It’s championship weekend for all three of the NASCAR racing series with the Craftsman Truck Series kicking off the festivities at Phoenix Raceway with the Craftsman 150.
By the end of the night either Corey Heim, Carson Hocevar, Ben Rhodes, or Grant Enfinger will be crowned the 2023 champion; but first they will have to battle it out on the one mile track under the lights.
Thirty-eight teams have brought trucks to Phoenix for 36 starting spots including IndyCar regular Marco Andretti and the newly crowns ARCA Menards Series West champion Sean Hingorani.
After a Thursday night full practice session, the Truck Series drivers make their qualifying runs on Friday afternoon just a few hours before they take the green flag.
The process is a little different for Championship Weekend where all of the drivers will get a full 50 minute practice session where they will be allowed to make changes to the vehicles and then go through the inspection process prior to qualifying.
Derek Kraus is the first driver on the track to make a qualifying run and posted a time of 26.762.
This is the final race for GMS Racing who will be shutting down their operation at the end of the race.
GMS isn’t the only team that will be ending after the race, Kyle Busch has sold his Kyle Busch Motorsports operation to Spire Motorsports. During his operation, Kyle Busch has had over 50 drivers work for him; two of the four championship drivers drove for KBM.
When he takes the green flag tonight, Matt Crafton is making his 544th consecutive start in the Truck Series. He has not missed a race since climbing into a truck in 2000.
With a time of 26.344 playoff driver Corey Heim puts his number eleven truck on the pole with Ty Majeski starting alongside on the front row.
The starting lineup for the Craftsman 150:
Corey Heim
Ty Majeski
Nick Sanchez
Zane Smith
Chase Purdy
Ben Rhodes
Jack Wood
Christian Eckes
Rajah Caruth
Jesse Love
Bayley Currey
Taylor Gray
Carson Hocevar
Jake Garcia
Dean Thompson
Derek Kraus
Grant Enfinger
Jake Drew
Tyler Ankrum
Stewart Friesen
Sean Hingorani
Daniel Dye
Hailie Deegan
Stefan Parsons
Tanner Gray
Colby Howard
Kaden Honeycutt
Matt Crafton
Conner Jones
Chris Hacker
Lawless Alan
Christian Rose
Marco Andretti
Spencer Davis
Nick Leitz
Tyler Hill
Spencer Boyd and Keith McGee failed to qualify for the race.
Stages one and two are 45 laps each with stage three lasting 60 laps for a total of 150 laps around the one mile track.
The drivers will have five sets of tires for the race – one on the truck and four in the pits. Drivers can run 80 to 85 laps on a single load of fuel.
Regular season champion and playoff driver Corey Heim brings the field down for the green flag start of the race from the inside lane with Ty Majeski alongside. Drivers immediately spread out three and four wide across the track going into turn one. Ty Majeski gets out in front for the lead.
Drivers are spread out three and four wide all around the track.
Lap two the top five are Ty Majeski, Corey Heim, Be Rhodes, Nick Sanchez, and Zane Smith.
Stewart Friesen brings out the first caution flag on lap five when he spins out after contact from Kerek Kraus. Hailie Deegan narrowly avoided hitting Friesen; locking up her tires.
Ty Majeski had a half second lead when the caution flag came out.
Ty Majeski brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 10 and the drivers immediately spread out across the track. Ty Majeski holds on to the lead with Corey Heim, Ben Rhodes, Nick Sanchez, and Chase Purdy rounding out the top five.
Lap 12, Carson Hocevar has entered the top 10 with Grant Enfinger just outside the top 10 in eleventh.
Lap 13, Ty Majeski has a lead of over half a second on Corey Heim; Ben Rhodes is over a second and a half back in third.
Lap 15, Grant Enfinger enters the top 10 to put all four playoff drivers in the top 10.
Lap 17, Ty Majeski pas pulled out to a lead of over a second on Corey Heim; Ben Rhodes, Nick Sanchez, and Chase Purdy round out the top five.
Lap 19, Zane Smith passes Chase Purdy for fifth.
Lap 21, Matt Crafton has advanced 10 spots since the race start.
Ty Majeski has pulled out to a lead to nearly two seconds on Corey Heim.
Lap 27, Ty Majeski has led every lap so far; he has a lead of nearly two seconds on Corey Heim; Ben Rhodes, Nick Sanchez, and Zane Smith round out the top five.
Zane Smith passes Nick Sanchez for fourth.
Moving up five spots since the race start, playoff driver Carson Hocevar reports a tight condition.
Lap 30, Ty Majeski’s lead is now over two seconds on Corey Heim.
Lap 32, Zane Smith passes Ben Rhodes for third.
Lap 33, Ty Majeski’s lead is down to under two seconds on Corey Heim.
Lap 39, Ty Majeski has a lead of less than one second on Corey Heim; Zane Smith, Nick Sanchez, and Chase Purdy round out the top five. Majeski has encountered slower traffic.
All four playoff drivers are in the top 10.
Lap 44, Corey Heim has caught leader Ty Majeski.
Ty Majeski edges out in a battle with Corey Heim to hold on to the lead and win stage one.
The top 10 drivers at the end of stage one:
Ty Majeski
Corey Heim
Zane Smith
Ben Rhodes
Nick Sanchez
Chase Purdy
Christian Eckes
Carson Hocevar
Grant Enfinger
Taylor Gray
Drivers come down pit road for service…and fresh tires. Ben Rhodes had a very slow stop and comes back out on the track back in the field.
Tanner Gray was caught speeding on pit road and will have to restart the race from the back of the field.
Nick Sanchez makes a second trip down pit road.
Corey Heim brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with Ty Majeski alongside on lap 54. Drivers get four and five wide on the track.
Corey Heim holds on to the lead with Ty Majeski in second.
Zane Smith passes Ty Majeski for second.
Carson Hocevar has entered the top 10.
Chris Hacker brings out the caution flag after some contact with Marco Andretti. Hacker’s track is totaled and he is the first driver out of the race after a hard hit to the wall. Andretti is also out of the race.
Corey Heim brings the field down for the green flag restart with Zane Smith alongside on lap 65 with 26 trucks on the lead lap. Drivers spread out across the track with Corey Heim holding on to the lead.
The top five are Corey Heim, Zane Smith, Ty Majeski, Taylor, and Grant Enfinger.
Grant Enfinger passes Taylor Gray for fourth. Ty Majeski passes Zanee Smith for second.
After falling back in the field with a slow pit stop, Ben Rhodes is just outside the top 10 in eleventh.
Lap 69, Corey Heim has a half second lead on Ty Majeski; Zane Smith, Grant Enfinger, and Jake Garcia round out the top five.
Lap 70, Ben Rhodes enters the top five.
Rajah Caruth has a tire rub after some on track contact.
Lap 75, Corey Heim has a lead of over half a second on Ty Majeski; Zane Smith, Grant Enfinger, and Jake Garcia round out the top five.
Lap 77, Tyler Hill spins out, hitting the wall and brings out the caution flag.
Several drivers come down pit road for service including playoff driver Carson Hocevar. Leaders stay out.
Corey Heim brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 82 from the outside lane with Ty Majeski on the inside. Heim holds on to the lead as drivers get four wide across the track.
Carson Hocevar moves into the top 10 on fresh tires.
With seven laps remaining in stage two, Corey Heim leads the race with Zane Smith in second; Ty Majeski, Taylor Gray, and Christian Eckes round out the top five.
Four laps remain in stage two with all four playoff drivers in the top 10.
Corey Heim holds off Zane Smith to win stage two.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Corey Heim
Zane Smith
Ty Majeski
Christian Eckes
Taylor Gray
Ben Rhodes
Chase Purdy
Grant Enfinger
Jake Garcia
Carson Hocevar
Drivers who did not put during the last caution flag come down pit road for service. Zane Smith wins the race off of pit road after Corey Heim had a slow stop after sliding through his pit stop and too close to the wall.
Christian Eckes brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Chase Purdy alongside. Drivers are spread out six and eight wide across the track.
With 50 laps remaining in the race, Christian Eckes leads the race with Jake Garcia in second; Nick Sanchez, Carson Hocevar, and Stewart Friesen round out the top five.
The caution flag come out on lap 101 for a crash involving Connor ones and Jake Drew. The trucks are stopped on the track stuck together.
Christian Eckes brings the field down for the green flag restart with 41 laps remaining in the race. Drivers are four, five, an six wide across the track.
Christian Eckes leads the race with Nick Sanchez in second; Jake Garcia, Zane Smit, and Stewart Friesen round out the top five.
Playoff drivers:
Carson Hocevar in sixth
Corey Heim in 10th
Grant Enfinger in 12th
Ben Rhodes in 16th
With 37 laps remaining in the race, the drivers are getting very aggressive on the track.
With 36 laps to go, Christian Eckes has a half second lead on Nick Sanchez; Jake Garcia, Zane Smith, and Stewart Friesen round out the top five. Carson Hocevar leads the four playoff drivers but Corey Heim is on his bumper and challenging for the spot.
With 32 laps to go, Corey Heim gets around Carson Hocevar to take the lead in the playoffs.
Carson Hocevar makes contact with Corey Heim sending Heim spinning to bring out the caution flag. Stewart Friesen also spins out and gets into the wall. Hocevar is very upset over the contact; apologizing on the radio.
Drivers come down pit road for service.
Nick Sanchez brings the field down for the green flag restart with Carson Hocevar alongside with 25 laps remaining in the race. Drivers are spread out five and six wide across the track with drivers bumping and banging each other. Hoevar fall back in the field to 19th. Ben Rhodes leads the playoff drivers in fourth place.
With 23 laps to go, Zane Smith is the new leader with Christian Eckes in second; Nick Sanchez, Ben Rhodes and Grant Enfinger round out the top five.
Stefan Parson, Bayley Currey, and Daniel Dye crash bringing out the caution flag with 21 laps to go. There is fluid running all over the track.
NASCAR has red flagged the race in order to get the track cleaned up.
After a red flag of over 10 minutes, NASCAR displays the yellow flag and the drivers are moving again with 20 laps remaining in the race.
A few drivers come down pit road for fresh tires including Carson Hocevar.
Zane Smith brings the field down for the green flag restart with just 15 laps remaining in the race. Drivers spread out across the track with Zane Smith getting out in front for the lead.
Fourteen to go, the top five are Zane Smith, Christian Eckes, Grant Enfinger, Ben Rhodes, and Chase Purdy. Corey Heim is in sixth place. After restarting in 24th Carson Hocevar has moved up to 17th.
Ten to go, Zane Smith has a lead of over a second and a half on Christian Eckes.
Seven to go, Zane Smith has increased his lead to over two seconds. Third place driver Grant Enfinger leads the playoff drivers.. Carson Hocevar has entered the top 10.
Three to go, Zane Smith has pulled out to a lead of nearly three seconds when Carson Hocevar gets into the wall after some payback contact from Corey Heim. Taylor Gray was also involved. There is also some damage to Cheim’s truck.
The race goes into overtime!
Ben Rhodes reports an issue getting into fourth gear.
Zane Smith brings the field down for the overtime shootout for the end of the race with Christian Eckes alongside. Drivers are four and five wide across the track, Ben Rhodes and Zane Smith battle for the lead.
The caution flag comes out just before the white flag came out after Derek Kraus gets into the wall.
Grant Enfinger brings his truck down pit road for fresh tires after some on track contact.
Ben Rhodes is the only playoff driver in the top 20.
With 22 trucks on the lead lap, Zane Smith brings the field down for a second overtime shootout with Zane Smith getting out in front before the caution flag comes out once again for the eleventh time.
Jack Wood is also stopped on the track with damage. Ben Rhodes has damage to his truck after some contact with Zane Smith. Ben Rhodes had reported an issue in shifting; but it was Zane Smith who had a shifting issue to cause the melee.
Christian Eckes is the leader of the race with Chase Purdy in second. Fourth place driver Ben Rhodes is the highest ranking playoff driver. Grant Enfinger is in 17th and Corey Heim is in 23rd. Carson Hocevar is out of the race.
Christian Eckes brings the field down for the third overtime shootout with Chase Purdy alongside. Ben Rhodes is in sixth place. Ty Majeski and Jesse Love make contact and brings out another caution flag!
The race will go into a fourth overtime.
Matt Crafton also spins out. Zane Smith brings his truck down pit road with damage.
Chase Purdy is the leader of the race.
All three of the remaining playoff drivers are back in the top 20 with Ben Rhodes leading the way.
Chase Purdy brings the field down for the green flag overtime shootout with Christian Eckes alongside. Drivers spread out across the track with Christian Eckes in the lead.
Tyler Ankrum gets into the wall but the track stays green and Christian Eckes takes the white flag.
Grant Enfinger and Ben Rhodes battle for the championship.
Christian Eckes wins the race with Ben Rhodes earning his second championship.
The unofficial results of the Craftsman 150:
Christian Eckes
Jake Garcia
Chase Purdy
Jesse Love
Ben Rhodes
Grant Enfinger
Dean Thompson
Kaden Honeycut
Tanner Gray
Nick Sanchez
Matt Crafton
Rajah Caruth
Lawless Alan
Ty Majeski
Hailie Deegan
Christian Rose
Spencer Davis
Corey Heim
Nick Leitz
Tyler Hill
Colby Howard
Tyler Ankrum
Taylor Gray
Stewart Friesen
Zane Smith
Sean Hingorani
Jack Wood
Derek Kraus
Carson Hocevar
Stefan Parsons
Bayley Currey
Daniel Dye
Jake Drew
Connor Jones
Marco Andretti
Chris Hacker