The Craftsman Truck Series returns to kick off a triple header weekend at the “Tricky Triangle” of Pocono Raceway and the Miller Tech Battery 200.
Thirty-five teams brought trucks to Pocono this weekend including Cup Series regular Carson Hocevar and Xfinity Series driver Brandon Jones; with all of the drivers starting the race.
The drivers have been divided into two groups for a 25 minute practice session.
Connor Mosack topped the leaderboard in Group 1 with Chandler Smith topping the board in Group 2.
Dawson Sutton comes out on the track and gets into the wall in turn one. He will not be making a qualifying run in order for the crew to make repairs.
Stewart Friesen and Grant Enfinger had some electrical issues in their trucks but got the trucks working and out on the track for some practice.
The first driver on the track to make a qualifying run is Dawson Cram on his first trip to Pocono. He posted a time of 59.603 seconds.
The second truck out, Tyler Tomassi posted a time of 56.611 seconds.
Clayton Green gets into the wall during his qualifying run.
Ben Rhodes pushed his truck back to the garage and will not be making a qualifying run due to unapproved adjustments to the truck.
With a time of 53.125 seconds Layne Riggs earns his first career pole. Kaden Honeycutt will start alongside Riggs on the front row.
The starting lineup for the Miller Tech Battery 200:
Layne Riggs
Kaden Honeycutt
Corey Heim
Carson Hocevar
Tanner Gray
Gio Ruggiero
Andres Perez
Rajah Caruth
Brandon Jones
Patrick Emerling
Jake Garcia
Connor Mosack
Stewart Friesen
Grant Enfinger
Chandler Smith
Ty Majeski
Luke Baldwin
Tyler Ankrum
Daniel Hemric
Matt Crafton
Matt Mills
Conner Jones
Nathan Byrd
Jack Wood
Cody Dennison
Spencer Boyd
Frankie Muniz
Tyler Tomassi
Toni Breidinger
Dawson Cram
Norm Benning
Bryan Dauzat
Clayton Green
Ben Rhodes
Dawson Sutton
Kevin Harvick joins Jamie Little and Michael Waltrip in the FOX Sports broadcast booth for the race.
The race has been extended to 200 miles – the longest ever held at Pocono.
Stage one and two of the race are just 20 laps each with stage three lasting 40 laps for a total of 80 laps around the 2.5 mile track. Drivers can run 31 to 34 laps on a single load of fuel.
Layne Riggs brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Kaden Honeycutt alongside. Drivers begin spreading out before going into turn one. There’s are three wide battle for the lead with Corey Heim taking the spot.
Lap two, the top five are Corey Heim, Kaden Honeycutt, Layne Riggs, Carson Hocevar, and Tanner Gray.
Lap three, Ben Rhodes had to start the race from the back of the field after not making a qualifying run due to unapproved adjustments. He has moved up 13 spots since the start of the race.
Lap four, Corey Heim has a near two second lead on Layne Riggs; Carson Hocevar, Kaden Honeycutt, and Tanner Gray round out the top five.
This is Truck Series race number 14; Corey Heim has led in every one of them.
Lap six, Ben Rhodes has entered the top 20.
NASCAR has posted the six truck of Norm Benning and the number 28 truck of Bryan Dauzat; they will have to come down pit road for their only opportunity to get their trucks up to minimum speed.
Ty Majeski has a bad tire rub.
Lap eight, running the fastest laps in the race, Corey Heim has a lead of over two seconds on Layne Riggs; Carson Hocevar, Kaden Honeycutt, and Tanner Gray round out the top five.
NASCAR has posted the number 28 truck of Bryan Dauzat for failing to meet minimum speed and has to take his truck to the garage.
Lap 12, Corey Heim maintains a two second lead on Layne Riggs; Carson Hocevar, Kaden Honeycutt, and Tanner Gray continue to round out the top five.
Matt Crafton is having some issues with a fellow driver who is running in his opinion very slow.
Tanner Gray has some debris on his grille.
On lap 16, Corey Heim is in the top five of most laps led with 2220…and counting.
Lap 17, Corey Heim has increased his lead to over two and a half seconds on Layne Riggs.
Carson Hocevar brings his truck down pit road to short pit the end of stage one.
Corey Heim also short pits stage one and gives the lead over to Layne Riggs. Several of the drivers have come down pit road for service.
The first caution flag of the race comes out for Cody Dennison and a tire carcass on the track.
Rajah Caruth is the “lucky dog”.
Layne Riggs wins stage one.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Layne Riggs
Kaden Honeycutt
Connor Mosack
Andres Perez
Jake Garcia
Stewart Friesen
Brandon Jones
Chandler Smith
Tyler Ankrum
Ben Rhodes
Grant Enfinger and Gio Ruggiero had slow pit stops and are now a lap down.
After taking fuel only, Connor Mosack wins the race off of pit road.
The number 69 truck driven by Luke Baldwin was charged with a crew member over the wall too soon and Frankie Muniz was charged with having an uncontrolled tire. Both drivers will have to restart the race from the back of the field.
Grant Enfinger will also have to restart the race from the back of the field for pitting while pit road was closed.
After staying out on the track, Stewart Friesen brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two on lap 27 with Corey Heim alongside. Friesen gets out in front for the lead with Corey Heim in second; Carson Hocevar, Connor Mosack, and Jake Garcia round out the top five.
Corey Heim passes Stewart Friesen for the lead.
Cody Dennison, Norm Benning, and Bryan Dauzat are all off the track. There are 30 trucks on the lead lap.
Lap 29, the top five are Corey Heim, Carson Hocevar, Jake Garcia, Stewart Friesen, and Connor Mosack.
Lap 30, Corey Heim leads the race but his not pulling away like before; Carson Hocevar is less than half a second behind.
Tanner Gray passes Stewart Friesen for fourth.
Dawson Cram takes his truck to the garage with mechanical issues.
Lap 33, Corey Heim holds on to the lead with Carson Hocevar less than half a second back; Jake Garcia, Tanner Gray, and Layne Riggs round out the top five.
Lap 34, Layne Riggs passes Tanner Gray for fourth.
Lap 35, Stewart Friesen finally brings his truck down pit road for service.
Corey Heim has a half second lead on Carson Hocevar; Jake Garcia, Layne Riggs, and Tanner Gray round out the top five.
Cody Dennison and Norm Benning are out of the race.
Ben Rhodes may have some fuel issues – his truck starts shutting down once the fuel tank reaches half empty.
Stewart Friesen returns to the race in 30th place but remains on the lead lap.
Lap 38, Corey Heim has a near one second lead on Carson Hocevar.
Corey Heim wins stage two for his 12th stage win of the season.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Corey Heim
Carson Hocevar
Layne Riggs
Jake Garcia
Tanner Gray
Kaden Honeycutt
Tyler Ankrum
Ben Rhodes
Andres Perez
Connor Mosack
Corey Heim’s 12th stage win of the season is the most ever in the Craftsman Truck Series.
Drivers come down pit road for service with Corey Heim winning the race off of pit road.
The 69 truck of Tyler Tomassi was charged with an uncontrolled tire and will restart the race from the back of the field.
Rajah Caruth brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Corey Heim alongside on lap 46. Drivers spread out across the track three and four wide. Corey Heim takes the lead.
The top five are Corey Heim, Rajah Caruth, Layne Riggs, Carson Hocevar, and Kaden Honeycutt.
The caution flag comes out on lap 47 a crash involving Conner Jones, Tyler Ankrum, Dawson Sutton, Grant Enfinger, Clayton Green, and Ben Rhodes. Ankrum, Rhodes, and Enfinger were in a three wide battle for eleventh when the wreck occurred; collecting up the other drivers.
Rajah Caruth gives up a top five spot to come down pit road for fuel; some other drivers also stop for fuel.
Corey Heim brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 55 with Layne Riggs alongside. Corey Heim takes the lead but the caution flag comes out in turn one for a crash involving Jake Garcia; he makes contact with Ty Majeski before hitting the inside wall.
Grant Enfinger is the “lucky dog”.
Andres Perez was charged with too many crew over the wall and will have to restart the race from the back of the field.
Corey Heim is asking his spotter about a tire and drops back in the field to come down pit road.
Layne Riggs brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 61. Hocevar has been charged with jumping the restart and will have to serve a pass through penalty.
Layne Riggs leads the race with Tanner Gray in second; Kaden Honeycutt, Brandon Jones, and Daniel Hemric round out the top five.
Lap 64, Carson Hocevar finally comes down pit road to serve his penalty.
With 15 laps remaining in the race, Layne Riggs leads the race with Tanner Gray in second. The wind is becoming a factor for the drivers.
After penalty and tire changes, Carson Hocevar and Corey Heim are 25th and 26th with 14 laps remaining in the race.
Lap 67, Layne Riggs has a near two second lead on Tanner Gray.
Matt Crafton brings his truck down pit road with a flat tire.
Ten to go! Layne Riggs leads the race with Tanner Gray in second; Kaden Honeycutt, Brandon Jones, and Daniel Hemric round out the top five.
With seven laps remaining in the race, Layne Riggs has a two and a half second lead on Tanner Gray.
Five to go, Layne Riggs has increased his lead to over three seconds on Tanner Gray.
Corey Heim returned to the track in 26th place and has been able to move up only one spot; the last truck on the lead lap.
Three to go, Layne Riggs has increased his lead to over four seconds on Tanner Gray.
Layne Riggs takes the white flag.
With a lead of nearly four seconds, Layne Riggs wins the race at Pocono after a nightmare of a race last year. With his first win of the season, Riggs becomes the seventh different race winner of the season.
The unofficial results of the Miller Battery 200:
Layne Riggs
Tanner Gray
Kaden Honeycutt
Brandon Jones
Daniel Hemric
Connor Mosack
Chandler Smith
Stewart Friesen
Ty Majeski
Rajah Caruth
Gio Ruggiero
Luke Baldwin
Carson Hocevar
Jack Wood
Patrick Emerling
Andres Perez
Grant Enfinger
Ben Rhodes
Frankie Muniz
Matt Mills
Nathan Byrd
Toni Breidinger
Tyler Tomassi
Corey Heim
Spencer Boyd
Tyler Ankrum
Matt Crafton
Jake Garcia
Dawson Sutton
Clayton Green
Conner Jones
Dawson Cram
Cody Dennison
Norm Benning
Bryan Dauzat