The Cup Series has a rare weekend off with Easter on Sunday; but the Craftsman Truck and Xfinity Series have a doubleheader weekend as NASCAR returns to Rockingham Speedway.
On a hot Friday afternoon the Truck Series takes to the track for practice and qualifying before racing later in the afternoon with the Black’s Tire 200.
Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar may not be driving this weekend but is working as he joins Jamie Little and Michael Waltrip in the broadcast booth.
Thirty-five drivers are at Rockingham and will get a full 50 minute practice session before making a qualifying run.
Cody Dennison’s 22 truck was spewing a lot of smoke and apparently blew up; causing a pause in practice.
Over the past two weeks at Martinsville and Bristol tire wear was a big issue for the teams, but the tires do not appear to be falling off during practice.
Ty Majeski topped the leaderboard after practice with the fastest lap and multiple lap speeds.
The first driver on the track to make a qualifying run is Timmy Hill who posted a time of 22.992 seconds.
Stewart Friesen slapped the wall during his qualifying run but still posted a lap of less than 23 seconds on the just over one mile track.
After blowing an engine, Cody Dennison will not make a qualifying run and will start the race from the back of the field.
With a time of 22.050 Jake Garcia earns his first career pole with Bristol winner Chandler Smith starting alongside on the front row.
The starting lineup for the Black’s Tire 200:
Jake Garcia
Chandler Smith
Ben Rhodes
Connor Mosack
Layne Riggs
Bayley Currey
Kaden Honeycutt
Gio Ruggiero
Ty Majeski
Tanner Gray
Sammy Smith
Luke Fenhaus
Matt Mills
Corey Heim
Andres Perez
Tyler Ankrum
Daniel Hemric
Conor Day
Grant Enfinger
Stewart Friesen
Rajah Caruth
Parker Kligerman
Matt Crafton
Jack Wood
Dawson Sutton
Timmy Hill
Toni Breitinger
Nathan Byrd
Brandon Jones
Frankie Muniz
Spencer Boyd
Justin Carroll
Stephen Mallozzi
Norm Benning
Cody Dennison
This is the final race in the Triple Truck Challenge. The driver that wins the race will also earn an additional $50,000! If either Chandler Smith or Daniel Hemric win the race, they will earn a total of $150,000 after winning one of the Triple Truck Challenge races.
Stages one and two are 45 laps each with stage three lasting 110 laps for a total of 200 laps around the shade under one mile track. The drivers can run 80 to 85 laps on a single load of fuel.
Jake Garcia brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Chandler Smith alongside. Garcia edges out for the lead but Smith comes up to battle for the spot.
The caution flag comes out on lap three when Connor Mosack gets into the wall with some damage after contact with Bayley Currey.
Tyler Ankrum gets into the wall on a separate incident.
Bayley Currey and Connor Mosack are both on pit road for repairs.
Jake Garcia brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap seven with Chandler Smith on the inside lane. Garcia holds on to the lead with Chandler Smith in second; Layne Riggs, Ben Rhodes, and Gio Ruggiero round out the top five.
Ben Rhodes’ truck is smoking but he stays out on the track.
Lap 12, Jake Garcia has a near half second lead on Chandler Smith; Layne Riggs, Kaden Honeycutt, and Gio Ruggiero round out the top five.
Trucks are getting three wide across the track.
Lap 16, Norm Benning is off the pace and has been black flagged.
Lap 17, Jake Garcia has pulled out to a one second lead on Chandler Smith; Layne Riggs, Kaden Honeycutt, and Gio Ruggiero round ut the top five.
Stephen Mallozzi is off the track.
Ben Rhodes reports that he has no power steering.
Lap 21, Corey Heim started the race in 15th; he is now in the top 10 in seventh.
Lap 22, Jake Garcia’s lead is now back down to under a second on Chandler Smith; Layne Riggs, Kaden Honeycutt, and Gio Ruggiero continue to round out the top five.
Corey Day is on pit road and the truck was slowed on the track. When the crew jacked up the truck, it was smoking.
Lap 31, Jake Garcia has a lead of less than half a second on Chandler Smith as they work their way through traffic; Layne riggs, Kaden Honeycutt, and Gio Ruggiero round out the top five. Corey Heim is just outside the top five in sixth. There are 23 trucks on the lead one.
Lap 35, Jake Garcia and Chandler Smith battle for the lead.
Norm Benning is off the track.
Nine laps remain in stage one, Chandler Smith continues to battle with Jake Garcia for the lead with 21 trucks on the lead lap.
Lap 38, Layne Riggs passes Chandler Smith for second with Jake Garcia less than two tenths of a second out in front.
Lap 40, Layne Riggs battles with Jake Garcia for the lead.
Four laps remain in stage one; Jake Garcia is just a quarter of a second out in front of Layne Riggs.
Three to go, Layne Riggs continues his battle for the lead and takes the lead with two laps remaining in stage one. Kaden Honeycutt passes Chandler Smith for third.
Layne Riggs wins stage one for his first stage win.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Layne Riggs
Kake Garcia
Kaden Honeycutt
Chandler Smith
Corey Heim
Gio Ruggiero
Ty Majeski
Tammer Grau
Sammy Smith
Luke Fenhaus
Drivers come down pit road for service with Kaden Honeycutt winning the race off of pit road after taking only two tires. Grant Enfinger also took only two tires. Layne Riggs is the first driver on four fresh tires. Jake Garcia had a slow pit stop and lost several places on the track.
Matt Crafton had a dashboard fire and is on pit road and headed to the garage.
Kaden Honeycutt brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with Grant Enfinger alongside on lap 56. Enfinger gets out in front for the lead. Layne Riggs passes Kaden Honeycutt for second.
The top five are Grant Enfinger, Layne Riggs, Kaden Honeycutt, Chandler Smith, and Jake Garcia.
Lap 59, Jake Garcia passes Chandler Smith for fourth.
Justin Carroll is off the track.
Stephen Mallozzi is back on the track 36 laps down.
Cody Dennison is 35 laps down.
Lap 62, Grant Enfinger has a half second lead on Layne Riggs; Kaden Honeycutt, Jake Garcia, and Chandler Smith round out the top five with 22 trucks on the lead lap.
Lap 70, Layne Riggs battles with Grant Enfinger for the lead.
Lap 72, Kaden Honeycutt makes it a three way battle for the lead with Layne Riggs and Grant Enfinger.
Kaden Honeycutt takes the lead with Layne Riggs in second and Grant Enfinger in third.
Laps are counting down quickly; there are just 15 laps remaining in stage two with Kaden Honeycutt nearly a half second out on front of Layne Riggs; Jake Garcia, Chandler Smith, and Corey Heim rounding out the top five.
Ben Rhodes brings his car down pit road with no power steering.
There are just 21 trucks on the lead lap.
Lap 78, Kaden Honeycutt and Layne Riggs battle for the lead with Riggs getting back out in front for the lead.
Ben Rhodes crew reports that the power steering pump has now failed.
Matt Crafton, Ben Rhodes, Stepen Mallozzi, Norm Benning, and Cody Dennison are all off the track.
Just four laps remain in stage two with Layne Riggs a second and a half out in the lead with Kaden Honeycutt in second; Jake Garcia, Chandler Smith, and Corey Heim round out the top five.
Layne Riggs wins stage two for the stage sweep.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Layne Riggs
Kaden Honeycutt
Jake Garcia
Chandler Smith
Corey Heim
Ty Majeski
Grant Enfinger
Gio Ruggiero
Parker Kligerman
Tanner Gray
Drivers come down pit road for service with Chandler Smith winning the race off of pit road and Rajah Caruth in second with Parker Kligerman in third after taking only two tires.
Brandon Jones was charged with an uncontrolled tired and will have to restart the race from the back of the field.
Chandler Smith brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Rajah Caruth alongside on lap 100 as the sun begins to set. Smith and Caruth go side by side. Smith takes the lead.
Lap 102, the top five are Chandler Smith, Rajah Caruth, Daniel Hemric, Parker Kligerman, and Kaden Honeycutt. Layne Riggs is back in seventh.
Daniel Hemric passes Rajah Caruth for second.
Connor Mosack saved the truck after a three wide battle; his truck is smoking with a possible tire rub.
Lap 107, Chandler smith has a one second lead on Daniel Hemric; Rajah Caruth, Parker Kligerman, and Layne Riggs round out the top five.
The caution flag comes out on lap 109 when Ty Majeski gets into the wall hard at turn two after contact with Grant Enfinger. Majeski takes his truck to the garage.
Ben Rhodes is out of the race.
NASCAR has displayed the red flag after some damage to the safer barrier in turn two to make repairs.
Safety teams are bringing water to the drivers during the red flag.
The tracks are moving again and pit road is open. The drivers are on the edge of their pit window to make it to the end of the race with 88 laps remaining in the race. A few drivers take advantage of pit road.
Ty Majeski is out of the infield care center and out of the race.
Chandler Smith brings the field down for the green flag restart with Daniel Hemric alongside with 85 laps to go. Hemric edges out in front for the lead but Smith comes up on the outside to battle for the lead.
Lap 117, the caution flag comes out for a big crash. Stewart Friesen, Tanner Gray, and Matt Mills are all involved. Gray is stopped in the grass, Friesen is on the track with a torn up frontend, and Matt Mills is stopped up against the wall. Rajah Caruth got loose and hit Friesen who sent Mills into the wall. Spinning across the track, Friesen hit Gray.
NASCAR has red flagged the race for a second time due to excessive fluid on the track.
Drivers are moving again with some coming down pit road for service. Drivers who stop can easily make it to the end of the race from here with 81 laps to go in the race.
After staying out on the track, Corey Heim leads the race with Gio Ruggiero alongside.
Corey Heim brings the field down for the green flag restart with 77 laps remaining in the race. Heim jumps out in front for the lead with Gio Ruggiero in second; Tyler Ankrum, Grant Enfinger, and Chandler Smith round out the top five.
Lap 127, Corey Heim has a half second lead on Gio Ruggiero.
Stewart Friesen is out of the care center and out of the race.
Seventy to go, Corey Heim has increased his lead to over half a second on Gio Ruggiero; Tyler Ankrum, Grant Enfinger, and Chandler Smith round out the top five.
Lap 132, there are 19 trucks on the lead lap.
Lap 133, Corey Heim has a one second lead on Gio Ruggiero. FOX reports that Heim and Ruggiero are 10 laps short on fuel.
Lap 136, Corey Heim now has a lead of over a second on Gio Ruggiero; Tyler Ankrum, Grant Enfinger, and Chandler Smith round out the top five. Heim has now led in every race this season.
Matt Crafton has returned to the track 46 laps down.
Sixty to go, Corey Heim has a near one second lead on Gio Ruggiero; Tyler Ankrum, Grant Enfinger, and Chandler Smith round out the top five.
Lap 143, Gio Ruggiero is slowly closing the gap on leader Corey Heim.
Just 54 laps to go, Corey Heim has increased his lead to over a second on Gio Ruggiero; Tyler Ankrum, Chandler Smith, and Grant Enfinger round out the top five.
Fifty to go, there are just 14 trucks on the lead lap with Corey Heim over two seconds out in front. Layne Riggs has passed Grant Enfinger for fifth.
Just 45 laps remaining in the race; Corey Heim has a near two and a half second lead on Gio Ruggiero; Tyler Ankrum, Chandler Smith, and Layne Riggs round out the top five. There are only 14 truck on the lead lap.
There are 37 laps remaining in the race; Corey Heim has a near two second lead on Gio Ruggiero; Tyler Ankrum, Chandler Smith, and Layne Riggs round out the top fiv.e
Several teams are reporting that they are short on fuel to make it to the end of the race with 32 laps to go.
There are now just 13 trucks on the lead lap.
Thirty to go, leader Corey Heim comes down pit road for fuel. Gio Ruggiero is the new leader but will also have to come down pit road for fuel soon.
Lap 173, Tyler Ankrum is the new leader; Chandler Smith, Layne Riggs, Jake Garcia, and Grant Enfinger round out the top five.
Corey Heim returns to the track in 13th place, one lap down with Gio Ruggiero in 14th.
With 23 laps to go, Connor Mosack in 12th is the last car on the lead lap.
Twenty to go, Tyler Ankrum has a near two second lead on Chandler Smith; Layne Riggs, Jake Garcia, and Grant Enfinger round out the top five.
With 13 laps to go, Tyler Ankrum has a one second lead on Chandler Smith; Layne Riggs, Jake Garcia, and Grant Enfinger round out the top five.
Tyler Ankrum has not won a race since 2019. – 130 races.
Just eight laps remain, Tyler Ankrum has pulled out to a two and a half second lead on Chandler Smith.
Five to go, Layne Riggs comes down pit road.
Four to go, Tyler Ankrum has pulled out to a four second lead on Chandler Smith.
There are just eight trucks on the lead lap.
Tyler Ankrum and Chandler Smith are out of fuel.
Tyler Ankrum takes the white flag and is coasting around the track.
Tyler Ankrum coasts across the line to win the race and the final Triple Truck Challenge $50,000 prize.
The unofficial results of the Black’s Tire 200:
Tyler Ankrum
Jake Garcia
Daniel Hemric
Rajah Caruth
Grant Enfinger
Kaden Honeycutt
Jack Wood
Corey Heim
Connor Mosack
Gio Ruggiero
Layne Riggs
Andres Perez
Chandler Smith
Nathan Byrd
Spencer Boyd
Sammy Smith
Brandon Jones
Toni Breidinger
Dawson Sutton
Bayley Currey
Timmy Hill
Corey Day
Frankie Muniz
Matt Crafton
Parker Kligerman
Luke Fenhaus
Cody Dennison
Tanner Gray
Stewart Friesen
Matt Mills
Ty Majeski
Ben Rhodes
Stephen Mallozzi
Justin Carroll
Norm Benning