It’s the final weekend before the grand finale of the 2024 NASCAR season and all three series are racing at Martinsville Speedway on the shortest track in the circuit – the half mile paper clip.
First up is the Craftsman Truck Series for the Zip. Buy Now, Pay Later 200.
Johnny Sauter is in the 66 truck this week after NASCAR suspended driver Conner Jones for one race after some over aggressive driving at Homestead-Miami that sent Matt Mills into the wall and catching the truck on fire. Mills ended up spending a couple of nights in the hospital with smoke inhalation due to the crash. Mills says that he feels great and thanks of the fans and sponsors for their support.
The drivers have been divided into two groups and have just 15 minutes of practice before they will make a qualifying run. Round one of practice was halted for a short period when a rain shower crossed over the track.
Chase Purdy topped the chart in group one practice. Group two includes all eight of the playoff drivers.
Making his debut in the Craftsman Truck Series this weekend, Landon Lewis comes in 10th in practice.
Christian Eckes has finished in the top 10 in 20 of 21 races. He has earned a total of 291 stage points this season – the most ever in the truck series.
Tyler Ankrum is having some undefined issues with his truck.
Christian Eckes leads the drivers in practice for group two.
The drivers get two laps to make their best lap.
The first driver on the track to make a qualifying run is Norm Benning and posted a time of 21.488 seconds. The 72 year old Benning did not make a practice run.
The second driver out Landon Lewis posted a time of 19.827 seconds even after getting loose and touching the wall.
Justin Carroll did not make a qualifying run after the crew found an issue with the truck. But there are 36 trucks for 36 starting spots and Justin will make the race.
With a time of 19.556 seconds, Christian Eckes put his number 19 truck on the pole with Ty Majeski starting alongside on the front row. Five of the eight playoff drivers are in the top 10.
The starting lineup for the Zip Buy Now Pay Later 200:
Christian Eckes
Ty Majeski
Taylor Gray
Nick Sanchez
Layne Riggs
Ben Rhodes
Corey Heim
Chase Purdy
Kaden Honeycutt
Jack Wood
Rajah Caruth
William Sawalich
Johnny Sauter
Landon Lewis
Tanner Gray
Matt Crafton
Dean Thompson
Daniel Dye
Timmy Hill
Stewart Friesen
Matt Mills
Matthew Gould
Tyler Ankrum
Dawson Sutton
Bayley Currey
Jake Garcia
Conner Zilisch
Brett Moffit
Dylan Lupton
Lawless Alan
Corey Day
Spencer Boyd
Grant Enfinger
Norm Benning
Clayton Green
Justin S Carroll
Tanner Gray and Tyler Ankrum both had brake issues during practice and qualifying and will start the race from the back of the field.
Grant Enfinger had a bad qualifying run; turned out he had a flat tire!
Stages one and two are 50 laps each with stage three lasting 100 laps for a total of 200 laps around the half mile track. The drivers can run 150 to 160 laps on a single load of fuel. They can make the race on just one pit stop if they choose.
Christian Eckes brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Ty Majeski alongside. Eckes gets out in front for the lead with ty Majeski in second. Taylor Gray and Nick Sanchez battle for third.
Lap two, the top five are Christian Eckes, Ty Majeski, Nick Sanchez, Layne Riggs, and Taylor Gray.
After starting the race in 33rd, Grant Enfinger has move up to 26th on lap six.
Six of the eight playoff drivers are in the top 10.
Lap seven, Christian Eckes has pulled out to a near one second lead on ty Majeskio; Nick Sanchez, Layne Riggs, and Taylor Gray round out the top five.
Lap eleven, Christian Eckes continues to lead the race and now has a lead of over a second on Ty Majeski as he begins to laps slower traffic.
Lap 13, Grant Enfinger is now in 24th.
Lap 14, the top five are Christian Eckes, Ty Majeski, Nick Sanchez, Layne Riggs, and Taylor Gray.
Lap 16, Christian Eckes has a second and a half lead on Ty Majeski.
The brake rotors are already glowing red on the trucks.
Lap 23, Christian Eckes’ lead is down to under a second as he battle slower traffic.
Lap 26, the top five are Christian Eckes, ty Majeski, Nick Sanchez, Layne Riggs, and Taylor Gray.
Tyler Ankrum continues to have issues with his trick and is the last truck on the lead lap in 31st.
Norm Benning is off the track.
Lap 29, Grant Enfinger has entered the top 20.
Lap 30, Christian Eckes is now is nearly two seconds out in front of the field.
Corey Heim reports that his truck is “awful, awful, awful free” adding that it is “terrible”.
Lap 36, Matthew Gould is slowed on the track and is unable to make it to pit road and brings out the first caution flag of the race. He reports that the truck has lost power.
Several of the drivers come down pit road for service on lap 39.
Matt Crafton and Landon Lewis were caught speeding on pit road and will restart the race from the back of the field.
Christian Eckes brings the field down for the green flag restart with eight laps remaining in stage one. Rajah Caruth dropped down on the track and jumped the curb.
Christian Eckes holds on to the lead with Ty Majeski in second; Nick Sanchez, Layne Riggs, and Taylor Gray round out the top five. Grant Enfinger is now in 15th.
Drivers are getting three wide on the track.
Lap 47, Christian Eckes has a one second lead on Ty Majeski; Nick Sanchez, Taylor Gray, and Layne Riggs round out the top five.
Rah Caruth gets into the wall and is slowed on the track.
Christian Eckes wins stage one for his 10th stage win of the season – the most of any driver.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Christian Eckes
Ty Majeski
Nick Sanchez
Taylor Gray
Layne Riggs
Corey Heim
Kaden Honeycutt
Chase Purdy
William Sawalich
Connor Zilisch
Some of the drivers come down pit road for service with the leaders staying out on the track.
Christian Eckes brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two on lap 61 on the inside lane. Eckes edges out to hold on to the lead. In the spring race, Eckes dominated, sweeping both stages and winning the race.
Lap 63, Christian Eckes has a lead of over half a second on ty Majeski; Nick Sanchez, Corey Heim, and Kaden Honeycutt round out the top five.
Lap 67, Christian Eckes has increased his lead to over a second on Ty Majeski.
Lap 71, the top six drivers have yet to make a pit stop.
Grant Enfinger is just outside the top 10 in eleventh place.
Lap 75, Christian Eckes has pulled out to a lead of nearly two seconds on Ty Majeski.
Norm Benning is out of the race.
Lap 79, there are 29 trucks on the lead lap.
Lap 81, Christian Eckes has a near two second lead on Ty Majeski; Nick Sanchez, Corey Heim, and William Sawalich round out the top five. Grant Enfinger has entered the top 10.
Back in 24th place, Rajah Caruth is having some brake issues.
Lap 90, Christian Eckes has a lead of over three seconds on Ty Majeski; Nick Sanchez, Corey Heim, and William Sawalich round out the top five. Grant Enfinger is in ninth place.
Rajah Caruth is the last truck on the lead lap with leader Christian Eckes on his bumper.
Lap 94, Christian Eckes puts fellow playoff driver Rajah Caruth one lap down.
The caution flag comes out on lap 99 when Dylan Lupton has a heavily damaged truck after spinning to the wall in a single truck incident.
Christian Eckes sweeps the stages with his stage two win under caution for his eleventh stage win of the season.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Christian Eckes
Ty Majeski
Nick Sanchez
Corey Heim
William Sawalich
Stewart Friesen
Ben Rhodes
Tyler Ankrum
Kaden Honeycutt
Grant Enfinger
Landon Lewis is in the garage.
Drivers who have yet to make a pit stop come down pit road for service with Christian Eckes winning the race off of pit road.
Rajah Caruth makes a second trip down pit road as the crew tries to determine the brake issue in his truck.
Ben Rhodes brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Christian Eckes alongside on lap 111 and gets out in front for the lead.
The top five are Ben Rhodes, Christian Eckes, Ty Majeski, Nick Sanchez, and Corey Heim.
Lap 114, Ben Rhodes leads the race but Christian Eckes is on Rhodes’ bumper in a battle for the lead.
Lap 116 Christian Eckes passes Ben Rhodes for the lead and begins to pull away.
Dylan Lupton is out of the race.
Lap 120, there are 25 trucks on the lead lap. Christian Eckes has a lead of over a second on Ben Rhodes.
Lap 122, Nick Sanchez passes Ben Rhodes for second.
Lap 124, seven of the top 10 drivers are in the playoffs; only Rajah Caruth who is in the garage for repairs is not in the top 10.
Lap 126, Rajah Caruth is out of the garage and back on the track 20 laps down.
Lap 131, Christian Eckes has pulled out to a lead of nearly three and a half seconds on Nick Sanchez; Ty Majeski, Ben Rhodes, and Corey Heim round out the top five.
Lap 135, Christian Eckes has a three second lead on Nick Sanchez and continues to lap slower trucks.
Landen Lewis is out of the race with 24 trucks on the lead lap.
Lap 141, Christian Eckes has increased his lead to over four seconds on Nick Sanchez; Ty Majeski, Ben Rhodes, and Corey Heim round out the top five.
Lap 147, Christian Eckes is running away from the field with a lead of over five seconds with 22 trucks on the lead lap.
Lap 152, the top five are Christian Eckes, Nick Sanchez, Ty Majeski, Ben Rhodes, and Stewart Friesen.
Lap 158, driving it like he stole it, Christian Eckes has now led 1,000 laps this season!
Lap 160, Christian Eckes has a lead of over six seconds on Nick Sanchez; Ty Majeski, Ben Rhodes, and Stewart Friesen round out the top five. Ben Rhodes and Stewart Friesen battle for fourth.
There are just 18 trucks on the lead lap.
Kaden Honeycutt brings out the caution flag with 39 laps remaining in the race with a flat tire that sent him into the wall.
Daniel Dye is on pit road with the hood up.
Some of the drivers come down pit road for fresh tires. There are only 17 trucks on the lead lap.
Christian Eckes brings the field down for the green flag restart with Nick Sanchez alongside with just 30 laps remaining in the race. Eckes jumps out in front for the lead. Ty Majeski and Nick Sanchez battle for second.
The top five are Christian Eckes, Nick Sanchez, Ty Majeski, Stewart Friesen, and Taylor Gray.
Drivers are three wide through the field.
With 25 laps to go, Christian Eckes has a second and a half lead on Nick Sanchez.
Just 23 laps to go and Christian Eckes has a lead of over two seconds.
Twenty to go! Christian Eckes has a near three second lead with 18 trucks on the lead lap.
Kaden Honeycutt is out of the race.
The caution flag comes out with 19 laps remaining in the race when Dean Thompson pushes Tanner Gray into the wall and catches up Brett Moffitt.
Some drivers come down pit road for service.
Christian Eckes brings the field down for the green flag restart with Taylor Gray on the outside lane with just 12 laps remaining in the race. Eckes holds on to the lead with Taylor Gray in second; Nick Sanchez, Ben Rhodes, and Ty Majeski round out the top five.
Eleven laps to go, the caution flag comes out for a wreck involving Chase Purdy, Grant Enfinger, Stewart Friesen, and Johnny Sauter.
Christian Eckes brings the field down for the green flag restart with Taylor Gray alongside with just five laps remaining in the race. Taylor Gray gets out in front but Christian Eckes moves Gray out of the way to take the lead. Ben Rhodes passes Christian Eckes for the lead and gets the bumper form Christian Eckes and Eckes takes the lead.
Two to go, Christian Eckes holds on to the lead as drivers battle through the field.
Christian Eckes takes the white flag.
Christian Eckes wins after a dominating race and earns his first trip to Phoenix as a member of the championship four.
Corey Heim and Ty Majeski fill out the championship four.
An angry Taylor Gray walks away from the broadcast crew and pushes the microphone away. NASCAR security has joined Gray to wherever he is walking with media in tow. Gray tries to get to Christian Eckes and has a profane filled rant at Eckes.
The unofficial results of the Zip Buy Now Pay Later 200:
Christian Eckes
Ben Rhodes
Chase Purdy
Taylor Gray
Nick Sanchez
Layne Riggs
Corey Heim
Tyler Ankrum
Grant Enfinger
Stewart Friesen
Ty Majeski
Connor Zilisch
Matt Crafton
Willaim Sawalich
Dawson Sutton
Bayley Currey
Dean Thompson
Corey Day
Matt Mills
Jake Garcia
Timmy Hill
Spencer Boyd
Lawless Alan
Clayton Green
Justin Carroll
Jack Wood
Matthew Gould
Johnny Sauter
Tanner Gray
Brett Moffitt
Rajah Caruth
Daniel Dye
Kaden Honeycutt
Dylan Lupton
Landen Lewis
Norm Benning