On an early Saturday morning, The Craftsman Truck Series takes to the track at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut for their final road course race of the season with the LiUNA 150 later in the day.
With the O’Reilly and Cup Series races in Atlanta, the field is comprised of just 33 drivers for 36 starting spots.
Lime Rock is a seven turn 1.478 mile course.
The drivers get a full 50 minute practice session before making a qualifying run.
There are no grand stands at Lime Rock, fans bring chairs and blankets and sit along the course.
Just one week ago the area was ravaged by storm damage and without power. Power was not restored to Lime Rock Park until Wednesday; just one day before the ARCA and Truck Series teams arrived on Thursday.
Christian Eckes is racing with a sprained left foot. He has no backup driver and hopes to finish the race. He stepped in a hole leaving the course in Coronado.
Graham Doyle gets off the track and into the grass.
After dominating the ARCA Menards Series race on Friday, Thomas Annunziata makes his first Truck Series race this season and quickly puts his number one truck in the top 10.
Practice was paused for debris on the track.
Grant Enfinger gets off the course and is stuck in the grass and dirt. Grant Enfinger reports that he had a flat tire and sent him off the track. He kept the truck off the wall.
IndyCar racer Louis Foster is not only making his debut in the Truck Series; he is also making his debut at Lime Rock Park.
Graham Doyle has more trouble on the course but keeps the truck out of the grass and off the wall.
At the end of practice, Chandler Smith topped the leaderboard in single lap times with a time of 54.312 seconds.
The drivers are being divided into two groups for qualifying and will have 20 minutes on the track. The fastest drivers sits on the pole with both groups being merged to set he field.
Colin Braun will not make a qualifying run after an axel issue. He will start the race from the back of the field; saying that it will be “fun”.
Ty Majeski’s crew made some unapproved adjustments during the break. He will be allowed to keep his current qualifying time but will no be allowed to make any further qualifying runs.
Layne Riggs was making another qualifying run when he went off the track.
Layne Riggs puts his number 34 truck on the pole with a time of 53.683 seconds. Connor Mosack will start alongside on the front row.
The starting lineup for the LiUNA 150:
Layne Riggs
Connor Mosack
Kaden Honeycutt
Thomas Annunziata
Ty Majeski
Landen Lewis
Gio Ruggiero
Daniel Hemric
Chandler Smith
Jake Garcia
Tyler Ankrum
Grant Enfinger
Christian Eckes
Andres Perez
Ben Maier
Parker Kligerman
Ben Rhodes
Stewart Friesen
Kris Wright
Tanner Gray
Dawson Sutton
Cole Butcher
Justin Haley
Wesley Slimp/
Corey LaJoie
Louis Foster
Graham Doyle
Mini Tyrrell
Brenden Queen
Jackson Lee
Frankie Muniz
Josh Reaume
Colin Braun
Stage one and two are 30 laps each with stage three lasting 40 laps. The drivers can run 43 to 45 laps on a single load of fuel.
With the Truck Series running a stand alone event, the caution flag at the end of the stages are non-competition stops; drivers will not gain or lose spots during their pit stops.
Layne Riggs brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Connor Mosack alongside. Layne Riggs gets out in front for the lead with Kaden Honeycutt in second; Connor Mosack, Thomas Annunziata, ad Landen Lewis round out the top five.
Layne Riggs has pulled out to a one second lead on Kaden Honeycutt.
Lap three, Colin Braun has moved up to 29th after starting the race in 33rd after not making a qualifying run due to an axle issue.
Saying that he “screwed up qualifying”, Parker Kligerman has moved up just two spots from his 16th place start.
Lap four, Layne Riggs has a near one second lead on Kaden Honeycutt; Connor Mosack, Thomas Annunziata, and Landen Lewis round out the top five.
Ty Majeski reports that his cool suit is malfunctioning. The air temperature is 88 degrees.
Colin Braun reports that the water temperature in his truck is rising.
Lap 10, Kaden Honeycutt has closed the gap on leader Layne Riggs and is just a few truck lengths back.
Lap 12, Layne Riggs has a half second lead on Kaden Honeycutt; Connor Mosack, Landen Lewis, and Thomas Annunziata round out the top five.
Water temperature issues are not slowing down Colin Braun who has moved up to 27th place.
Lap 14, leaders have begun lapping slower cars; Kaden Honeycutt has caught leader Layne Riggs and the battle for the lead begins.
Front Row Motorsports and Tricon Garage have won the past nine Truck Series road course races.
Lap 19, Layne Riggs has a half second lead on Kaden Honeycutt; Connor Mosack, Landen Lewis, and Thomas Annunziata round out the top five.
Lap 23, Layne Riggs has pulled out to a lead of over a second on Kaden Honeycutt; Connor Mosack, Landen Lewis, and Thomas Annunziata round out the top five.
English born IndyCar driver Louis Foster is fulfilling a bucket list item by running in the race today. IndyCar has the week off so he has hopped in a truck and is currently running in 22nd place.
Lap 26, there are 27 trucks on the lead lap.
Continuing to pass slower trucks – 25 on the lead lap – Layne Riggs wins stage one for his sixth stage win of the season.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Layne Riggs
Kaden Honeycutt
Landen Lewis
Connor Mosack
Thomas Annunziata
Ty Majeski
Gio Ruggiero
Daniel Hemric
Grant Enfinger
Andres Perez
The drivers come down pit road for service; the crews have three minutes to service the trucks.
Ben Maier is stopped on the course reporting possible smoke and fire in the truck with a fuel issue.
Louis Foster was charged with speeding on pit road and will have to restart the race from the back of the field.
Layne Riggs brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with Kaden Honeycutt alongside on lap 36. Riggs holds on to the lead with Kaden Honeycutt less than a third of a second back.
Lap 37, the top five are Layne Riggs, Kaden Honeycutt, Landen Lewis, Thomas Annunziata, and Connor Mosack.
Lap 39, Kaden Honeycutt begins to challenge Layne Riggs for the lead.
Lap 40, the top five are Layne Riggs, Kaden Honeycutt, Landen Lewis, Thomas Annunziata, and Connor Mosack.
With 17 laps remaining in stage two, Layne Riggs has pulled out to a half second on Kaden Honeycutt.
Frankie Muniz spins out after some on track contact but gets the truck turned around and going again.
The caution flag comes out on lap 45 when Ty Majeski gets off the course and into the tire barrier. Ty is out of the truck but the truck is stuck deep into the tires. The team reports possible brake issues in the truck.
Chandler Smith is on pit road with possible axle issues.
Layne Riggs brings the field down for the green flag restart with 10 laps remaining in stage two. Kaden Honeycutt gets out in front for the lead. A block from Layne Riggs helped to cause a wreck that sent Landen Lewis into the guard rail and several drivers off the course and into the grass. Connor Mosack also sustain significant damage. Thomas Annunziata, Christian Eckes, Dawson Sutton, and Ben Rhodes were also involved.
Gio Ruggiero and a number of other drivers come down pit road for service; short pitting the end of the stage. The drivers can make it to the end of the race on fuel from here; the question is whether the tires will last that long.
Kaden Honeycutt brings the field down for the green flag restart with just three laps remaining in stage two. Kaden Honeycutt and Layne Riggs battle for the lead. Honeycutt holds on to the lead.
Parker Kligerman has entered the top 10 with Colin Braun in 16th.
Kaden Honeycutt wins stage two for his second stage win of the season.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Kaden Honeycutt
Layne Riggs
Grant Enfinger
Daniel Hemric
Andres Perez
Tyler Ankrum
Parker Kligerman
Jake Garcia
Tanner Gray
Cole Butcher
The drivers come down pit road for a three minute non-competitive pit stop.
Grant Enfinger’s crew had to change the battery after Enfinger had some voltage issues.
Cole Butcher brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Stewart Friesen alongside with 36 laps remaining in the race. Drivers get three and four wide going into turn one with Stewart Friesen and Cole Butcher battling for the lead.
Kris Wright spins out and gets into the guard rail. The caution flag comes out with 35 laps remaining in the race.
The top five are Cole Butcher, Stewart Friesen, Gio Ruggiero, Thomas Annunziata, and Corey LaJoie.
NASCAR has red flagged the race due to oil being spilled over most of the course.
Cole Butcher brings the field down for the green flag restart with Stewart Friesen alongside on lap 74. Stewart Friesen jumps out in front for the lead but a crash ensues involving several drivers at the front of the field. Cole Butcher gets into Stewart Friesen to start the melee.
Gio Ruggiero is the new leader.
The top five are Gio Ruggiero, Thomas Annunziata, Cole Butcher, Landen Lewis, and Grant Enfinger.
Colin Braun has entered the top 10! He is in eighth place.
Chandler Smith gets off the course into the grass ans is stopped to bring out the caution flag for the sixth time.
Thomas Annunziata’s truck is on fire and is smoking heavily. He is out of the truck and kneeling on the grass.
Layne Riggs is on pit road for repairs after sustaining damage from the last restart.
Layne Riggs makes a second trip down pit road for a battery change.
Gio Ruggiero brings the field down for the restart with just 14 laps remaining in the race. Grant Enfinger and Gio Ruggiero battle for the lead with Gio in the lead.
The top five are Gio Ruggiero, Grant Enfinger, Landen Lewis, Jake Garcia, and Colin Braun.
Cole Butcher and Colin Braun battle for fifth.
Colin Braun and Cole Butcher spin out and get off the course but the track stays green. Braun had made it from last place to the top five.
Dawson Sutton and Wesley Slimp get off the course; the track stays green.
Corey LaJoie is off the track and can’t get it moving again to bring out the caution flag.
Back in the top 10, Kaden Honeycutt has moved up eight spots in five laps.
Gio Ruggiero brings the field down for the green flag restart with Grant Enfinger alongside and only three laps remaining in the race. Grant Enfinger gets out in front for the lead with Landen Lewis in second. Louis Foster gets off the course.
Two laps to go, Grant Enfinger leads the race with Landen Lewis in second. Gio Ruggiero gets spun out and is off the course.
Grant Enfinger takes the white flag with Landen Lewis on his bumper; Kaden Honeycutt, Parker Kligerman, and Christian Eckes round out the top five.
Grant Enfinger holds off Landen Lewis for his first win of the season.
The unofficial results of the LiUNA 150:
Grant Enfinger
Landen Lewis
Kaden Honeycutt
Parker Kligerman
Christian Eckes
Daniel Hemric
Andres Perez
Tanner Gray
Stewart Friesen
Colin Braun
Cole Butcher
Brenden Queen
Jackson Lee
Justin Haley
Dawson Sutton
Wesley Slimp
Kris Wright
Connor Mosack
Graham Doyle
Gio Ruggiero
Louis Foster
Jake Garcia
Layne Riggs
Mini Tyrell
Tyler Ankrum
Frankie Muniz
Josh Reaume
Corey LaJoie
Thomas Annunziata
Chandler Smith
Ben Rhodes
Ty Majeski
Ben Maier
Parker Kligerman is one of the owners of Lime Rock Park and partially responsible for the Truck Series coming to the course to race.
Just four races remain before the playoffs begin.
Thomas Annunziata has been taken to a local hospital for further treatment.