It’s a triple header weekend for NASCAR when the crews head for Austin, Texas and COTA – Circuit of the Americas.
This is the only road course race for the Craftsman Truck Series this weekend on the 3.4 mile track that features 20 turns.
Thirty-five teams brought trucks to COTA this weekend including 17 year old Connor Zilisch and the Melon Man himself, Ross Chastain.
In a Craftsman Truck for the first time, Connor Zilisch topped the leaderboard in practice.
Zilisch was on the team who won the IMSA races at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring! He is the youngest driver to ever win a Rolex 24 race at Daytona.
Driving the number 38 truck – the COTA winner for the past two years with Zane Smith behind the wheel – has Layne Riggs behind the wheel this year. Riggs has never been on a road course in his entire career, not even in a go-kart.
For qualifying, the drivers will be divided into two groups where they will get 15 minutes to qualify in a group session. The top five drivers from each group will move on to a second round of qualifying of 10 minutes to set the pole.
Thad Moffitt had a power steering issue and will not make a qualifying run. He will start the race on Saturday from the back of the field.
Ben Rhodes also had some spring issues and will not make a qualifying run.
Drivers MUST go through the esses and cannot bypass them. Practice and qualifying laps will be disqualified; race laps will incur a penalty.
With a time of 133.143 seconds, Nick Sanchez has set a new qualifying record at COTA.
The top five drivers from group A are Nick Sanchez, Taylor Gray, Ross Chastain, Layne Riggs, and Jack Hawksworth.
Connor Zilisch just smashed Nick Sanchez’ record with a time of 132.084 seconds for a new track record.
Connor Zilisch, Corey Heim, Ty Majeski, Tanner Gray, and Christian Eckes will move on from group B to the second round of qualifying.
With a time of 131.983 seconds, 17 year old Connor Zilisch puts his number seven truck on the pole in his first Truck Series race and sets a new track record for the second time.
The starting lineup for the XPEL 225:
Connor Zilisch
Corey Heim
Taylor Gray
Nick Sanchez
Ross Chastain
Jack Hawksworth
Tanner Gray
Layne Riggs
Ty Majeski
Christian Eckes
Rajah Caruth
Tyler Ankrum
Stewart Friesen
Grant Enfinger
Bayley Currey
Chase Purdy
Dean Thompson
Ty Dillon
Stefan Parsons
Lawless Alan
Matt Crafton
Jack Wood
Daniel Dye
Matt Mills
Jake Garcia
Bret Holmes
Timmy Hill
Marco Andretti
Carter Fartuch
Spencer Boyd
Vicente Salas
Mason Massey
Dale Quarterley
Ben Rhodes
Thad Moffitt
And the stage breaks are back!
Stage one is 12 laps long, stage two is 14 laps long, and stage three is 16 laps long for a total of just 42 laps around the 3.4 mile road course.
Lawless Alan, Christian Eckes, Carter Faruch, Ty Dillion, Bayley Currey, and Marco Andretti all have to start the race from the back of the field due to unapproved adjustments.
Connor Zilisch brings the field down for the green flag start of the race and the drivers immediately spread three and four wide. Taylor Gray gets out in front for the lead.
Connor Zilisch locked up his tires and got off the track and has fallen through the field.
Taylor Gray comes down pit road for a passthrough penalty for an illegal start.
Connor Zilisch comes down pit road with flat spotted tires after locking the tires on the race start.
Lap two, Tanner Gray leads the race with Layne Riggs in second; Ross Chastain, Corey Heim, and nick Sanchez round out the top five.
Nick Sanchez and Corey Heim battle for fourth.
Spencer Boyd is off the track on pit road after some on track contact.
Lap three, Tanner Gray has a lead of nearly two seconds on Layne Riggs.
Ross Chastain and Corey Heim battle for third.
Lap three, Tanner Gray has a lead of over two second on Layne Riggs; Corey Heim, Nick Snachez, and Ross Chastain round out the top five.
Lap three, the first caution flag of the race comes out for debris on the track.
Connor Zilisch is on pit road with the hood up.
Tanner Gray brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap six; Tanner Gray and Layne Riggs go side by side, Corey Heim and Nick Sanchez make it a four way battle going into turn one with Corey Heim taking the lead.
Drivers are three and four wide going into turn eleven. Stewart Friesen gets loose but saves the truck.
Lap six, Corey Heim leads the race with Nick Sanchez in second; Layne Riggs, Ross Chastain, and Tanner Gray round out the top five.
Back on the track, Connor Zilisch is one lap down after a sway bar repair.
Layne Riggs gets the truck moving again and backs it into his pit stall. He reported that the power went out after a wheel hop.
Lap eight, Corey Heim leads the race with Nick Sanchez in second; Ross Chastain, Ty Majeski, nd Tanner Gray round out the top five.
Daniel Dye is off the pace…still running on the course, but off the pace.
Drivers are running three and four wide on the track.
Lap nine, Grant Enfinger gets turned around after some on track contact but the track stays green.
Lap nine, leader Corey Heim comes down pit road for a green flag pit stop. Nick Sanchez is the new leader.
Several drivers come down pit road for service as they short pit stage one to make it to the end of stage two.
Lap 10, Nick Sanchez leads the race with Ty Majeski in second; Tanner Gray, Christian Eckes ,and Tyler Ankrum round out the top five.
Connor Zilisch is still one lap down but he is running laps faster than the leaders.
Ross Chastain was caught speeding on pit road and will have to serve a pass through penalty.
Nick Sanchez has a lead of over three seconds on Ty Majeski; Tanner Gray, Tyler Ankrum, and Christian Eckes round out the top five.
Nick Sanchez wins stage one for his first stage win of the season.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Nick Sanchez
Ty Majeski
Tanner Gray
Tyler Ankrum
Christian Eckes
Ben Rhodes
Chase Purdy
Matt Crafton
Jack Wood
Ty Dillon
Connor Zilisch is the “lucky dog” and back on the lead lap.
Several of the drivers come down pit road for service including leader Nick Sanchez. Sanchez wins the race off of pit road.
Matt Mills and Tyler Ankrum have a near miss on pit road.
Corey Heim brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with Jack Hawksworth alongside on lap 15 Drivers spread out across the track going into turn one with Jack Hawksworth taking the lead; Corey Heim, Rajah Caruth, Stefan Parsons, and Dean Thompson rounding out the top five.
The top five drivers are in a fierce battle for position. Rajah Caruth has some damage to his truck. Some of his hood pins are missing.
After getting back on the lead lap, Connor Zilisch is up to 27th place.
Lap 16 Corey Heim passes Jack Hawksworth for the lead; Rajah Caruth, Ty Majeski, and Dean Thompson round out the top five.
Connor Zilisch is in the top 20 in 18th.
Lap 18, Corey Hiem has a lead of over a second on Jack Hawksworth; Ty Majeski, Dean Thompson, and Christian Eckes round out the top five. There has been lots of on track contact including getting Connor Zilisch turned around. Zilisch had entered the top 15 before getting spun around. He is now in 20th place.
It is going to be a very busy day for Connor Zilisch who has a plane waiting for him after the race to go to Pensacola to run in the ARCA race.
Matt Crafton has to serve a pass through penalty for missing the esses.
Lap 20, Corey Heim holds a near second and a half lead on Jack Hawksworth; Ty Majeski, Dean Thompson, and Christian Ecles round out the top five.
Connor Zilisch and Nick Sanchez have been charged with cutting the esses and have to serve a passthrough penalty.
Lawless Alan gets turned around and is stopped on the track bringing out the third caution flag of the race. Dean Thompson was also involved but got his truck moving again.
Drivers come down pit road for service. Drivers can make it to the end of the race from here. Corey Heim wins the race off of pit road.
Stewart Friesen brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 25 and goes side by side with Rajah Caruth. In a four wide battle going into turn one, Ben Rhodes takes the lead.
Corey Heim passes Ben Rhodes for the lead; Ty Majeski, Rajah Caruth, and Taylor Gray round out the top five. Connor Zilisch is in the top 10.
Lap 26, Corey Heim has a lead of nearly two seconds on Ty Majeski; Ben Rhodes, Jack Hawksworth, and Taylor Gray round out the top five.
Tanner Gray gets off the course but the track stays green.
Corey Heim wins stage two.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Corey Heim
Ty Majeski
Jack Hawksworth
Ben Rhodes
Taylor Gray
Connor Zilisch
Rajah Caruth
Tyler Ankrum
Dean Thompson
Matt Crafton
Drivers come down pit road for service.
After staying out on the track, Coey Heim brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Ty Majeski alongside. Corey Heim holds on to the lead with Ty Majeski in second; Connor Zilisch, Jack Hawksworth, and Mat Crafton round out the top five.
With 14 laps to go, Connor Zilisch and Ty Majeski make contact, causing some smoking from Zilisch’s truck. Zilisch passes Majeski for second; less than two seconds behind leader Corey Heim.
Christian Eckes has to serve a passthrough penalty for missing the esses.
Just 12 laps remain in the race; Corey Heim las a lead of over two seconds on Connor Zilisch with Ty Majeski, Jack Hawksworth, and Taylor Gray rounding out the top five.
Ten to go, Corey Heim has pulled out to a lead of over four seconds on Connor Zilisch; Ty Majeski, Jack Hawksworth, and Taylor Gray round out the top five.
Ty Majeski passes Connor Zilisch for second, but Zilisch fights back to retake the spot.
Stefan Parsons has to serve a passthrough penalty for missing the esses.
Nine to go, Corey Heim has increased his lead to over eight seconds on Ty Majeski; Connor Zilisch, Taylor Gray, and Jack Hawksworth round out the top five.
Eight laps remain in the race, Corey Heim has a lead of over eight seconds on Ty Majeski; Connor Zilisch, Taylor Gray, and Jack Hawksworth round out the top five.
Seven to go, Corey Heim continues to lead the race by over eight seconds.
Chase Purdy and Layne Riggs make contact; spinning Purdy out, but the track stays green.
Connor Zilisch gets sideways but saves the truck; the track stays green.
Six to go, Corey Heim has increased his lead to over nine seconds on Ty Majeski; Taylor Gray, Connor Zilisch, and Jack Hawksworth round out the top five.
Vincente Salas and Mason Massey are off the track.
Connor Zilisch was charged with cutting the esses and has to serve a passthrough penalty.
Lawless Alan is stopped on the track and brings out the caution flag with just five laps to go.
Some of the drivers come down pit road for service including Connor Zilisch and Matt Crafton.
With just four laps remaining in the race, Corey Heim brings the field down for the restart with Ty Majeski alongside. Majeski takes the lead briefly before Corey Heim retakes the lead. Several drivers get turned around but the track stays green.
Three to go, the top five are Corey Heim, Taylor Gray, Ty Majeski, Stewart Friesen, and Jack Hawksworth.
Two to go, Corey Heim has a lead of nearly two seconds on Taylor Gray. Christian Eckes spins out but the track stays green.
Ross Chastain and Jack Hawksworth battle for fifth.
The rear end housing of Marco Andretti’s truck comes off and rolls down the track into the grass and brings out the caution flag and sending the race into overtime.
Fuel is a major concern for some of the drivers.
NASCAR has displayed the red flag while they get the track cleaned up.
After a 4:30 red flag, NASCAR displays the yellow and the trucks get moving again with reports of low on fuel.
Taylor Gray’s crew chief reports that they will have to make a stop for fuel because they will run out. Gray stays out on the track.
Dale Quarterley is stopped on pit road but gets moving backwards back down to pit road.
Corey Heim brings the field down for the overtime shootout with Taylor Gray alongside. Corey Heim gets out in front as Nick Sanchez spins out.
Corey Heim has a one second lead on Taylor Gray; Ty Majeski, Connor Zilisch, and Ross Chastain round out the top five.
Corey Heim takes the white flag.
Rajah Caruth gets off the course but gets going again.
After saying a sixth place finish last year wasn’t very good, Corey Heim takes the checkered flag for his first win of the season. And he even has enough fuel for a burnout. He led 30 of the 42 laps.
Corey Heim is the fifth different winner in five races.
The unofficial results of the XPED 225:
Corey Heim
Taylor Gray
Ty Majeski
Connor Zilisch
Ross Chastain
Jack Hawksworth
Matt Crafton
Ben Rhodes
Christian Eckes
Dean Thompson
Tanner Gray
Ty Dillon
Grant Enfinger
Jack Wood
Jake Garcia
Matt Mills
Rajah Caruth
Bayley Curey
Timmy Hill
Nick Sanchez
Stefan Parsons
Stewart Friesen
Carter Fartuch
Chase Purdy
Tyler Ankrum
Dale Quarterley
Layne Riggs
Daniel Dye
Bret Holmes
Spencer Boyd
Marco Andretti
Thad Moffitt
Lawless Alan
Vincente Salas
Mason Massey