The Craftsman Truck Series kicks off a triple header weekend at The Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Eco-Save 250. This is a first for the Truck Series driving, running on The Roval road course. The race also kicks off the round of eight for the drivers.
Two trucks the 34 driven by Layne Riggs and the two truck driven by Carter Fartuch have been penalized 20 minutes of practice time after inspection issues. This is the third week in a row that the 34 truck has had issues passing inspection.
There are 36 trucks entered in the race including Parker Kligerman and Connor Zilisch. The drivers have a full 50 minute practice session before making a qualifying run for the race later this afternoon.
While there are lights on the oval at CMS, but the road course is not lit.
The caution flag comes out when Daniel Hemric is stopped on the track. He reports that something broke but gets the truck back to pit road. He broke the hind joint after jumping one of the turtles.
Corey Heim quickly put his number eleven truck at the top of the leaderboard with a lap under 87 seconds around the 2.2 mile road course.
Drivers who miss one of the two chicanes must come to a complete stop before continuing on.
The drivers have just one set of tires for practice, a set for qualifying, and three sets for the race; plus they have to start the race on the same tires they use for qualifying.
AT 16 years old, Ben Maier is making his Truck Series debut on The Roval. And he just recently acquired his driver’s license!
A road course, the drivers have been divided into two groups for qualifying. Each group will have 20 minutes to make their best laps to set the field.
Ty Majeski reports that at slow speeds his truck vibrates violently; but at higher speeds, he is fine.
With a time of 85.064 seconds, Corey Heim put his number eleven truck on the pole for the seventh time this season with Layne Riggs alongside on the front row.
The starting lineup for the Eco-Save 250:
Corey Heim – playoffs
Layne Riggs – playoffs
Brent Crews
Grant Enfinger – playoffs
Kaden Honeycutt – playoffs
Connor Zilisch
Gio Ruggiero
Corey La Joie
Ty Majeski – playoffs
Josh Bilicki
Tyler Ankrum – playoffs
Bayley Currey
Andres Perez
Tanner Gray
Connor Mosack
Parker Kligerman
Matt Mills
Rajah Caruth – playoffs
Dawson Sutton
Chandler Smith
Ben Maier
Ben Rhodes
Jake Garcia
Matt Crafton
Kris Wright
Timmy Hill
Jack Wood
Wesley Slimp
Mason Maggio
Toni Breidinger
Will Rodgers
Spencer Boyd
Tyler Tomassi
Daniel Hemric – playoffs
Josh Reaume
Carter Fartuch
Carter Fartuch, Josh Reaume, and Daniel Hemric did not make a qualifying run
Stage one and two are just 20 laps each with stage three lasting 27 laps for a total of 67 laps around the 2.2 mile course.
Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick join Jamie Little in the FOX Sports broadcast booth.
With four more races remaining in their season, Corey Heim brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Layne Riggs alongside. Layne Riggs and Corey Heim get turned around on the start with Heim getting into the wall. Both drivers get moving again. Corey Heim has some damage to his truck. Grant Enfinger is stopped on the track before hitting the wall.
Brent Crews leads the race.
Corey Heim brings his truck down pit road. Layne Riggs is also on pit road with a damaged truck.
Ben Rhodes is into the tire barrier but gets moving again and the track stays green.
Lap two, the top five are Brent Crews, Kaden Honeycutt, Gio Ruggiero, Ty Majeski, and Connor Zilisch.
NASCAR has displayed the caution flag on lap three to make repairs to the course.
After starting the race from the back of the field, Daniel Hemric has entered the top 20.
Corey Heim is back in the race and remains in the lead lap. Ben Rhodes is two laps down and Carter Fartuch is four laps down after not starting the race with truck issues.
Brent Crews brings the field down for the green flag restart with Kaden Honeycutt alongside on lap seven. Crews gets out in front for the lead with Gio Ruggiero in second; Kaden Honeycutt, TY Majeski, and Connor Zilisch round out the top five.
Connor Zilisch and Ty Majeski battle for fourth.
Timmy Hill gets turned around after some on track contact from Dawson Sutton, but keeps it off the wall and gets going again.
Corey Heim has entered the top 20, advancing 12 spots since the race restart.
Lap nine, Brent Crews has a lead of three and a half seconds on Gio Ruggiero; Kaden Honeycutt, Connor Zilisch, and Ty Majeski round out the top five.
Ben Rhodes is out of the race.
Lap eleven, Brent Crews has increased his lead to nearly five seconds on Gio Ruggiero; Kaden Honeycutt and Connor Zilisch are in a battle for third with Ty Majeski rounding out the top five.
Lap 12, Connor Zilisch passes Kaden Honeycutt for third.
Corey Heim is just outside the top 15 in 16th.
Lap 15, Brent Crews is entering “driving it like he stole it” territory with a lead of over six seconds on Gio Ruggiero; Connor Zilisch, Kaden Honeycutt, and Ty Majeski round out the top five. Corey Heim is up to 14th.
Parker Kligerman reports that “something has broken”.
Chandler Smith spins out but the track stays green. He jumped the turtle when he got moving again.
Just three laps remain in stage one with Brent Crews six and a half seconds out in front. Corey Heim is just outside the top 10 in eleventh.
Layne Riggs reports a broken sway bar.
Connor Zilisch comes down pit road to short pit the end of the stage.
Much of the field comes down pit road for service before the end of the stage. Brent Crews has a seven second lead on Gio Ruggiero.
Matt Mills has some damage to his truck after contact on pit road.
Brent Crews makes his pit stop and gives the lead over to Kaden Honeycutt.
The top five drivers are in the playoffs.
Kaden Honeycutt wins stage one.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Kaden Honeycutt
Ty Majeski
Tyler Ankrum
Daniel Hemric
Brent Crews
Connor Zilisch
Rajah Caruth
Corey LaJoie
Gio Ruggiero
Layne Riggs
Corey Heim ended stage one in 18th place.
Carter Fartuch enters the race 21 laps down.
Drivers who have not made a stop, come down pit road for service. Kaden Honeycutt wins the race off of pit road. Layne Riggs has a slow stop as the crews works on making more repairs.
Ty Majeski is the new leader.
After pit stops, Brent Crews brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with Connor Zilisch alongside on lap 25. Crews takes the lead with Connor Zilisch in second; Corey LaJoie, Gio Ruggiero, and Josh Bilicki round out the top five. Corey Heim is in eighth place.
Jake Garcia spins out but gets moving again and the track stays green.
Lap 26, Corey Heim in seventh place is the highest placed playoff driver in the field.
Josh Bilicki and Corey LaJoie battle for fourth; Corey Heim passes Bayley Currey for sixth.
Corey Hiem passes Corey LaJoie for fifth. Brent Crews is nearly two seconds out in front.
Lap 28, the top five are Brent Crews, Connor Zilisch, Gio Ruggiero, Josh Bilicki, and Corey Heim.
Kris Wright spins out and has to wait for the field to go by before moving again.
Dawson Sutton hits a sign that is filled with water.
Lap 29, Brent Crews has a near three second lead on Connor Zilisch; Corey Heim, Gio Ruggiero, and Josh Bilicki round out the top five.
Many of the drivers today make extensive use of the simulators; New Zealand driver Shane van Gisbergen noted that he doesn’t like the simulator, he has to get out on the course and “feel” it.
Lap 31,Daniel Hemric reports a broken fender but adds it will not rub.
The 44 truck of Andres Perez is off the track with a transmission issue.
Lap 34, Brent Crews has a five and a half second lead on Connor Zilisch; Corey Heim, Josh Bilicki, and Gio Ruggiero round out the top five.
Five laps remain in stage two; Brent Crews has a six and a half second lead on Connor Zilisch; Corey Heim, Josh Bilicki, and Kaden Honeycutt round out the top five.
Parker Kligerman is out of the race.
There is a large piece of tire carcass out on the course.
Lap 37, drivers are beginning to come down pit road to short pit the end of the stage.
Lap 38, leader Brent Crews comes down pit road for service. Corey Heim is the new leader briefly before making his pit stop. Kaden Honeycutt leads the race as pit road closes before the end of the stage.
Kaden Honeycutt wins stage two for the stage sweep.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Kaden Honeycutt
Grant Enfinger
Rajah Caruth
Daneil Hemric
Brent Crews
Tyler Ankrum
Connor Zilisch
Corey Heim
Matt Mills
Will Rodgers
Reports are that Will Rodgers is not feeling well; out of the race, Parker Kligerman is on standby in case he is needed to fill in for Rodgers.
Drivers come down pit road for service with Rajah Caruth winning the race off of pit road after taking only two tires.
Brent Crews brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Connor Zilisch alongside on lap 45. The 17 year old Crews holds on to the lead.
Jamie Little reported that the “stat guy Joe” reported that ths season 50% of the road course cautions have been in stage three.
Lap 45, the top five are Brent Crews, Connor Zilisch, Corey Heim, Josh Bilicki, and Bayley Currey.
Andres Perez returns to the track 15 laps down.
With 21 laps to go, the top three drivers are separated by around a second; but the fourth place driver of Bayley Currey is over eight seconds back.
Broken truck and all, Layne Riggs is in eighth place. The mounts were torn out and the crew cannot repair the sway bar; he is racing without one.
Corey Heim passes Connor Zilisch for second.
With 18 laps to go, the top five are Brent Crews, Corey Heim, Connor Zilisch, Ty Majeski, and Connor Mosack.
Tyler Ankrum spins out but gets moving again and the track stays green.
Fifteen to go, Brent Crews has a two and a half second lead on Corey Heim, but Heim is very slowly closing that gap; Connor Zilisch, Ty Majeski, and Connor Mosack round out the top five.
Just 13 laps remain in the race; Brent Crews continues to dominate the race with Corey Heim in second; Connor zilisch, Ty Majeski, and Kaden Honeycutt round out the top five.
Josh Reaume did not make minimum speed and has been black flagged.
After missing a chicane, Kris Wright did not come to a complete stop and has to serve a pass through penalty.
Matt Crafton spins out after some on track contact.
With just eleven laps to go, Brent Crews is extending his lead and is now three seconds out in front of Corey Heim.
Ten to go, Brent Crews continues to lead the race; a part time racer, the 17 year old driver has dominated the race today.
Andres Perez was caught speeding on pit road and will have to serve a passthrough penalty.
Just seven laps to go, Corey Heim has closed the gap on leader Brent Crews to under two seconds.
Five to go, Brent Crews holds on to the lead with Corey Heim less than two seconds behind; Connor Zilisch, ty Majeski, and Kaden Honeycutt round out the top five.
The one truck of Brent Crews and Corey Heim’s number eleven are Tricon Garage teammates.
All eight of the playoff drivers are in the top 20.
Three to go, Brent Crews reports a shortage of fuel.
Toni Breidinger is stopped on the apron to bring out the caution flag with less than three laps to go.
The race goes into overtime!
Pit road is open…Brent Crews and Connor Zilisch come down pit road; along with several other drivers. Corey Heim stayed out on the track.
Only four trucks stayed out on the track.
Corey Heim brings the field down for the overtime shootout to the end with Connor Mosack alongside. Heim takes the lead and begins to pull away.
The top five are Corey Heim, Connor Mossack, Chandler Smith, Connor Zilisch, and Ty Majeski.
Ty Majeski spins out and catches up some other drivers. Brent Crews is in second.
Corey Heim takes the white flag.
Jake Garcia is turned around.
Kaden Honeycutt spins out.
With a lead of nearly two second, Corey Heim wins the race to become the winningest driver in a single season with 10…in a damaged truck!
Corey Heim becomes the first driver to secure a spot in the final four.
The unofficial results of the Eco-Save 250:
Corey Heim
Brent Crews
Gio Ruggiero
Rajah Caruth
Connor Zilisch
Josh Bilicki
Grant Enfinger
Ty Majeski
Tyler Ankrum
Connor Mosack
Daniel Hemric
Bayley Currey
Dawson Sutton
Kaden Honeycutt
Will Rodgers
Timmy Hill
Matt Mills
Corey LaJoie
Chandler Smith
Spencer Boyed
Layne Riggs
Jack Wood
Jake Garcia
Matt Crafton
Ben Maier
Kris Wright
Wesley Slimp
Mason Maggio
Tyler Tomassi
Toni Breidinger
Tanner Gray
Andres Perez
Josh Reaume
Carter Fartuch
Parker Kligerman
Ben Rhodes