The Craftsman Truck Series kicks off a doubleheader weekend in Loudon, New Hampshire with the EJP 175.
This is the final race in the first round of the playoffs for the Truck Series. The two drivers with the lowest points will be eliminated after the race.
Dover is known as The Monster Mile; but Loudon is known as The Magic Mile.
Thirty-six teams brought trucks to Loudon for the race with 36 starting spots.
Since this is the first time that the Truck Series has been at Loudon in eight years, NASCAR has announced a full 50-minute practice session with all of the drivers on the track together.
Only seven drivers in the field were at Loudon the last time the Truck Series raced on the one mile track.
After Stewart Friesen’s accident, Kaden Honeycutt has been driving the number 52 truck. And in a big surprise, Friesen is at the track!
Derek White gets into the wall and has some significant damage to his truck.
Tanner Gray has also gotten into the wall and caused some damage to his truck.
Christen Eckes returns to the Truck Series for a race.
Not surprising, Corey Heim sits at the top of the leaderboard with Kaden Honeycutt, Chandler Smith, Layne Riggs, and ty Majeski rounding out the top five.
Unlike the past few weeks, there is not a lot of tire wear with little fall off in the tires. The teams get a single set of tires for practice, a fresh set for qualifying, and three sets for the race. The teams can also use their qualifying tires as a set of scuffs during the race.
The caution flag comes out when Tyler Tomassi is stopped on the track. He gets moving again and heads for pit road.
The drivers get going again with just three minutes remaining in practice.
The first driver on the track to make a qualifying run is Christian Eckes who posted a time of 30.858 seconds.
Derek White is in the garage working on the truck after getting into the wall. Caleb Costner has issues getting the truck started.
Tyler Tomassi takes his truck to the garage and does not attempt a qualifying run.
Conner Jones is the first driver to break the 30 second mark with a time of 29.647 seconds.
With a time of 28.946 seconds Corey Heim puts his number eleven truck on the pole for his 13th career pole. Chandler Smith will start alongside on the front row.
The starting lineup for the EJP 175:
Corey Heim – playoffs
Chandler Smith – playoffs
Ty Majeski – playoffs
Layne Riggs – playoffs
Tanner Gray
Matt Crafton
Brent Crews
Corey LaJoie
Jake Garcia – playoffs
Tyler Ankrum – playoffs
Connor Mosack
Rajah Caruth – playoffs
Daniel Hemric – playoffs
Gio Ruggiero
Kaden Honeycutt – playoffs
Grant Enfinger – playoffs
Ben Rhodes
Conner Jones
Jack Wood
Andres Perez
Dawson Sutton
Patrick Emerling
Bayley Currey
Matt Mills
Toni Breidinger
Mason Massey
Spencer Boyd
Christian Eckes
Michael Christopher Jr
Blake Lothian
Jayson Alexander
Norm Benning
Stephen Mallozzi
Tyler Tomassi
Derek White
Caleb Costner
Stages one and two are 55 laps each with stage three lasting 65 laps for a total of 175 laps around the one mile track.
Corey Heim brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Chandler Smith alongside. Tanner Gray makes it a three wide battle but the caution flag comes out on the first lap when Tanner Gray gets loose and causes a wreck. Connor Mosack, Tanner Gray, Ben Rhodes, and Brent Crews were all involved.
Corey Heim brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap six with Heim getting out in front for the lead with Ty Majeski in second; Chandler Smith, Layne Riggs, and Corey LaJoie round out the top five.
Christian Eckes had to start the race from the back of the field after the crew made some unapproved adjustments to the truck.
Lap 10, Corey Heim has a half second lead on Ty Majeski. Back in the field there is a “gaggle” of trucks battling for position like they are leading the last lap of the race.
Christian Eckes is now in the top 20.
Connor Mosack is out the race after the first lap crash.
Lap 15, Corey Heim holds a half second lead on Ty Majeski; Chandler Smith, Layne Riggs, and Corey LaJoie round out the top five.
This is a cut-off race for round one of the playoffs, the two drivers with the lowest points will be eliminated from the playoffs.
NASCAR has posted Norm Benning and Tanner Gray for not making minimum speed and will have one chance to make adjustments to the trucks and make minimum speed or be out of the race.
Lap 25, There are 25 trucks on the lead lap.
Lap 26, Corey Heim now has a lead of over half a second on Ty Majeski; Chandler Smith, Layne Riggs, and Corey LaJoie round out the top five.
Corey Heim has led every lap so far. He has won eight races this season, if he can pull off a win today he will tie the record on nine wins in a single season.
Lap 30, Corey Heim now has a lead of over a second on Ty Majeski.
Lap 32, NASCAR has posted Norm Benning for the second time for failure to make minimum speed; he is now out of the race.
The caution flag comes out on Lap 33 when Jayson Alexander gets into the wall. Caleb Costner is stopped at the entrance to pit road. Daniel Hemric was also involved. Alexander is out of the race with his truck on the wrecker.
Some of the drivers come down pit road for service.
Corey Heim brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 42 with Ty Majeski alongside. Heim gets out in front after Ty Majeski has a slow start.
Lap 43, the caution flag comes out for the third time for a crash involving Christian Eckes, and Conner Jones who gets into the wall.
Michael Christopher Jr will restart the race from the back of the field for a restart violation.
Corey Heim brings the field down for the green flag restart with seven laps remaining in stage one with Ty Majeski alongside. Heim gets out in front with drivers spreading out three and four wide back in the field.
The top five are Corey Heim, Chandler Smith, Ty Majeski, Rajah Caruth, and Jake Garcia.
The caution flag comes out for the fourth time in stage one for Derek White’s spin out. His truck cockpit is filled with smoke. He exits the truck.
Stage one ends on caution with Corey Heim winning the stage for his 18th stage win of the season.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Corey Heim
Chandler Smith
Ty Majeski
Rajah Caruth
Jake Garcia
Kaden Honeycutt
Andres Perez
Brent Crews
Dawson Sutton
Tyler Ankrum
Drivers come down pit road for service with Kaden Honeycutt winning the race off of pit road after taking only two tires; followed by Corey Heim.
After staying out on the track, Andres Perez brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with Brent Crews alongside on lap 61. Perez edges out in front with drivers getting three and four wide through the field.
The top five are Andres Perez, Brent Crews, Gio Ruggiero, Dawson Sutton, and Matt Crafton. Corey Heim is in 10th place.
Daniel Hemric and Corey Heim are the only playoff drivers in the top 10.
Lap 64, Corey Heim is working his way through the field and has moved up to ninth as he battles with Kaden Honeycutt and Daniel Hemric.
Lap 72, Matt Crafton becomes the middle of the sandwich when Corey Heim and Chandler Smith pass him.
Andres Perez holds on to the lead and is nearly a second in front of Gio Ruggiero; Dawson Sutton, Brent Crews, and Christian Eckes round out the top five.
Lap 80, Gio Ruggiero has caught leader Andres Perez and is in a battle for the lead. Corey Heim has worked his way up to just outside the top five in sixth.
Lap 82, the top five are Andres Perez, Gio Ruggiero, Dawson Sutton, Christian Eckes, and Corey Heim.
Lap 83, all 10 of the playoff drivers are in the top 20.
Lap 88, the battle begins for the lead between Andres Perez and Gio Ruggiero.
With 20 laps remaining in stage two, Andrews Perez holds on to the lead but Gio Ruggiero is on his bumper in a battle for the lead.
Lap 93, Gio Ruggiero takes the lead but on lap 95, Andrews Perez retakes the lead.
Lap 96, Gio Ruggiero continues his battle with Andres Perez for the lead. Corey Heim passes Christian Eckes for fourth place.
The caution flag comes out on lap 101 when Patrick Emerling spins out. Emerling reports that they just lost the right front tire.
There are less than 10 laps remaining in stage two when pit road opens.
Several drivers come down pit road for service including the leaders with Andrez Perez edging out in front of Corey Heim to win the race off of pit road.
Rajah Caruth is the new leader.
Rajah Caruth brings the field down for the green flag restart with just three laps remaining in stage two. Drivers spread out across the track with Andres Perez getting out in front but Corey Heim takes the lead.
Corey Heim wins stage two for the stage sweep.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Corey Heim
Andrez Perez
Chandler Smith
Gio Ruggiero
Layne Riggs
Corey LaJoie
Rajah Caruth
Daniel Hemric
Kaden Honeycutt
Grant Enfinger
Some of the drivers come down pit road for service; leaders stay out.
Corey Heim brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Chandler Smith alongside on lap 119. Heim edges out on the outside lane to hold on to the lead.
Daniel Hemric has clinched a spot in the next round of the playoffs on points. Corey Heim and Layne Riggs have earned spots in the next round by winning races.
The top five are Corey Heim, Chandler Smith, Gio Ruggiero, Layne Riggs, and Corey LaJoie.
La 125, Corey Heim has a lead of over half a second on Chandler Smith; Gio Ruggiero, Layne Riggs, and Corey LaJoie round out the top five.
With 50 laps remaining in the race, Chandler Smith and Jake Garcia are the two drivers below the cut line.
The seventh caution flag comes out on lap 127 when Tyler Tomassi spins out and gets into the wall after contact with Spencer Boyd.
Corey Heim brings the field down for the green falg restart with 44 laps remaining in the race with Gio Ruggiero alongside. Heim gets out in front to hold on to the lead.
The caution flag comes out for a crash involving Toni Breidinger, Mat Crafton, Ben Rhodes, and Andres Perez. Breidinger and Crafton get into the wall hard.
Ty Majeski has clinched a spot in the next round of the playoffs on points.
Corey Heim brings the field down for the green flag restart with Gio Ruggiero alongside on lap 143. Drivers spread out three wide back in the field. The 45 truck of Bayley Currey was charged with a restart violation and will have to serve a passthrough penalty.
Corey Heim gets a big push from Chandler Smith to hold on to the lead.
The top five are Corey Heim, Chandler Smith, Layne Riggs, Gio Ruggiero, and Kaden Honeycutt.
Just 25 laps remain in the race with Corey Heim over half a second out in front of Chandler Smith; Layne Riggs, Gio Ruggiero, and Grant Enfinger round out the top five.
With 22 laps to go, all 10 of the playoff drivers are in the top 17.
Twenty to go, Corey Hiem has led 104 laps and is now over a second out in front of Chandler Smith.
This marks race 21 of the season and Corey Heim has led laps in every one of them.
Just 17 laps to go, Corey Heim has pulled out to a second and a half lead on Chandler Smith.
Over one-third of the field is out of the race.
Just 13 to go, Corey Heim has a second and a half lead on Chandler Smith; Layne Riggs, Gio Ruggiero, and Grant Enfinger round out the top five.
Ten to go! Corey Heim holds a second and a half lead on Chandler Smith.
Jus six laps remain with Corey Heim over a second out in front. Chandler Smith is slowly closing the gap but is there enough time??? Smith must win the race in order to stay in the playoffs.
Corey Heim takes the white flag!
Leading 123 of 175 laps Corey Heim wins race number nine.
When Greg Biffle won his nine races in a single season, Corey Heim wasn’t even born yet.
Chandler Smith and Jake Garcia have been eliminated from the playoffs.
Corey Heim calls it a dream come true and an honour to race with those guys. Calling Greg Biffle a great guy, Corey said that he is hoping to break the record.
The unofficial results of the EJP 175:
Corey Heim
Chandler Smith
Layne Riggs
Gio Ruggiero
Ty Majeski
Grant Enfinger
Kaden Honeycutt
Corey LaJoie
Christian Eckes
Rajah Caruth
Tyler Ankrum
Daniel Hemric
Michael Christopher Jr
Dwason Sutton
Andres Perwez
Jake Garcia
Brent Crews
Bayley Currey
Mason Massey
Blake Lothian
Spencer Boyd
Jack Wood
Matt Mills
Ben Rhodes
Toni Breidinger
Matt Crafton
Tyler Tomassi
Patrick Emerling
Tanner Gray
Derek White
Conner Jones
Jayson Alexander
Calel Costner
Norm Benning
Stephen Mallozzi
Connor Mosack