What is normally a somber weekend of racing on Memorial Day weekend where NASCAR pays tribute to members of the military who gave their life in service of their country has turned even more somber with the passing of two time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch.
Busch died Thursday afternoon (May 21) suddenly at the age of 41.
Charlotte Motor Speedway has a tribute of their own with a giant eight in the infield.
Richard Childress Racing has announced that O’Reilly Auto Pars Series driver Austin Hill will take over the driving duties this weekend and instead of the eight car, Hill will be in the 33 car.
Due to inclement weather in the area, practice and qualifying for the Craftsman Truck Series North Carolina Education Lottery 200 has been cancelled with the field being set by the NASCAR metric.
Due to the weather, NASCAR has moved up the start time from 7:30pm to 7:00pm.
Ironically, that puts the Spire Motorsports number seven truck – the same truck that Kyle Busch took to victory lane last week at Dover Motor Speedway – on the pole with Corey Day will be driving the truck.
With 37 truck vying for 36 starting spots, Caleb Costner will not be in the race. The Trackhouse Racing drivers of Shane van Gisbergen Ross Chastain, and Connor Zilisch are joined by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are among the drivers this week.
Travis Pastrana is the driver of the Kaulig Racing number 25 “guest truck” this week.
Kyle Busch was scheduled to drive the number seven truck tonight; Corey Day is in the truck but Kyle’s name is still on the truck.
Several of the drivers who have driven for Kyle Busch Motorsports said that they would not be where they are if it wasn’t for Kyle.
The starting lineup for the North Carolina Education Lottery 200:
Corey Day
Layne Riggs
Kaden Honeycutt
Ty Majeski
Brandon Jones
Leland Honeyman
Christian Eckes
Chandler Smith
Jake Garcia
Corey LaJoie
Stewart Friesen
Justin Haley
William Sawalich
Ross Chastain
Brenden Queen
Gio Ruggiero
Ben Rhodes
Grant Enfinger
Tanner Grant
Kris Wright
Tyler Ankrum
Connor Jones
Dawson Sutton
Connor Zilisch
Spencer Boyd
Frankie Muniz
Andres Perez
Daniel Hemric
Travis Pastrana
Mini Tyrrell
Cole Butcher
Luke Baldwin
Josh Reaume
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Shane van Gisbergen
Timmy Hill
Joey Logano joins Michael Waltrip in the broadcast booth for the race.
Stages one and two are just 30 laps each with stage three lasting 74 laps for a total of 134 laps around the 1.5 mile track. The drivers can run 49 to 52 laps on a single load of fuel. The teams have three sets of tires for the race.
Corey Day brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Layne Riggs alongside. Some of the trucks have wet spots on their windshields as the trucks make pace laps.
NASCAR is bringing the field down pit road because of the wet weather in the area.
The trucks are stopped on pit road but not covered.
NASCAR has ordered the teams to cover the trucks at 7:14pm. The track drying process has begun.
After several attempts to get the track dried, NASCAR has postponed the truck race with a possible 8am start.
The much needed rains have persisted and the Truck Series race has again been moved with hopes of getting the race in at 9pm for some Saturday night racing.
After a rescheduled race start was rained out, perhaps the ‘third time is the charm” and the race will go on as the drivers gather on Sunday morning to race before the Coca-Cola 600 later today.
The engines have refired and the track is ready to go.
NASCAR has announced that the Truck race will begin end of race procedures at 12pm.
Corey Day brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Layne Riggs alongside. Day edges out in front as the drivers get three wide across the track.
Lapa two, Layne Riggs had a slow start but comes up on the outside to take the lead.
Lap three, the toop five are Layne Riggs, Christian Eckes, Corey Day, Brandon Jones, and Kaden Honeycutt.
Luke Baldwin gets into the wall and brings his truck down pit road.
Lap six, Layne Riggs has a near half second lead on Christian Eckes; Kaden Honeycutt, Corey Day, and Brandon Jones round out the top five.
The caution flag comes out on lap eight when Shane van Gisbergen gets loose and has a lot of smoke coming from the truck.
A few drivers come down pit road for service and adjustments; leaders stay out.
Travis Pastrana was caught speeding on pit road and will restart the race from the back of the longest line.
Layne Riggs brings the field down for the green flag restart with Christian Eckes alongside on lap 12. Riggs gets out in front to hold on to the lead.
Corey Day has dropped from the top 10.
Lap 14, the top five are Layne Riggs, Christian Eckes, Kaden Honeycutt, Brandon Jones, and Chandler Smith.
Christian Eckes takes the lead with Kaden Honeycutt in second.
Lap 19, Christian Eckes has a half second lead on Kaden Honeycutt; Brandon Jones, Layne Riggs, and Ross Chastain round out the top five.
Lap 21, Ty Majeski is slowed on the track. He says he has power but the throttle has stopped engaging. Majeski brings out the second caution flag of the race. He limps his way to pit road and gets a push from the tow truck.
Shane van Gisbergen brought out the first caution from 35th place. Since the restart he has moved up 13 spots.
Cole Butcher is getting a push down pit road with reports of a fuel issue.
Pit road is open for a “quickie yellow” allowing all drivers to make a stop.
Leader Chirstian Eckes brings most of the field down pit road for service with six laps remaining in stage one. Grant Enfinger wins the race off of pit riad after taking fuel only. Layne Riggs and Christian Eckes also took fuel only.
After staying out on the track, Justin Haley brings the field down for the green flag restart for a two lap shootout to end stage one with Dawson Sutton alongside. Drivers get three and four wide in a battle for position. Christian Eckes takes the lead.
Christian Eckes wins stage one.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Christian Eckes
Brandon Jones
Layne Riggs
Grant Enfinger
Kaden Honeycutt
William Sawalich
Corey Day
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Jake Garcia
Dawson Sutton
Ty Majeski and Cole Butcher’s crews had to change the fuel pumps in their trucks.
Justin Haley had a flat tire on the restart and fell through the field.
Christian Eckes brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with Brandon Jones alongside on lap 36. Brandon Jones gets out in front for the lead.
Christian Ecles passes Brandon Jones for the lead.
Lap 37, the top five are Christian Eckes, Layne Riggs, Kaden Honeycutt, Brandon Joens, and Grant Enfinger.
The caution flag comes out on lap 39 for fluid on the track after Luke Baldwin’s truck is in flames. Baldwin is out of the truck and walking to the safety truck giving a thumbs up.
Corey Day reports a tight condition in his truck.
Pit road is open but only a few drivers come down for service.
Christian Eckes brings the field down for the green flag restart with Layne Riggs alongside on lap 46. Drivers get three wide with Layne Riggs in the lead.
The caution flag comes out on lap 48 when Corey Day goes flying but lands on all four wheels before hitting the wall head on. Day climbs out of the truck unassisted.
Mini Tyrell takes his truck to the garage for repairs after being involved in the crash. Part of the panel on the driver’s door is torn off.
Luke Baldwin is out of the car center and said that he had no warning of the engine blowing.
Drivers come down pit road for service. Gio Ruggiero has some damage to his truck after contact with Corey Day.
After staying out on the track, Layne Riggs brings the field down for the green flag restart with Brandon Jones alongside on lap 53. Drivers get three wide with Layne Riggs in the lead.
Lap 54, the top five ae Layne Riggs, Christian Eckes, Brandon jones, Ross Chastain, and Kaden Honeycutt.
Lap 57, Layne Riggs has a near half second lead on Christian Eckes; Ross Chastain, Brandon Jones, and Daneil Hemric round out the top five.
Layne Riggs wins stage two.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Layne Riggs
Christian Eckes
Ross Chastain
Daniel Hemric
Brandon Jones
Kaden Honeycutt
Stewart Friesen
Ben Rhodes
Jack Garcia
Tyler Ankrum
Corey Day is out of the care center and is fine but says he feels terrible because it isn’t what he wanted for today.
Drivers come down pit road for service but a few drivers stayed out on the track.
Grant Enfinger brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Connor Zilisch alongside with 68 laps remaining in the race. Gio Ruggiero takes the lead.
The caution flag comes out on lap 69 when Spencer Boyd spins out after contact with Ross Chastain. Chastain has a smoking truck with a flat tire.
Gio Ruggiero brings the field down for the green flag restart with Connor Zilisch alongside on lap 73. Ruggiero gets out in front as the drivers are three wide.
The top five are Gio Ruggiero, Connor Zilisch, Christian Eckes, Brandon Jones, and Grant Enfinger.
After bringing out the first caution flag of the race, Shane van Gisbergen has moved up to the top five.
The caution flag comes out on lap 78 when Leland Honeyman spins out with a flat tire and gets into the wall.
The drivers have not run more than 12 green flag laps before a caution flag comes out.
Drivers come down pit road for a “quickie yellow”.
Tyler Ankrum leads the race after staying out on the track and brings the field down for the green flag restart with Dawson Sutton alongside with 52 laps remaining in the race.
The 77 truck of Connor Zilisch has been posted for a restart violation and will have to serve a passthrough penalty.
Layne Riggs leads the race with Ross Chastain in second; Christian Eckes, Chandler smith, and Tyler Ankrum round out the top five.
Christian Eckes passes Ross Chastain for second.
The caution flag comes out on lap 88 for a crash involving Kris Wright and Brenden Queen. Queen’s truck is stuck up against the wall.
Layne Riggs brings the field down for the green flag restart with Christian Eckes alongside with 41 laps remaining in the race but the noon cut off is just 15 minutes away.
Christian Eces passes Layne Riggs for the lead.
The top five are Christian Eckes, Layne Riggs, Kaden Honeycutt, Chandler Smith and Ross Chastain.
Layne Riggs and Christian Eckes battle for the lead with Layne Riggs taking the lead.
Stewart Freisen goes for a big slide after getting loose but the track stays green.
Andres Perez spins out in a big cloud of smoke to bring out the tenth caution flag of the race.
Stewart Friesen was charged with a restart violation.
Layne Riggs brings the field down for the green flag restart with Christian Eckes alongside. Riggs takes the lead after a push from behind.
Layne Riggs pulls away with the drivers getting three wide.
The caution flag comes out for Chandler Smith who spins out and gets into the wall. The caution flag sets a new record for caution flags.
Ross Chastain is stopped on the track and gets a push from the tow truck to pit road.
With the race still under caution, NASCAR displays the white flag for the final lap of the race.
Layne Riggs will be named the race winner under caution. On the radio he said, “this one’s for Kyle.”
After a burnout, Riggs took the checkered flag for donuts and burnouts. His crew was waiting at the finish line for Layne to get out of the truck. And he gives the Kyle Busch showman’s bow.
The unofficial results of the North Carlina Education Lottery 200:
Layne Riggs
Kaden Honeycutt
Connor Zilisch
Ben Rhodes
Gio Ruggiero
Christian Eckes
Brandon Jones
Tanner Gray
Ricky Stenhouse Jr
William Sawalich
Daniel Hemric
Corie LaJoie
Jake Garcia
Conner Jones
Shane van Gisbergen
Grant Enfinger
Justin Haley
Timmy Hill
Andres Perez
Tyler Ankrum
Travis Pastrana
Dawson Sutton
Leland Honeyman Jr
Frankie Muniz
Spencer Boyd
Stewart Friesen
Cole Butcher
Josh Reaume
Ross Chastain
Chandler Smith
Kris Wright
Brennen Queen
Ty Majeski
Mini Tyrrell
Corey Day
Luke Baldwin