The Craftsman Truck Series gets a triple header weekend started off at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta.
Twenty-one of the 36 tracks at the track have cleared the inspection process, but some of the teams are having issues.
The drivers do not get any practice time before making a qualifying run.
Carson Hocevar is the first driver on the track to make a qualifying run and posted a time of 32.494 seconds around the mile and a half track.
The top 10 drivers after the first round of qualifying will move on to a second round of qualifying to set the pole.
Ty Dillon is driving the Kaulig Racing number 25 truck this week – the All-Star truck.
Kyle Busch will be in the seven truck this week for his first truck series race.
Corey Heim returns this week to race in the Truck Series at Atlanta.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr returns for another week in the Truck Series.
And there is an Andretti in the field this week – Adam Andretti. Never having been in a truck, Andretti will be driving the number five truck.
There is a fierce wind blowing that is pushing the trucks as they come off of turn four.
The trucks for Caleb Costner, Tyler Tomassi, Justin S Carroll, and Clayton Green failed to pass inspection and the drivers will not be allowed to make a qualifying run. With 36 trucks in the field, the drivers will get to race but will start from the back of the field.
Ben Rhodes, Tyler Ankrum, Gio Ruggiero, Ty Majeski, Cole Butcher, Kyle Busch, Adam Andretti, Jake Garcia, Ricky Stenhouse R, and Andres Perez will all move on to round two of qualifying.
First up in the top 10 is Andres Perez who posted a time of 32.347 seconds.
Gio Ruggiero has a tire rub and the crew is taking the truck to the garage and will not make a second qualifying run. He will be placed in 10th place unless the crew has to work on the truck and then will have to move to the back of the field.
With a time of 32.049 seconds, Jake Garcia puts his number 98 truck on the pole with teammate Ben Rhodes starting alongside on the front row.
The starting lineup for the Fr8 Racing 208:
Jake Garcia
Ben Rhodes
Kyle Busch
Tyler Ankrum
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Cole Butcher
Ty Majeski
Adam Andretti
Andres Perez
Gio Ruggiero
Kaden Honeycutt
John Hunter Nemechek
Daniel Hemric
Grant Enfinger
Christian Eckes
Stewart Friesen
Tanner Gray
Carson Hocevar
Layne Riggs
Corey Heim
Kris Wright
Chandler Smith
Dawson Sutton
Spencer Boyd
Justin Haley
Ty Dillon
Tyler Reif
Brenden Queen
Mini Tyrrell
Daniel Dye
Josh Reaume
Frankie Muniz
Clayton Green
Tyler Tomassi
Justin S Carroll
Caleb Costner
Joey Logano and Penske teammate Ryan Blaney join Jamie Little in the broadcast booth for the race at EchoPark.
Rain storms delayed the start of the race, the drivers will be racing on a “green” track.
Stages one and two are 40 laps each with stage three lasting 55 laps for a total of 135 laps. The drivers can run around 55 laps on a single load of fuel.
The race is under time constraints. If the race is still running at 4:20pm, they will run one final lap. The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race is scheduled to begin at 5pm.
After a delay of over an hour, the Craftsman Truck Series finally fires the engines and gets moving.
Grant Enfinger, Tyler Ankrum, Brenden Queen, Dawson Sutton, and Gio Ruggiero will all be starting the race from the back of the field after flat tires and unapproved adjustments to the trucks.
Jake Garcia brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Ben Rhodes alongside. Thirteen time Atlanta winner Kyle Busch starts third. Ben Rhodes edges out for the lead after a push but Jake Garcia moves up on the inside to go side by side.
Lap three Jake Garcia and Ben Rhodes continues to battle back and forth for the lead.
Lap four, Ben Rhodes gets out in front for the lead as Christian Eckes takes his truck to the garage.
Lap five, the top five are Ben Rhodes, Cole Butcher, Ty Majeski, Kyle Busch, and Andres Perez.
Lap six, Ben Rhodes leads the race with Ty Majeski in second; Kyle Busch, Andres Perez, and Kaden Honeycutt round out the top five.
Reports are that Christian Eckes had a drive shaft issues and is out of the race.
Lap eight, leaders are single file.
After starting form the back of the field, Gir Ruggiero has moved up to the top 15.
Starting back in the field, Corey Heim has entered the top 10.
Lap 15, Ben Rhodes continues to lead the race with ty Majeski in second; Kyle Busch, Andres Perez, and Stewart Friesen round out the top five.
Adam Andretti has a very loose truck and spun out but saved the truck and the track stays green.
Grant Enfinger makes an unscheduled trip down pit road for a flat tire. Caleb Costner has also make a pit stop.
Corey Heim has taken fourth place.
Lap 22, Ben Rhodes continues to lead the race with Ty Majeski in second; Kyle Busch, Corey Heim, and Andres Perez round out the top five.
It’s the 29th birthday for race leader Ben Rhodes.
After having to come down pit road for a flat tire, Grant Enfinger is two laps down with 30 trucks on the lead lap.
Lap 27, the top five are Ben Rhodes, Ty Majeski, Kyle Busch, Corey Heim, and Stewart Friesen.
Lap 34 Kyle Busch passes Ty Majeski for second.
Tanner Gray spins out but the track stays green.
Lap 36, leaders are mired in slower trucks and lapped traffic.
Lap 37 Ben Rhodes and Kyle Busch battle for the lead. Corey Heim moves up to make it a three way battle.
Lap 38, Corey Heim takes the lead.
Back in fifth, Kyle Busch dropped to the inside lane and takes the lead in a battle with Corey Heim.
Corey Heim wins stage one.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Corey Heim
Ben Rhodes
Kyle Busch
Ty Majeski
Stewart Friesen
Kaden Honeycutt
Carson Hocevar
Andres Perez
Daniel Hemric
Gio Ruggiero
Drivers come down pit road for service with Ben Rhodes winning the race off of pit road after taking only two tires. Several of the drivers took only two tires.
Ben Rhodes brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two on lap 48 with Andres Perez alongside. Getting a push from Kyle Busch, Ben Rhodes holds on to the lead.
The top five are Ben Rhodes, Kyle Busch, Andres Perez, Gio Ruggioer, and Stewart Friesen.
Lap 51, getting a push from Gio Ruggiero, Andres Perez battles Ben Rhodes for the lead.
Lap 53, Kyle Busch drops down to the inside lane to battle with Ben Rhodes for the lead.
Lap 55, the top five are Ben Rhodes, Stewart Friesen, Ty Majeski, Chandler smith, and Carson Hocevar. Kyle Busch dropped to seventh.
Kaden Honeycutt gets into the wall but the track stays green.
Ty Majeski makes an unscheduled pit stop with a flat tire
Lap 62, Ben Rhodes leads the race with Stewart Friesen in second; Chandler Smith, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, and Jake Garcia round out the top five. Kyle Busch has dropped out of the top 10 to 13th.
There are 23 trucks on the lead lap.
Gio Ruggiero reports a tire going down and has to come down pit road.
Kaden Honeycutt was posted for passing through too many pit boxes on his pit stop. He will have to serve a pass through penalty.
Carson Hocevar reports a bad vibration in his truck.
Kyle Busch is back up to 10th place.
Lap 76, Ben Rhodes continues to dominate the race with Stewart Friesen in second; Chandler Smith, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, and Jake Garcia round out the top five.
Ben Rhodes is off the pace and out of fuel. Stewart Friesen takes the lead.
Stewart Friesen wins stage two.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Stewart Friesen
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Carson Hocevar
Chandler Smith
Kyle Busch
Jake Garcia
Gio Ruggiero
Andres Perez
Corey Heim
Layne Riggs
Stewart Friesen wins the race off of pit road after taking fuel only.
Chandler Smith was charged with a safety violation and will have to restart the race from the back of the field.
Stewart Friesen brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Jake Garcia alongside on lap 88. Jake Garcia edges out for the lead but getting a push from Corey Heim, Stewart Friesen takes the lead.
Jake Garcia takes the lead and moves up the track leaving Kyle Busch leading the inside lane. Busch moves up to take the lead with Carson Hocevar in second.
The top five are Kyle Busch, Carson Hocevar, Jake Garcia, Stewart Friesen, and Corey Heim.
Daniel Hemric is off the track.
Lap 94, Kyle Busch leads the race with Carson Hocevar in second; Jake Garcia, Stewart Friesen, and Corey Heim round out the top five.
Lap 100, the caution flag comes out for a crash. Dawson Sutton gets into the wall, Cole Butcher and Kris Wright make contact and collect up Dawson Sutton.
NASCAR has invoked the Adverse Conditions rule which means that once the clock reaches 4:20pm, they white flag will fly and the race will end.
Kyle Busch brings the field down for the green flag restart with Stewart Friesen alongside on lap 108. Getting a big push form Carson Hocevar, Kyle Busch takes the lead.
Back in the field the drivers are getting three wide and the end of the race gets closer.
Lap 111, Stewart Friesen gets a push rom Gio Ruggiero to take the lead briefly, but Kyle Busch gets back out in front.
Lap 113, the battle between Stewart Friesen and Kyle Busch continues. The same two drivers battled for the win last season with Kyle Busch edging out for the win.
Five minutes remaining in the race with Stewart Friesen and Kyle Busch battling for the lead.
Lap 117, drivers are getting three wide as the clock winds quickly down. Kyle Busch and Stewart Friesen continue their battle for the lead.
Huge push puts Stewart Friesen out in front with Kyle Busch pushed back to fourth.
Ben Rhodes recovers his fuel issues to take the lead.
Kyle Busch comes up on from the bottom to pass Ben Rhodes for the lead.
With 90 seconds remaining, Kyle Busch has the lead but Ben Rhodes drops down to the inside to battle with Kyle Busch for the lead.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr moves up to battle with Kyle Busch for the lead.
Kyle Busch holds on to the lead to take the white flag.
Kyle Busch wins the race for his ninth Truck Series win and 14th overall at Atlanta.
Carson Hocevar joins Kyle Busch for some doughnuts. Brexton comes running across the gras to join dad at the finish line…and the bow.
The unofficial results of the Fr8 Racing Truck Series race:
Kyle Busch
Carson Hocevar
Gio Ruggiero
Ben Rhodes
Corey Heim
Chandler Smith
Jake Garcia
John Hunter Nemechek
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Justin Haley
Ty Dillon
Adam Andretti
Daniel Dye
Tyler Ankrum
Andres Perez
Brenden Queen
Tyler Reif
Kris Wright
Mini Tyrrell
Stewart Friesen
Kaden Honeycutt
Grant Enfinger
Clayton Green
Josh Reaume
Frankie Muniz
Spencedr Boyd
Layne Riggs
Ty Majeski
Tyler Tomassi
Tanner Gray
Cole Butcher
Dawson Sutton
Caleb Costner
Daniel Hemric
Justin S Carroll
Christian Eckes