The Craftsman Truck Series kicks off a triple header weekend with the CRC Brakleen 175 on the “Tricky Triangle” of Pocono Raceway.
Thirty-six teams brought trucks to Pocono for the race, including a watermelon schemed truck for the Melon Man Ross Chastain. Chastain is the only driver in the field who has a previous win at Pocono.
With just three races remaining in the regular season, Corey Heim, Christian Eckes, Nick Sanchez, and Rajah Caruth are the only drivers assured of a playoff spot with race wins. Six playoff spots remain open.
Just as the drivers are prepared to hit the track for practice, the teams cover the trucks for rain in the area. NASCAR has told the drivers to stay in their trucks.
At 2:23, the covers are off and the engines have been fired as the drivers get ready for some practice.
Layne Riggs spins out and hits the inside wall hard, causing significant damage to the truck. He reports that the truck just snapped on him. He will have to move to a backup truck.
After leading every lap at Nashville, Christian Eckes jumps out to top the leaderboard in practice.
Bryan Dauzat spins out and hits the wall with the right front of his truck. At 64, Dauzat is the most experienced driver in the field.
Grant Enfinger is stalled on the track; he gets the truck refired and moving.
After the 20 minute practice session, the drivers will make single truck one lap qualifying runs to set the field.
And the covers are back on the trucks again as the rain drops begin again.
With just over two hours until race time, several of the teams are still waiting on their pit crews due to bad weather in Charlotte. It is a two hour flight from Charlotte to Pocono.
Qualifying has been cancelled; putting Christian Eckes on the pole.
The lineup for the CRC Brakleen 175:
Christian Eckes
Corey Heim
Rajah Caruth
Tyler Ankrum
Daniel Dye
Ty Majeski
Ben Rhodes
Grant Enfinger
Nick Sanchez
Stewart Friesen
Tanner Gray
Jake Garcia
Matt Mille
Ty Dillon
Matt Crafton
Chase Purdy
Layne Riggs
Connor Mosack
Taylor Gray
Bayley Currey
Zane Smith
Dean Thompson
Spencer Boyd
Lawless Alan
Timmy Hill
Kris Wright
Ross Chastain
Luke Fenhaus
Mason Massey
Bret Holms
Thad Moffitt
Mason Maggio
Sage Karam
Bryan Dauzat
Stephen Mallozzi
Justin Carroll
Layne Riggs will start the race from the back of the field in a backup truck after a crash during practice. The truck barely made it through the inspection process before the race began.
Stages one and two are 15 laps each with stage three lasting 40 laps for a total of 70 laps. This year the race is 10 laps longer than any previous race.
Christian Eckes brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Corey Heim alongside. Drivers spread out four and five wide going in to turn one with Christian Eckes leading the race.
Lap two, Christian Eckes has a near half second lead on Tyler Ankrum; Ty Majeski, Grant
Enfinger, and Stewart Friesen round out the top five.
Lap three, Ross Chastain started the race in 27th; he is now in a battle for 16th.
Lap four, Christian Eckes has pulled out to a lead of over a second on Tyler Ankrum; Corey Heim, Daniel Dye, and Ty Majeski round out the top five.
Driving a brand new truck, Corey Heim is running some of the fastest laps on the track in third.
Lap six, Christian Eckes has led in every race so far this season.
Lap seven, Corey Heim and Tyler Ankrum battle for second with Christian Eckes over a second out in front. Heim takes second.
Lap eleven, Corey Heim has caught leader Christian Eckes and begins to challenge for the lead.
Lap 12 Christian Eckes and Corey Heim battle for the lead with Heim getting out in front. But Eckes isn’t through with the battle.
Lap 13, Spencer Boyd is off the track with 33 trucks on the lead lap.
With two laps remaining in stage one, Corey Heim has pulled out to a lead of nearly a second on Christian Eckes.
Corey Heim wins stage one by over a second and a half for his fifth stage win of the season.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Corey Heim
Christian Eckes
Tyler Ankrum
Daniel Dye
Grant Enfinger
Ty Majeski
Nick Sanchez
Taylor Gray
Stewart Friesen
Tanner Gray
Some of the drivers come down pit road but the leaders stay out on the track. Mason Maggio was charged with an uncontrolled tire when it went rolling down pit road. Zane Smith had a slow stop with a broken shock.
Lap 21, Corey Heim brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with Tyler Ankrum alongside. Drivers spread out across the track with Corey Heim getting out in front for the lead with Christian Eckes in second.
Lap 22, Corey Heim has a lead of over half a second on Christian Eckes; Daniel Dye, Tyler Ankrum, and Grant Enfinger round out the top five.
Sage Karam’s truck is smoking.
Lap 25, Corey Heim has pulled out to a lead of nearly a second and a half on Christian Eckes; Daniel Dye, Grant Enfinger, and Tyler Ankrum round out the top five. Ross Chastain has entered the top 10 in ninth place.
Stephen Mallozzi is off the track.
With a lead of over two seconds, Corey Heim sweeps the stages. This is Heim’s sixth stage win – the most of any driver.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Corey Heim
Christian Eckes
Daniel Dye
Grant Enfinger
Tyler Ankrum
Ty Majeski
Ross Chastain
Stewart Friesen
Tanner Gray
Matt Mills
Most of the field comes down pit road for service. Mason Maggio was charged with a second uncontrolled tire. Christian Eckes had a slow pit stop.
After staying out on the track, Jake Garcia and Nick Sanchez bring the field down for the green flag start of stage three on lap 37. Drivers spread out three and four wide across the track. Jake Garcia and Matt Mills on two fresh tires battle for the lead.
The top five are Jake Garcia, Corey Heim, Nick Sanchez, Grant Enfinger, and Chase Purdy.
Lap 38, Corey Heim passes Jake Garcia for the lead.
Lap 39, Nick Sanchez and Jake Garcia make contact but the track stays green.
Lap 40, Corey Heim has a near two second lead on Ross Chastain; Grant Enfinger, Christian Eckes, and Nick Sanchez round out the top five.
There are 29 trucks on the lead lap.
After restarting the race in 16th, Christian Eckes is up to fourth place on lap 41.
With 28 laps to go, Nick Sanchez comes down pit road for service. The drivers are expected to make a quick stop to top off fuel in order to make it to the end of the race.
Corey Heim has a lead of over a second and a half on Connor Mosack; Grant Enfinger, Christian Eckes, and Chase Purdy round out the top five.
The first caution flag of the night for an on track incident comes out on lap 45 when Rajah Caruth and Connor Mosack make contact, sending Caruth spinning.
Several of the drivers come down pit road for service. Leaders stay out on the track.
Lap 48, Corey Heim brings the field down for the green flag restart with Grant Enfinger alongside. Drivers spread out four wide across the track with Corey Heim holding on to the lead.
Twenty to go! Corey Heim leads the race with Grant Enfinger in second; Ross Chastain, Christian Eckes, and Matt Mills round out the top five.
Ty Majeski passes Matt Mills for fifth; but on lap 54, Majeski comes down pit road with a battery issue.
Christian Eckes passes Ross Chastain for third.
Ten to go! Corey Heim has a near one second lead on Grant Enfinger; Ross Chastain, Christian Eckes, and Taylor Gray round out the top five.
With just nine laps remaining in the race, NASCAR displays the yellow flag for rain in the area. Leader Corey Heim tries to convince NASCAR that it is really pouring out there.
NASCAR brings the drivers down pit road and brings out the red flag.
NASCAR has announced to the teams that the race would end at 8:20pm EDT.
NASCAR gets the drivers back on the track with eight laps remaining in the race.
The rains got heavier and NASCAR brings the drivers back down pit road a second time and displays the red flag.
The yellow flag is back out and the drivers head for their trucks with six laps remaining in the race.
The track is dry and the drivers are back on the track with just six laps remaining in the race. A few drivers back in the field come down pit road to top off their fuel.
Corey Heim brings the field down for the green flag restart with just three laps to go with Christian Eckes alongside. Drivers spread out across the track. Christian Eckes gets slideways but saves the truck and the track stays green. Corey Heim leads the race with Gran Enfinger in second.
Corey Heim takes the white flag!
Corey Heim wins race number five of the season!
And the rains return…with a rainbow!
The unofficial results of the CRC Brakleen 175:
Corey Heim
Grant Enfinger
Christian Eckes
Taylor Gray
Ross Chastain
Chase Purdy
Stewart Friesen
Matt Crafton
Dean Thompson
Rajah Caruth
Matt Mills
Bret Holmes
Nick Sanchez
Tyler Ankrum
Connor Mosack
Daniel Dye
Bayley Currey
Ben Rhodes
Tanner Gray
Zane Smith
Jake Garcia
Luke Fenhaus
Timmy Hill
Mason Massey
Ty Dillon
Kris Wright
Mason Maggio
Justin Carroll
Thad Moffitt
Layne Riggs
Ty Majeski
Lawless Alan
Sage Karam
Bryan Dauzat
Stephen Mallozzi
Spencer Boyd