to go, Zane Smith has increased his lead to over four seconds on Ben Rhodes but the distance to Kyle Busch has remained at six seconds.

Spencer Boyd, Matt Crafton, Carson Hocevar, Dean Thompson, Ed Jones, Parker Kligerman, and Christian Eckes are all out of the race.

Eight to go, Zane smith has a five second lead on Ben Rhodes with Kyle Busch on Rhodes’ bumper; Ty Majeski and Kaz Grala round out the top five.

Seven to go, Kyle Busch has caught Ben Rhodes and is challenging for second.  Zane Smith has a lead of over five seconds.  Kyle Busch passes Ben Rhodes for second.

Six to go, Zane Smith continues to lead the race but the gap to second place has closed to under six seconds. 

Brothers Tanner and Taylor Gray battle for ninth.  Today is Taylor’s 18th birthday and can now run any Truck Series race.

Five to go, Zane Smith holds on to the top spot with a lead of over five seconds.

With five laps to go, the top five are Zane Smith, Kyle Busch, Ben Rodes, Ty Majeski, and Tyler Ankrum.

Four to go, Zane Smith holds a near six second lead on Kyle Busch with Ben Rhodes, Ty Majeski, and Tyler Ankrum rounding out the top five.

Three to go, Zane Smith continues to lead the race with Kyle Busch five seconds behind.

Zane Smith takes the white flag with a lead of over five seconds on Kyle Busch.

After leading 16 laps, Zane Smith defends his race win by winning the XPel 225.  This is his second race win of the season.

Ben Rhodes drops some debris on the track as he limps to the finish line.

The unofficial results of the XPel 225:
Zane Smith
Kyle Busch
Ty Majeski
Tyler Ankrum
Ross Chastain
Corey Heim
Nick Sanchez
Tanner Gray
Kaz Grala
Ben Rhodes
Taylor Gray
Grant Enfinger
Rajah Caruth
Stewart Friesen
Kaden Honeycutt
Hailie Deegan
Lawless Alan
Daniel Dye
Jake Garcia
Colin Garrett
Kris Wright
Logan Bearden
Bret Holmes
Colby Howard
Timmy Hill
Mason Filippi
Chase Purdy
Dale Quarterley
Matt DiBenedetto
Christian Eckes
Parker Kligerman
Spencer Boyd
Matt Crafton
Carson Hocevar
Den Thompson
Ed Jones

After his burnout, Zane Smith’s truck catches fire.  The safety crews get the fire put out.