The Craftsman Truck Series kicks off a triple header weekend at the circuit’s largest track, the 2.66 mile Talladega Superspeedway with the Love’s RV Stop 225.

Several of the drivers are seeing Talladega for the first time.

A super speedway, the drivers get no practice time, but will take to the track for qualifying prior to the race later this afternoon.  There are two rounds of qualifying with the top 10 making a second round to set the pole.

Broadcaster Michael Waltrip reports that there is no practice at the request of the teams.  A cost saving measure, no practice means no torn up vehicles from wrecks.

Thirty-six teams have brought trucks to Talladega for 36 starting spots.

Frankie Muniz returns to the track after a broken wrist from a fall that sidelined him for a few weeks.

Playoff driver Layne Riggs will not be making a qualifying run due to the crew making “unapproved adjustments”.  He will be starting from the back of the field.  Reportedly, a teammate stood on the splitter to push the nose closer to the track…which is not allowed.

First on the track to make a qualifying run is Greg van Alst who posted a time of 56.218 seconds.

Luke Fenhaus is the first driver to break the 55 second mark with a time of 54.584 seconds.

There have been 17 truck series races at Talladega with 17 different pole sitters; Matt Crafton is the only driver in the field who has won a pole at Talladega.

Matt Crafton’s qualifying lap of 54.371 seconds is faster than the pole for last year.

Grant Enfinger is the only driver in the playoffs who has won a race at Talladega.

At 49, JJ Yeley is making his 825th NASCAR start in the truck race today.

Corey Heim, Ty Majeski, Gio Ruggiero, Matt Crafton, Kaden Honeycutt, Ben Rhodes, Tanner Gray, Luke Fenhaus, Bret Holmes, and Tyler Ankrum will all move on to a second round of qualifying to set the pole.

With a time of 54.292 Gio Ruggiero becomes the 18th different pole sitter at Talladega.  Ty Majeski will start alongside on the front row.

The starting lineup for the Love’s RV Stop 225:
Gio Ruggiero
Ty Majeski – playoffs
Corey Heim – playoffs
Matt Crafton
Kaden Honeycutt – playoffs
Luke Fenhaus
Ben Rhodes
Tyler Ankrum – playoffs
Bret Holmes
Tanner Gray
Rajah Caruth – playoffs
Dawson Sutton
Kris Wright
Connor Mosack
Grant Enfinger – playoffs
JJ Yeley
Daniel Hemric – playoffs
Corey LaJoie
Spencer Boyd
Bayley Currey
Parker Kligerman
Andres Perez
Matt Mills
Jack Wood
Chandler Riggs
Jake Garcia
Tyler Tomassi
Francki Muniz
Josh Reaume
Toni Breidinger
Nathan Byrd
Norm Benning
Jason M. White
Greg van Alst
Layne Riggs – playoffs
Caleb Costner

Stages one and two of the race are 20 laps each with stage three lasting 45 laps for a total of 85 laps around the  2.66 mile track.

Brad Keselowski joins Jamie Little and Michael Waltrip in the broadcast booth for the race.

Layne Riggs, Caleb Costner, Parker Kligerman, Chandler Smith, and Matt Mills will all be starting the race from the back of the field after crews made some unapproved adjustments to the trucks.

There are no lights at Talladega; therefore darkness could become an issue if the race runs long.  The cutoff time for winding things down is 6pm CDT (7EDT).

Gio Ruggiero brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Ty Majeski alongside on a hot Friday afternoon.  Gio Ruggiero gets out in front for the lead.  The drivers can bump draft but they cannot lock bumpers.

Norm Benning jumped the start, he pulled out before the green flag and will have to serve a passthrough penalty.

Drivers are three wide with a majority in the lower lane.

In serving his passthrough penalty, Norm Benning was caught speeding and will have to serve a second passthrough penalty.

Lap three, Gio Ruggiero leads the race with Corey Heim in second; Kaden Honeycutt, Ben Rhodes, and Bret Holmes round out the top five.

The caution flag comes out on lap four when Grant Enfinger spins out after some on track contact.  Enfinger hit Ty Majeski as he spun.  Luke Fenhaus, Jake Garcia, Tanner Gray, Daniel Hemric, and Chandler Smith were also involved.  Enfinger has some heavy damage to the front of his car.

Some of the drivers came down pit road.  A stop put them in a position to make it to the end of stage two on fuel.

Gio Ruggiero brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap nine, with Ben Rhodes alongside.  Ruggiero quickly gets out in front for the lead.  Drivers are spread out two and three wide.

The caution flag comes out on lap 10 when Connor Mosack and Layne Riggs make contact; spinning Mosack out.  Riggs gets loose after some on track contact.

Layne Riggs, Jake Garcia, and Toni Breidinger will all have to restart the race from the back of the field after receiving penalties.

Corey Heim brings the field down for the green flag restart with Rajah Caruth alongside on lap 14.  Heim gets out in front.  He has now led at least one race in every race this season (24).

The top five are Corey Heim, Ben Rhodes, Rajah Caruth, Kaden Honeycutt, and Corey LaJoie.

Grant Enfinger is out of the race.

Five laps remain in stage one with Corey Hiem just a tenth of a second in front of Ben Rhodes; Kaden Honeycutt and Rajah Caruth battle for third with Corey LaJoie rounding out the top five.

Jake Garcia is the only driver on the track not on the lead lap.

Rajah Caruth takes the lead.

Rajah Caruth wins stage one for his first stage win of the season.

The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Rajah Caruth
Corey LaJoie
Corey Heim
JJ Yeley
Ben Rhodes
Kaden Honeycutt
Tyler Ankrum
Dawson Sutton
Gio Ruggiero
Daniel Hemric

Some of the drivers come down pit road for service with Rajah Caruth winning the race off of pit road.

Corey Heim’s cool suit is not working, making it even hotter in his truck.

Dawson Sutton and Tyler Tomassi were caught speeding on pit road.  Ben Rhodes was charged with having too many crew members over the wall.  The 45 truck of Matt Mills is also charged with a penalty.  They will all have to restart the race from the back of the field.

After staying out on the track, JJ Yeley brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with Gio Ruggiero alongside on lap 26.  Gio Ruggiero takes the lead from the outside lane.

Lap 27,  the top five are Gio Ruggiero, Layne Riggs, JJ Yeley, Luke Fenhaus, and Chandler Smith.

Lap 29, Luke Fenhaus and Gio Ruggiero battle for the lead with Rajah Caruth in third; Layne Riggs and JJ Yeley round out the top five.

The caution flag comes out on lap 32 when Bret Holmes gets into the inside wall hard.  Layne Riggs had a flat tire and fell in the field causing the drivers to check up.

Bayley Currey ran over the choose box and will have to restart the race from the back of the field.

Luke Fenhaus bring the field down for the green flag restart with Gio Ruggiero alongside on lap 36.

Gio Ruggiero takes the lead from the outside lane.

The top five are Gio Ruggiero, Luke Fenhaus, Rajah Caruth, Kaden Honeycutt, and Corey LaJoie.

Lap 38, Rajah Caruth and Gio Ruggiero battle for the lead.

Corey Heim has entered the top 10.

Gio Ruggiero wins stage two for his second stage win of the season.

The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Gio Ruggiero
Kaden Honeycutt
Rajah Caruth
JJ Yeley
Luke Fenhaus
Corey LaJoie
Tyler Ankrum
Connor Mosack
Corey Heim
Matt Crafton

Drivers come down pit road for service with Chandler Smith winning the race off of pit road.

Kaden Honeycutt was caught speeding on pit road and will have to restart the race from the back of the field.

Norm Benning takes his truck to the garage with a mechanical issue.

After staying out on the track, Tanner Gray brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Parker Kligerman alongside on lap 47.  Kligerman edges out for the lead.

The top five are Parker Kligerman, Tanner Gray, Corey LaJoie, Chandler Smith; and Jack Wood.

The drivers cannot complete the race without making a pit stop and will have to come down pit road at some point during the stage.

With 37 laps  to go, Tanner Gray leads the race with Chandler Smith in second; Jack Wook, Connor Mosack, and Parker Kligerman round out the top five.

Norm Benning returns to the race eight laps down.

Daniel Hemric comes down pit road with damage to his truck from contact from Toni Breidinger when his tire blows.  The track stays green.

With 31 laps to go green flag pit stops begin with Chandler Smith leading the race.

As pit stop continue, Jack Wood takes the lead.

Spencer Boyd and Bayley Currey were caught speeding on pit road.

NASCAR has called the crew chief for the 19 car driven by Daniel Hemric to the hauler after the race.

Greg van Alst is caught speeding on pit road and will have to serve a passthrough penalty.

Lap 59, Nathan Byrd leads the race with Corey Heim in second; Ben Rhodes, Luke Fenhaus, and Gio Ruggiero round out the top five.

Toni Breidinger and Daniel Hemric take their trucks to the garage with mechanical issues.

Just 23 laps remain in the race, Nathan Byrd leads the pack with Gio Ruggiero in second; Correy Heim, Ben Rhodes, and Tanner Gray round out the top five.

Nathan Byrd makes his pit stop and gives the lead over to Gio Ruggiero.

The caution flag comes out on lap 64 when Norm Benning’s truck catches fire.  He gets the truck stopped as the onboard fire extinguisher puts out most of the flames.  The 73 year old driver exits the truck on his own but needs assistance from the safety crew.

Some of the drivers come down pit road for service.

Daniel Hemric and Norm Benning are out of the race.

Bayley Currey was caught speeding on pit road – sections 10 thru 17!

The crews have a big cleanup after Norm Bennings truck dropped a lot of fluid on the track.

Gio Ruggiero brings the field down for the green flag restart with 15 laps remaining in the race.  Ruggiero gets out in front for the lead but Ben Rhodes in the outside lane comes up to take the lead.

The top five are Ben Rhodes, Luke Fenhaus, Gio Ruggiero, Corey LaJoie, and Corey Heim.

Twelve to go, Ben Rhodes leads the race with Luke Fenhaus in second; Gio Ruggiero, Corey LaJoie, and Corey Heim round out the top five.

With 10 laps remaining in the race, Corey Heim is the only playoff driver in the top five in fourth.

Eight laps to go, Ben Rhodes holds on to the lead with Luke Fenhaus in second; Gio Ruggiero, Corey Heim, and Tanner Gray round out the top five.

There are 24 trucks on the lead lap.

Just four laps remain in the race with Ben Rhodes holding on to the lead;  the top five remains Ben Rhodes, Luke Fenhaus, Gio Rugiero, Corey Heim, and Tanner Gray.

Two to go, the drivers are spreading out three wide in a battle for position.

The seventh caution flag comes out with just two laps remaining in the race leader Ben Rhodes gets loose and spins out.  Luke Fenhaus gave Rhodes a push that sent him off the track.  Fenhaus also spun out.  Gio Ruggiero takes the lead.

The race goes into overtime!

Gio Ruggiero brings the field down for the overtime shootout to the end with Corey LaJoie alongside.  With Corey Heim on his bumper, Gio Ruggiero takes the lead.

Gio Ruggiero takes the white flag!

Rookie Gio Ruggiero wins the race for his first Talladega win.

The unofficial results of the Love’s RV Stop 225:
Gio Ruggiero
Corey Heim
Ty Majeski
Dawson Sutton
Layne Riggs
Tyler Ankrum
Matt Crafton
Corey LaJoie
Rajah Caruth
Kaden Honeycutt
Tanner Gray
Kris Wright
JJ Yeley
Connor Mosack
Spencer Boyd
Ben Rhodes
Andres Perez
Nathan Byrd
Matt Mills
Frankie Muniz
Jack Wood
Chandler Smith
Luke Fenhaus
Josh Reaume
Greg van Alst
Parker Kligerman
Tyler Tomassi
Bret Holmes
Jake Garcia
Jason M. White
Bayley Currey
Norm Benning
Toni Breidinger
Daniel Hemric
Caleb Costner
Grant Enfinger