It’s the first short track of the season for the Craftsman Truck Series races at Thunder Valley and the Fastest Half Mile – better known as Bristol Motor Speedway – for the Weather Guard Truck Race.  And this time it’s there’s NO dirt!

The drivers get only 15 minutes of practice before making a qualifying run.

Early on in the short practice session, Layne Riggs gets loose and slides sideways down the track but keeps it off the wall and has minimal damage to the truck.

A total of 36 teams have brought trucks to Bristol for 36 starting spots including Zane Smith and Kyle Busch.

Eighteen-year-old Conner Jones tops the leaderboard in Group A practice.

Christian Eckes tops the leaderboard after Group B practice and overall practice speeds.

The first driver on the track to make a qualifying run is Justin Carroll who needed a little push to get his truck moving on the track.  He posted a time of 15.943.  the drivers get two laps to make their best qualifying run.

Mason Maggio will not make a qualifying run after breaking a rear gear in practice.

With a time of 15.122 seconds around the half mile track, Christian Eckes put his number 19 truck on the pole.  Nick Sanchez will start alongside on the front row.

The starting lineup for the Weather Guard Truck Race:
Christian Eckes
Nick Sanchez
Taylor Gray
Kyle Busch
Ty Majeski
Rajah Caruth
Zane Smith
Kaden Honeycutt
Tyler Ankrum
Daniel Dye
Chase Purdy
Bayley Currey
Grant Enfinger
Conner Jones
Corey Heim
Ben Rhodes
Jake Garcia
Matt Mills
William Sawalich
Matt Crafton
Tanner Gray
Dean Thompson
Stewart Friesen
Bret Holmes
Stefan Parsons
Ty Dillon
Timmy Hill
Layne Riggs
Lawless Alan
Spencer Boyd
Mason Massey
Justin Carroll
Thad Moffitt
Keith McGee
Trey Hutchens III
Mason Maggio

The night race at Bristol this year has been expanded to 250 laps around the half mile track.  This is the first time the drivers will be running the longer race.

Stages one and two of the race are 65 laps each with stage three lasting 120 laps for a total of 250 laps around the half mile track.

Drivers can run 140 to 150 laps on a single load of fuel.

Christian Eckes brings the field down for the green flag start of the race from the outside lane with Nick Sanchez alongside.  Eckes immediately pulls out for the lead with Kyle Busch taking second.

Lap three, Christian Eckes has the lead with Nick Sanchez in second; Kyle Busch, Taylor gray, and Rajah Caruth round out the top five.

Lap six Matt Mills brings out the first caution flag of the race when he spins out.  He gets the truck moving again but is already one lap down.

Christian Eckes brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 13 from the outside lane.  Eckes jumps out in front to hold on to the lead.  Taylor Gray and Nick Sanchez battle for second.  Kyle Busch and Rajah Caruth battle for fourth.

Lap 16, Rajah Caruth gets loose and drops to ninth place.

Lap 19, the top five are Christian Eckes, Taylor Gray, Nick Sanchez, Kyle Busch, and Ty Majeski.

Matt Crafton makes contact with William Sawalich but the track stays green.

Lap 23, Matt Mills is the only truck one lap down but leader Christian Eckes passes Mason Maggio as he begins lapping slower trucks.

Lap 31, Christian Eckes has a one second lead on Nick Sanchez.

Lap 41, Christian Eckes continues to lead the race but his lead is down to two tenths of a second on Taylor Gray; Kyle Busch, Nick Sanchez, and Ty Majeski round out the top five.

Keith McGee brings out the second caution flag of the race of lap 45 when he spins out after some on track contact.

Some of the drivers come down pit road for service.

There are 23 trucks on the lead lap.

William Sawalich and Spencer Boyd were caught speeding on pit road.  Brett Holmes was charged with driving through too many box on pit road.  All three drivers will have to restart the race from the back of the field.

Christian Eckes brings the field down for the green flag restart with just 12 laps remaining in stage one.  Eckes gets out in front but Kyle Busch comes up and passes Eckes for the lead.

The top five are Dyle Busch, Christian Eckes, Nick Sanchez, Ty Majeski, and Zane Smith.

Justin Carroll is off the track.

Lap 59, Kyle Busch has a lead of nearly half a second on Christian Eckes; Nick Sanchez, Ty Majeski, and Zane Smith round out the top five as drivers battle all through the field.

Kyle Busch wins stage one.  This is Busch’s third stage win at Bristol.

The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Kyle Busch
Christian Eckes
Nick Sanchez
Ty Majeski
Zane Smith
Taylor Gray
Tyler Ankrum
Ben Rhodes
Kaden Honeycutt
Gran Enfinger

Most of the drivers stay out on the track, but a few came down pit road for service.  Rajah Caruth slid through his pit box and had to back up before service could begin; giving him a slow stop and lost positions on the track.

Taylor Gray was charged with an improper driver assist.

Kyle Busch brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two from the outside lane on lap 77 with Christian Eckes alongside.  Busch holds on to the lead.

Lap 79, the top five are Kyle Busch, Christian Eckes, Nick Sanchez, Ty Majeski, and Tyler Ankrum.  The top 13 drivers have yet to make a pit stop.

Lap 84, Kyle Busch has a third of a second lead on Christian Eckes; Nick Sanchez, Ty Majeski, and Tyler Ankrum round out the top five.

Lap 88, there are 24 trucks on the lead lap with Kyle Busch leading the race.

Lap 91, Kyle Busch has already encountered slower traffic and is beginning to lap more trucks.

Lap 102, Kyle Busch continues to lead the race with Christian Eckes in second; Nick Sanchez, Ty Majeski, and Tyler Ankrum round out the top five.  There are 24 trucks on the lead lap.

Lap 107, Kyle Busch continues to lead the race but Christian Eckes has closed the gap as the leaders encounter slower traffic.

Lap 113, Kyle Busch holds on to the lead with Christian Eckes in second.  There are 22 trucks on the lead lap.

Lap 118, Kyle Busch has pulled out to a lead of over half a second on Christian Eckes.

Just seven laps remain in stage two with Kyle Busch out in front; Christian Eckes, Nick Sanchez, Ty Majeski, and Zane Smith round out the top five.

Drivers are three wide across the track in a battle for position…or trying to stay on the lead lap.

Trey Hutchens is off the track.

Kyle Busch wins stage two for the sweep.

The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Kyle Busch
Nick Sanchez
Christian Eckes
Ty Majeski
Zane Smith
Tyler Ankrum
Stewart Friesen
Matt Crafton
Ben Rhodes
Layne Riggs

The field comes down pit road for that final (they hope) pit stop. William Sawalich was caught speeding on pit road.  Nick Sanchez made a second trip down pit road with a loose wheel.  Rajah Caruth had a second penalty for pitting outside of his pit box.

Kyle Busch brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three from the outside lane wth Christian Eckes alongside on lap 143.  Busch jumps out in front with Christian Eckes on his bumper.

The caution flag comes out when Ty Majeski spins out after he gets loose.  He and Ben Rhodes make contact.

Kyle Busch brings the field down for the green flag restart from the outside lane on lap 153 with Christian Eckes alongside.  Busch and Eckes go side by side until Busch gets out in front on lap 155.

The top five are Kyle Busch, Christian Eckes, Tyler Ankrum, Matt Crafton, and Zane Smith.

Matt Crafton takes third with Zane Smith in fourth; Tyler Ankrum moves to fifth.

Lap 159, Christian Eckes passes Kyle Busch for the lead and pulls away.

Lap 162, Matt Crafton comes up behind Kyle Busch to challenge for the spot.

With 87 laps to go, Christian Eckes pulls out to a lead of nearly a second on Kyle Busch.

With 82 laps to go, Christian Eckes is approaching slower traffic.

Just 77 laps remain in the race, Nick Sanchez has moved up to just outside the top 10 after having to come down pit road twice due to a loose wheel.

With 74 laps to go the top five are, Christian Eckes, Kyle Busch, Matt Crafton, Zane Smith, and Tyler Ankrum.

Sixty-six laps remain in the race; Christian Eckes now has a lead of over a second on Kyle Busch with Matt Crafton, Zane Smith, and Tyler Ankrum rounding out the top five.  Nick Sanchez has entered the top 10.  There are 21 trucks on the lead lap.

Ty Majeski and Chase Purdy have taken their trucks down pit road.  Corey Heim is also off the track.

Fifty to go, Christian Eckes has a half second lead on Kyle Busch; Matt .Crafton Zane Smith, and Tyler Ankrum round out the top five.  There are 20 trucks on the lead lap.

Christian Eckes passes Ben Rhodes to make it 19 trucks on the lead lap.

With 37 laps to go, Kyle Busch has caught leader Christian Eckes and is challenging for the lead.  Eckes holds Busch off but Matt Crafton is on Busch’s bumper and looking to pass for second.

Stewart Friesen brings out the caution flag with 31 laps to go.  Nick Sanchez also has some damage to his truck. Sanchez and Friesen make contact and spins out Friesen sending him into the wall.  Sanchez was squeezed into the wall.

Kyle Busch discusses coming down pit road with his crew chief; saying that at best they are a second place truck…maybe third.

Christian Eckes brings the field down for the green flag restart from the outside lane with Kyle Busch alongside with just 24 laps remaining in the race.  Eckes jumps out for the lead with Zane Smith and Kyle Busch in a battle for second.

The top five are Christian Eckes, Kyle Busch, Zane Smith, Matt Crafton, and Tyler Ankrum.

Twenty to go, Christian Eckes has a lead of over half a second on Kyle Busch.  Layne Riggs is just outside of the top five.  Raja Caruth enters the top 10.

Christian Eckes has pulled out to a lead of over a second on Kyle Busch.

There are 17 trucks on the lead lap.

Just 13 laps to go, Christian Eckes holds on to a lead of over a second on Kyle Busch; Zane Smith, Matt Crafton, and Tyler Ankrum round out the top five.

Ten to go!  Christian Eckes is looking for redemption for not making the playoffs from last year and holds a one second lead on Kyle Busch.

Seven to go, Christian Eckes encounters slower traffic.

Four to go, Kyle Busch has closed the gap to just over half a second on Christian Eckes.

Christian Eckes takes the white flag with Kyle Busch less than half a second behind.

Christian Eckes wins the race!

The unofficial results of the Weather Guard Truck Race:
Christian Eckes
Kyle Busch
Zane Smith
Matt Crafton
Tyler Ankrum
Corey Heim
Taylor Gray
Rajah Caruth
Grant Enfinger
Layne Riggs
Bayley Currey
Kaden Honeycutt
Daniel Dye
Jake Garcia
Tanner Gray
Ben Rhodes
Nick Sanchez
Stefan Parsons
Conner Jones
Ty Dillon
William Sawalich
Stewart Friesen
Dean Thompson
Timmy Hill
Matt Mills
Thad Moffitt
Lawless Alan
Mason Massey
Mason Maggio
Spencer Boyd
Bret Holmes
Keith McGee
Chase Purdy
Ty Majeski
Trey Hutchens
Justin Carroll