It’s All Star weekend for the Cup Series but the Craftsman Truck Series is in the middle of a five week stint of racing as they also travel to North Wilkesboro Speedway for the Wright Brand 250.

Thirty-seven teams brought trucks to North Wilkesboro for 36 starting spots including the Melon Man Ross Chastain.  Dawson Sutton is making his Truck Series debut this weekend.

While not new to North Wilkesboro, Brenden Queen is making his debut in the Truck Series…and driving a truck…this weekend.

And this time, the racing surface has been paved.

Just as practice began Stewart Friesen and Ty Majeski had to come into pit road after the hood pins came off of the truck; sending the hoods flying up into the wind shields.

Starting the weekend with a practice session, the Truck Series drivers get a full 50 minute practice session with qualifying on Saturday morning before racing in the afternoon.

During practice, Ross Chastain’s truck had a rear end issue and dropped fluid on the track.  Prctice was held up while the crews cleaned the track.

Brenden Queen leads the list for the fastest lap around the track at 17.91 seconds.

The rains that washed out the Cup Series Pit Road Challenge continues on Saturday morning and is threatening to wash out Truck Series qualifying.  It is a packed day of racing events with the Truck Series qualifying and race, the postponed Pit Road Challenge, and the heat races to set the field for the All Star Race.

At 10:35am NASCAR has cancelled qualifying for the Wright Brand 250 and will set the lineup via the rule book.

The starting lineup for the Wright Brand 250:
Christian Eckes
Nick Sanchez
Ross Chastain
Ty Majeski
Taylor Gray
Ben Rhodes
Chase Purdy
Tanner Gray
Grant Enfinger
Ty Dillon
Stewart Friesen
Corey Heim
Timmy Hill
Jake Garcia
Matt Mills
Lawless Alan
Jack Wood
Daniel Dye
Bayley Currey
Bret Holmes
Tyler Ankrum
Mason Massey
Layne Riggs
Rajah Caruth
Matt Crafton
Brenden Queen
Spencer Boyd
Dean Thompson
Thad Moffitt
Conner Jones
Sammy Smith
Josh Reaume
Stefan Parsons
Clayton Green
Trey Hutchins III
Dawson Sutton

Aric Almirola failed to make the race in his attempted return to the Truck Series.

Stages one and two of the race are 70 laps each with stage three lasting 110 laps for a total of 250 laps around the .625 mile track.  The drivers can run 120 to 130 laps on a single load of fuel.

After nine races Corey Heim, Christian Eckes, Nick Sanchez, and Rajah Caruth have locked in spots in the playoffs after race wins.

On a cloudy North Carolina afternoon, Christian Eckes brings the field down to get race number 10 of the Craftsman Truck Series started.  Christian Eckes gets out in front from the inside lane as drivers get three wide back in the field.

Ross Chastain passes nick Sanchez for second.

Lap three, Christian has already pulled out to a lead of nearly two seconds on Ross Chastain; Tanner Gray, T Dillon, and Grant Enfinger round out the top five.

Lap six, Christian Eckes has increased his lead to over two seconds.

Sammy Smith was charged with a start violation and will have to serve a pass through penalty.

Lap eight, Christian Eckes continues to increase his lead and is now nearly three seconds in front of Ross Chastain; Tanner Gray, Ty Dillon, and Grant Enfinger round out the top five.

Lap 12, Christian Eckes has a 2.76 second lead on Ross Chastain.

Lap 24, Corey Heim passes Ty Dillon for fourth.

Lap 25, Christian Eckes holds a two second lead on Ross Chastain; Tanner Gray, Corey Heim, and Ty Dillon round out the top five.  Eckes has begun lapping slower trucks and there are 29 trucks on the lead lap.

Christian Eckes has led in all 10 of the races this season.

Lap 34, Christian Eckes’ lead on Ross Chastain is now under two seconds; Tanner Gray, Corey Heim, and Ty Dillon round out the top five.  There are 28 trucks on the lead lap.

Lap 39, Corey Heim passes Tanner Gray for third and is on second place driver Ross Chastain’s bumper.

Lap 40, Christian Eckes is now just over a second in front of Ross Chastain.

Lap 43, Ross Chastain has closed the gap on leader Christian Eckes to under a second.

Lap 51, Christian Eckes has led every lap so far with Ross Chastain in second.

Corey Heim battles with Ross Chastain for second.

Ty Majeski, Bret Holmes, and Ben Rhodes make contact in a three wide battle.

Lap 57, Christian Eckes has a lead of less than a second on Ross Chastain; Corey Heim, Tanner Gray, and Ty Majeski round out the top five.

Lap 58, the first caution flag of the race comes out for rain on the track.

Pit road is open and some of the drivers come down for service including the leaders.  Corey Heim wins the race off of pit road.  Ty Majeski is the new leader after staying out on the track.

Bayley Currey was caught speeding on pit road.

Layne Riggs was charged with a tire violaton during his pit stop.

Ty Majeski brings the field down for the green flag restart with teammate Ben Rhodes alongside with just three laps remaining in stage one.

Majeski takes the lead with Ben Rhodes in second; Rajah Caruth, Taylor gray, and Corey Heim round out the top five.

Ty Majeski wins stage one for his third stage win of the season.

The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Ty Majeski
Ben Rhodes
Rajah Caruth
Taylor Gray
Corey Heim
Ty Dillon
Christian Eckes
Tanner Gray
Jack Wood
Tyler Ankrum

Some of the drivers come down pit road for service.

Spencer Boyd left pit road with the jack still attached to the truck.  The jack came loose on the track.

After going a lap down serving his pass through penalty, Sammy Smith is back on the lead lap.

NASCAR brings the trucks down pit road to red flag the race for lightening in the area.   A lightening strike means a 30 minute wait; each successive strike means an additional 30 minute wait.

While drivers can race on some tracks while the racing surface is wet; they cannot race in a deluge or when it is lightening; and that is what caused the postponement of the Wright Brand 250 on Saturday.    Five inches of rain fell in just 90 minutes.  Tires were floating around the paddock and some of the trucks were flooded.

The race will resume early in stage two on lap 81 on a warm Sunday morning.

The trucks are on the track and moving under the yellow caution flag.

Pit road is open and a few of the drivers have come down for service.

Ty Majeski brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two on lap 87 with Rajah Caruth getting out in front for the lead.

Lap 89, Rajah Caruth leads the race with Ty Majjeski in second; Corey Heim, Tyler Ankrum, and Christian Eckes round out the top five.

Lap 92, Ty Majeski and Rajah Caruth battle for the lead.  Caruth gets loose and goes for a spin.

A few drivers come down pit road for service.

Ty Majeski brings the field down for the green flag restart with Corey Heim alongside on lap 99 and this time Majeski and Heim are side by side.  Drivers get three wide across the track.  Majeski edges out to take the lead.

Lap 102, Ty Majeski leads the race with Corey Heim in second; Christian Eckes, Conner Jones, and Nick Sanchez round out the top five.

Lap 107, Ty Majeski has a third of a second lead on Corey Heim; Christian Eckes, Conner Jones, and Nick Sanchez round out the top five.  There are 28 trucks on the lead lap with all 36 drivers still on the track.

Lap 114, Ty Majeski has pulled out to a lead of nearly a second on Corey Heim.

The caution flag comes out on lap 117 when Lawless Alan spins out.

Most of the drivers come down pit road for service; some of them for the first time in the race.  Nick Sanchez wins the race off of pit road.

After staying out on the track, Tyler Ankrum brings the field down for the green flag with Jack Wood alongside on al 124.  Drivers are three wide on the restart with Tyler Ankrum getting out in front. 

Lap 125, the top five are Tyler Ankrum, Jake Garcia, Stewart Friesen, Jack Wood, and Layne Riggs.

Nick Sanchez has been black flagged for a restart violation and will have to serve a pass through penalty.

With seven laps remaining in stage two, Tyler Ankrum has a half second lead on Jake Garcia.

The caution flag comes out on lap 139 for a spin by Bret Holmes.  Stage two ends under caution with Tyler Ankrum winning the stage for his second stage win of the season.

The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Tyler Ankrum
Jake Garcia
Stewart Friesen
Jack Wood
Layne Riggs
Christian Eckes
Ben Rhodes
Corey Heim
Daniel Dye
Grant Enfinger

Lawless Alan needed a push to get moving again.

Tyler Ankrum brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three on lap 147.  Jake Garcia gets out in front for the lead with Layne Riggs taking second; Tyler Ankrum, Ben Rhodes, and Corey Heim round out the top five.  This is the first time that Garcia has led a truck race in his career.

After spinning out and dropping back to 28th, Rajah Caruth has entered the top 15 in 13th place.

Lap 154, Jake Garcia has a third of a second lead on Layne Riggs; Tyler Ankrum, Corey Heim, and Ben Rhodes round out the top five.

Trey Hutchens III is off the track.

Lap 158, Jake Garcia has increased his lead to over half a second on Layne Riggs.

Brenden “Butter Bean” Queen led practice on Friday but a rained out qualifying put Queen back in 26th to start the race.  In his truck series debut, he is just outside the top 10 in eleventh place.

Corey Heim and Tyler Ankrum battle for third.

Lap 168, leader Jake Garcia is mired in slower traffic and is lapping trucks.

Lap 171, Stewart Friesen and Brenden Queen battle for 10th.

Lap 172, after battling for several laps, Corey Heim finally passes Tyler Ankrum for third.

Lap 175, Jake Garcia has a near half second lead on Corey Heim; Layne Riggs, Tyler Ankrum, and Ben Rhodes round out the top five.

Conner Jones spins out and brings out the sixth caution flag of the race with 73 laps remaining in the race.

Several drivers come down pit road for service, but no one from the front of the field.

Jake Garcia brings the field down for the green flag restart with 65 laps to go with Corey Heim alongside.  Garcia and Heim go side by side with Corey Heim getting out in front.

NASCAR has invited Conner Jones to the hauler after the race.

With 64 laps to go Corey Heim has a lead of over half a second lead on Jake Garcia; Layne Riggs, Ben Rhodes, and Tyler Ankrum round out the top five.

Conner Jones is out of the race.

With 61 to go, Corey Heim has a lead of over a second on Jake Garcia; Layne Riggs, Christian Eckes, and Brenden Queen round out the top five.

Drivers are battling all through the field as the laps wind down.

With 57 laps to go, Corey Heim has a lead of nearly two seconds on Jake Garcia.  Layne Riggs and Christian Eckes battle for third.  Brenden Queen rounds out the top five.

With 52 laps to go, Corey Heim has a lead of over two seconds on Jake Garcia; Layne Riggs, Christian Eckes, and Brenden Queen round out the top five.

Lap 201, Brenden Queen battles with Christian Eckes for fourth.  Over the course of the race he has passed over 60 trucks.

Lap 204 Corey Heim has a near three second lead on Jake Garcia.

Lap 212, Dean Thompson spins out to bring out the caution flag.  The caution erases a lead of four seconds by Corey Heim.

Corey Heim brings the field down for the green flag restart with 32 laps remaining in the race.  Heim jumps out in front for the lead.  Drivers are three wide in a battle for position.

Lap 220, Corey Heim has a one second lead on Layne Riggs; Jake Garcia, Grant Enfinger, and Christian Eckes round out the top five.

Sammy Smith, Brenden Queen, and Christian Eckes are in a battle for fifth.

Lap 224, Corey Heim has a lead of over a second and a half on Layne Riggs.

Lap 227, Corey Heim has a lead of over two seconds on Layne Riggs; Grant Enfinger, Brenden Queen, and Jake Garcia round out the top five.

Twenty to go, Corey Heim has a lead of nearly two and a half seconds on Layne Riggs; Grant Enfinger, Brenden Queen, and Sammy Smith round out the top five.

Fourth place driver Brenden Queen has passed a total of 65 trucks in today’s race.

There are 26 trucks on the lead lap with two trucks out of the race.

Just 13 laps to go; Corey Heim has a lead of nearly three seconds on Layne Riggs.

Ten to go, Layne Riggs and Grant Enfinger battle for second.

Seven to go, Corey Heim has a three second lead on Layne Riggs.

Layne Riggs, Grant Enfinger, and Brenden Queen are bumper to bumper.

Four to go, Corey Heim has a lead of nearly three and a half seconds.

Three to go, Grant Enfinger passed Layne Riggs for second.

Corey Heim takes the white flag amid traffic.

Corey Heim wins his third race of the season.

The unofficial results of the Wright Brand 250:
Corey Heim
Grant Enfinger
Layne Riggs
Brenden Queen
Sammy Smith
Christian Eckes
Nick Sanchez
Tyler Ankrum
Daniel Dye
Stewart Friesen
Ty Majeski
Jack Wood
Taylor Gray
Rajah Caruth
Ross Chastain
Tanner Gray
Stefan Parsons
Matt Mills
Bayley Currey
Matt Crafton
Jake Garcia
Ben Rhodes
Mason Massey
Chase Purdy
Ty Dillon
Timmy Hill
Dean Thompson
Dawson Sutton
Bret Holmes
Lawless Alan
Thad Moffit
Spencer Boyd
Josh Reaume
Clayton Green
Conner Jones
Trey Hutchens III