Next to the opening of the season, it’s the biggest weekend in NASCAR when all three of the series come home to Charlotte and the Charlotte Motor Speedway to race before friends and family.

The Craftsman Truck Series gets the weekend started with a practice session and qualifying for the North Carolina Education Lottery 200.

This is the first weekend of the Triple Truck Challenge where the winner will earn $50,000.  If the same driver wins two of the three races the prize is $150,000 and if the same driver wins all three of the Triple Truck Challenge races the prize is $500,000.  World Wide Technology Raceway and Nashville Superspeedway are the tracks for the other two TTC races.

David Gilliland returns to the trucks as the owner of TriCon Garage, he will be driving the number one truck for the race. 

This weekend Ty Majeski is sporting a brand new truck, a first for his career.

In the 20 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Ford has never won a race.

With no Xfinity or Cup Series regulars in the race this weekend, 36 teams have brought trucks to the track and all 36 will make the race.

The crews will have only four sets of tires for the race – the set they start the race on and three in the pits.

The first driver on the track to make a qualifying run is Justin Carroll who made a lap of 32.760 seconds around the mile and a half track.

Tyler Ankrum, Nick Sanchez, and Ryan Vargas will not make a qualifying run due to issues with the trucks.  Crews will work on repairs in hopes of having them ready for the race tonight.

Tanner Gray broke the 30 second mark with a time of 29.936 seconds.

Matt Crafton is the only driver in the field who has won a race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in a truck.

After winning the pole for the past two weeks, Corey Heim falls a bit short with a time of 29.983 seconds.

Tanner Gray wins his first career pole and will bring the field to green; last year’s pole sitter Ty Majeski will start alongside on the front row.

The starting lineup for the North Carolina Education Lottery 200:
Tanner Gray
Ty Majeski
Corey Heim
Rajah Caruth
Stewart Friesen
Christian Eckes
Dean Thompson
Bayley Currey
David Gilliland
Jack Wood
Grant Enfinger
Carson Hocevar
Chase Purdy
Zane Smith
Jake Garcia
Lawless Alan
Taylor Gray
Daniel Dye
Ben Rhodes
Matt DiBenedetto
Hailie Deegan
Colby Howard
Kris Wright
Matt Crafton
Spencer Boyd
Bret Holmes
Josh Reaume
Matt Mills
Tyler Hill
Armani Williams
Mason Maggio
Justin Carroll
Keith McGee
Nick Sanchez
Tyler Ankrum
Ryan Vargas

Stages one and two of the race are 30 laps each with stage three lasting 74 laps for a total of 134 laps around the mile and a half track.  Drivers can run 50 to 55 laps on a single load of fuel.

Tanner Gray brings the field down for the green flag start of the race from the inside lane and edges out Ty Majeski for the lead with Corey Hiem right behind him.

Ty Majeski passes Corey Heim for second.  Drivers are three wide across the track.

Lap two, Tanner Gray leads the race with Ty Majeski in second; Corey Heim, Rajah Caruth, and Dean Thompson round out the top five.

Armani Williams takes a smoking truck down pit road.

Lap three, Corey Heim passes Ty Majeski for second and battle with Tanner Gray for the lead.

Lap four Corey Heim passes Tanner Gray for the lead.

Ty Majeski and Tanner Gray make contact in a battle for second but Majeski saves the truck.

Lap six, Corey Heim leads the race with Tanner Gray over a have a second back; Dean Thompson, Rajah Caruth, and Ty Majeski round out the top five.

Lap eight, Tanner Gray, Dean Thompson, and Rajah Caruth battle for second with Corey Heim leading the race.

Lap eleven, Corey Heim continues to lead the race but Rajah Caruth has moved into second place; Dean Thompson, Ty Majeski, and Tanner Gray round out the top five.

Lap 15, Corey Heim has a half second lead on Rajah Caruth; Dean Thompson, Ty Majeski, and Carson Hocevar round out the top five.

After starting the race from the back of the field, Nick Sanchez has entered the top 20 in 18th.

Lap 18, Armani Williams is the only driver not on the lead lap – four laps down.

Lap 19, Rajah Caruth has closed the gap on leader Corey Heim to under half a second; Dean Thompson, Ty Majeski, and Carson Hocevar round out the top five.

Lap 23, Corey Heim continues to lead the race with Rajah Caruth in second; Dean Thompson, Carson Hocevar, and Ty Majeski round out the top five.

Lap 26, Carson Hocevar has passes Rajah Caruth for second; Dean Thompson also passes Caruth to take third.

Lap 27, Corey Heim’s lead is over a second on Carson Hocevar.

Lap 28, Carson Hocevar is less than half a second behind leader Corey Heim.

Keith McGee is off the track.

Corey Heim wins stage one.

The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Corey Heim
Carson Hocevar
Dean Thompson
Rajah Caruth
Zane Smith
Ty Majeski
Tanner Gray
Stewart Friesen
David Gilliland
Taylor Gray

Drivers come down pit road for service with Corey Heim winning the race off of pit road.

Matt Mills was caught speeding on pit road.

Ty Majeski made a second trip down pit road for repairs.  Rajah Caruth had to make a second trip down pit road after the jack broke on his first stop.

Corey Heim brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with Carson Hocevar on the outside on lap 37.  Hocevar and Heim go side by side as drivers get three wide across the track.  Corey Heim gets out in front for the lead.

Lap 39, Corey Heim leads the race with Carson Hocevar in second; Dean Thompson, Tanner Gray, and Stewart Friesen round out the top five.

Lap 41, Corey Heim has a narrow lead on Carson Hocevar; Dean Thompson, Tanner Gray, and Stewart Friesen round out the top five.

After a bad pit stop, Nick Sanchez restarted the race back in 20th place but has moved up inside the top 15 in 13th place.

Lap 43, Zane Smith passes Stewart Friesen for fifth.

Lap 44 Carson Hocevar attempts to battle with Corey Heim for the lead.

Lap 45, Carson Hocevar comes up on the outside to battle for the lead; Hocevar gets out in front and takes the lead.

Lap 47, Nick Sanchez and Colby Howard make contact in a battle for eleventh, but the track stays green.

Lap 51, Carson Hocevar has pulled out to a lead of over two seconds on Corey Heim who reports an ill handling truck; Dean Thompson, Stewart Friesen, and Zane Smith round out the top five.

Lap 53, Carson Hocevar now has a lead of over three seconds on Corey Heim.

Lap 55, Nick Sanchez has entered the top 10.

Five laps remain in stage two with Carson Hocevar four seconds out in front; Corey Heim, Dean Thompson, Zane Smith, and Stewart Friesen round out the top five.

Lap 58, Carson Hocevar has pulled out to a lead of over five seconds on Corey Heim.

Carson Hocevar wins stage two for his second stage win of the season.

The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Carson Hocevar
Corey Heim
Dean Thompson
Zane Smith
Stewart Friesen
Taylor Gray
Ben Rhodes
David Gilliland
Nick Sanchez
Christian Eckes

There are 30 trucks on the lead lap.

Drivers come down pit road for service with Corey Heim edging out Carson Hocevar to win the race off of pit road.  After winning the pole last week, Corey Heim has the first pit stall and a much shorter distance to get off of pit road.  Drivers were in two and three wide battles coming off pit road.

Tanner Gray makes a second trip down pit road and the crew raises the hood.

Corey Heim brings the field down for the green falg start of stage three from the inside lane with Carson Hocevar on the outside on lap 69.  Corey Heim gets out in front for the lead.

Drivers are two and three wide across the track.

Lap 70, Corey Heim has the lead with Carson Hocevar in second; Dean Thompson, Taylor Gray, and Ben Rhodes round out the top five.

Ben Rhodes passes Taylor Gray for fourth.

Lap 71, Christian Eckes gets loose and drops down to the apron but saves the truck and the track stays gren.

Lap 72, Nick Sanchez has to make an unscheduled top down pit road for a flat tire.

Lap 73, Corey Heim has a narrow lead on Carson Hocevar who begins the battle for the lead.

Lap 74, Carson Hocevar passes Corey Heim to take the lead.

Lap 75, the top five are Carson Hocevar, Corey Heim, Dean Thompson, Ben Rhodes, and Stewart Friesen.

With 28 trucks on the lead lap, Keith McGee is the only driver out of the race.

There are 55 laps remaining in the race, Carson Hocevar has pulled out to a lead of nearly two seconds on Corey Heim; Dean Thompson, Ben Rhodes, and Zane Smith round out the top five.

The first caution flag of the race for an on track incident comes out on lap 82 when Armani Williams get loose and slides down pit road barely missing the water barrels.  He hits the wall just past garage entry.

The drivers have to make a pit stop during stage three; with 52 laps remaining in the race, the drivers are within their pit window to make it to the end of the race.

Tanner Gray is the “lucky dog”.

The yellow flag is extended while track officials get pit road cleaned up.

Drivers come down pit road with 49 laps remaining in the race.  Taking fuel only, Chase Purdy wins the race off of pit road with Ben Rhodes coming out second.  Carson Hocevar comes off of pit road in third.

Chase Purdy brings the field down for the green flag restart with 45 laps remaining in the race with Ben Rhodes on the outside.  Drivers spread out three wide across the track.  Carson Hocevar and Ben Rhodes battle for the lead. 

The caution flag come out when Zane Smith gets loose makes contact with Hailie Deegan.  Smith finally comes to stop in the grass.

Ben Rhodes brings the field down for the green flag restart with Carson Hocevar alongside with just 38 laps remaining in the race.  Rhodes jumps out in front for the lead; Carson Hocevar, Christian Eckes, and Ben Rhodes battle for the lead with Ben Rhodes jumping out for the lead; Carson Hocevar, Christian Eckes, Taylor Gray, and Dean Thompson round out the top five.

With 35 laps to go, Ben Rhodes has just a tenth of a second lead on Carson Hocevar; Christian Eckes, Corey Heim, and Taylor Gray round out the top five.

With 34 laps to go, Carson Hocevar passes Ben Rhodes for the lead.  He has led 35 laps so far tonight.

Lap 101, Carson Hocevar has pulled out to a half second lead on Ben Rhodes; Christian Eckes, Corey, and Dean Thompson round out the top five.

Corey Heim passes Christian Eckes for third.

The caution flag comes out on lap 103 when Kris Wright gets into Tyler Ankrum; sending drivers scattering.

Nick Sanchez is the “lucky dog”.

With just 24 laps remaining in the race, Carson Hocevar brings the field down for the green flag restart with Ben Rhodes alongside.  Drivers immediately get three wide across the track with Ben Rhodes in the lead.

With 23 laps to go Ben Rhodes leads the race with Christian Eckes in second; Corey Heim, Dean Thompson, and Carson Hocevar round out the top five.

Corey Heim passes Christian Eckes for second and Carson Hocevar passes Dean Thompson for fourth.

Twenty to go, Ben Rhodes has a narrow lead on Corey Heim; Christian Eckes, Carson Hocevar, and Dean Thompson round out the top five.

Carson Hocevar passes Christian Eckes for third.

Eighteen to go, Carson Hocevar has fallen to over a second behind the leader in third place.

Leader Ben Rhodes and Corey Heim battle for the lead but so far Rhodes has held Heim off.

Fifteen to go; the top five are Ben Rhodes, Corey Heim, Dean Thompson, Carson Hocevar, and Christian Eckes.

Just 13 laps remain in the race; since getting back on the lead lap, Nick Sanchez has moved up inside the top 15 in 13th.

Ten to go, Ben Rhodes has pulled out to a lead of over half a second on Corey Heim; Dean Thompson, Carson Hocevar, and Grant Enfinger round out the top five.

Carson Hocevar believes that he has a tire going down.

Eight to go, Ben Rhodes has a near one second lead on Corey Heim; Dean Thompson, Carson Hocevar, and Grant Enfinger round out the top five.  Nick Sanchez has entered the top 10.

Six to go, Ben Rhodes has a one second lead on Corey Heim.  If he can hold on to win the race, it will be the very first Charlotte win for Ford in the Truck Series.

Four to go, Ben Rhodes leads the race by a second and a half; Carson Hocevar passes Dean Thompson for third.

Ben Rhodes takes the white flag.

With a lead of over two seconds, Ben Rhodes earns his first win of the season and the first ever truck series won for Ford.  Rhodes wins the $50,000 Triple Truck Challenge money. 

Ben Rhodes becomes the ninth different winner this season in the Truck Series.

The unofficial results of the North Carolina Education Lottery 200:
Ben Rhodes
Corey Heim
Dean Thompson
Carson Hocevar
Grant Enfinger
Christian Eckes
Ty Majeski
Matt DiBenedetto
Nick Sanchez
Taylor Gray
Rajah Caruth
Matt Crafton
Bayley Currey
David Gilliland
Jake Garcia
Chase Purdy
Lawless Alan
Jack Wood
Daniel Dye
Colby Howard
Bret Holmes
Stewart Friesen
Zane Smith
Tyler Hill
Mason Maggio
Ryan Vargas
Tanner Gray
Tyler Ankrum
Josh Reaume
Matt Mills
Spencer Boyd
Kris Wright
Hailie Deegan
Justin Carroll
Armani Williams
Keith McGee