Just four races remain before the end of the regular season in the Craftsman Truck Series including the FaithFest 250 at the short track of North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Thirty-eight teams brought trucks to North Wilkesboro for 36 starting spots including some big names in NASCAR. Cup Series drivers Chase Elliott, Christopher Bell, Carson Hocevar, and Shane van Gisbergen. Ryan Newman returns to racing driving the Kaulig Racing number 25 guest Ram truck. Corey Heim also makes a return to the Truck Series.
Chase Elliott has not been in a truck since Daytona of 2023. He will also be running the Late Model races and the Cup Series this hot weekend.
While he has been racing in other series’, it has been eight years since Ryan Newman has been behind the wheel of a Craftsman Truck.
The drivers get a full 50 minute practice session before making a qualifying run for some Saturday afternoon racing.
It’s a hot summer day in North Carolina with track temperatures reaching 140 degrees!
Several of the drivers are experiencing a loose condition in their trucks.
Carson Hocevar topped the leaderboard in single lap time with a time of 18.639 seconds. Chandler Smith topped the board in multiple lap times.
The first driver on the track to make a qualifying run is Kasey Kleyn and posted a time of 19.123 seconds.
Timmy Hill has an axel seal issue and will not make a qualifying run.
Shane van Gisbergen is the first driver to break the 19 second mark with a time of 18,859 seconds.
Ty Majeski posted a sub 19 second lap even though he tapped the wall.
With a time of 18.502 seconds, Layne Riggs puts his number 34 truck on the pole with Carson Hocevar alongside on the front row.
The starting lineup for the FaithFest 250:
Layne Riggs
Carson Hocevar
Christopher Bell
Corey Heim
Gio Ruggiero
Chase Elliott
Kaden Honeycutt
Grant Enfinger
Chandler Smith
Stewart Friesen
Cole Butcher
Nick Leitz
Justin Haley
Tanner Gray
Jake Garcia
Landen Lewis
Dawson Sutton
Christian Eckes
Shane van Gisbergen
Andres Perez
Daniel Hemric
Ben Rhodes
Brenden Queen
Tyler Ankrum
Ryan Newman
Kris Wright
Ty Majeski
Mini Tyrrell
Luke Baldwin
Tyler Reif
Kasey Kleyn
Donovan Strauss
Nathan Nicholson
Corey LaJoie
Clayton Green
Frankie Muniz
Timmy Hill and Landon Huffman failed to qualify for the race.
Stages one and two are 70 laps each with stage three lasting 110 laps for a total of 250 laps around the 5/8 of a mile track. The drivers can run 125 to 130 laps on a single load of fuel.
After a very rousing command to start the engines, Layne Riggs brings the field down for the green flag start of the race on a hot 90 degree Saturday afternoon with Carson Hocevar alongside. Carson Hocevar jumps out in front for the lead from the inside.
Alap two, Carson Hodcevar and Layne Riggs battle for the lead when Corey Heim makes it a three way battle.
Lap four the drivers are getting three wide across the track.
NASCAR has deemed the race start good, no violations.
Lap six, Carson Hocevar leads the race with Layne Riggs in a battle for the lead; Corey Heim, Christopher Bell, and Chase Elliott round out the top five.
Lap eight Chase Elliott and Kaden Honeycutt battle for fifth.
Lap 12, Carson Hocevar holds on to the lead with Layne Riggs in second; Christopher Bell, Corey Heim, and Kaden Honeycutt round out the top five.
The first caution flag comes out on lap 14 when Donovan Strauss spins out.
Carson Hocevar brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 20. Hocevar jumps out in front with Layne Riggs in second. Layne Riggs moves up to battle with Carson Hocevar for the lead.
The 76 truck of Nathan Nicholson was charged with jumping the restart and will have to serve a passthrough penalty.
Lap 25, Carson Hocevar continues to lead the race with Layne Riggs in second; Christopher Bell, Corey Heim, and Chandler Smith round out the top five.
Lap 31, Carson Hocevar has led every lap so far with Layne Riggs in second; Christopher Bell, Corey Heim, and Chandler Smith round out the top five.
Lap 35, the top three drivers – Hocevar, Riggs, and Bell – have pulled away from the remainder of the field and are over three seconds out in front of the field.
Chandler Smith has passed Corey Heim for fourth.
Lap 40, Nathan Nicholson is the only driver not on the lead lap.
Lap 42, after getting around Corey Heim, Chandler Smith is running the fastest laps on the track and is slowly closing the gap on the leaders.
Lap 52, Layne Riggs finally passes Carson Hocevar for the lead as the leaders encounter slower traffic.
Now in the lead, Layne Riggs is beginning to pass slower traffic.
Lap 58, Layne Riggs has pulled out to a lead of over half a second on Carson Hocevar; Christopher Bell, Chandler Smith, and Corey Heim round out the top five.
Lap 63, there are 25 trucks on the lead lap.
Lap 65, Layne Riggs has a one second lead on Carson Hocevar; Chandler Smith, Christopher Bell, and Chase Elliott round out the top five with 24 trucks on the lead lap.
Layne Riggs wins stage one for his seventh stage win of the season.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Layne riggs
Carson Hocevar
Chandler Smith
Christopher Bell
Chase Elliott
Corey Heim
Kaden Honeycutt
Christian Eckes
Gio Ruggiero
Grant Enfinger
Drivers come down pit road for service with Layne Riggs winning the race off of pit road. Layne Riggs reported that the brakes were getting hot. Carson Hocevar told his crew chief that his feet were burning.
Christopher Bell was caught speeding on pit road.
Landon Lewis was charged with a safety violation.
After staying out on the track, Jake Garcia brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with Layne Riggs alongside on lap 82. Garcia gets out in front for the lead with Carson Hocevar and Layne Riggs in a battle for second.
Lap 85, Jake Garcia leads the race with Carson Hocevar in second; Layne Riggs, Chase Elliott, and Chandler Smith round out the top five.
Drivers are running three wide.
Lap 89, Chandler Smith and Layne Riggs are in a battle for third.
Kaden Honeycutt is reporting some water temperature issues.
Lap 93, Jake Garcia has a half second lead on Carson Hocevar but Hocevar is closing the gap quickly.
Lap 98, Carson Hocevar passes Jake Garcia for the lead.
Chandler Smith passes Jake Garcia for second.
Lap 104, the top five are Carson Hocevar, Chandler Smith, Jake Garcia, Layne Riggs, and Chase Elliott.
There are 25 trucks on the lead lap.
Lap 110, Layne Riggs and Jake Garcia battle for third.
Lap 113 Chase Elliott passes Layne Riggs for fourth.
Lap 115, leader Carson Hocevar is beginning to lap some of the slower trucks for a second time. There are 24 trucks on the lead lap.
Lap 119, Chase Elliott has passed Jake Garcia for third.
The caution flag comes out for Luke Baldwin who spins out. Ryan Newman is the “lucky dog”.
Drivers come down pit road for service. Carson Hocevar is still having issues with burning feet.
Ryan Newman was caught speeding on pit road. Kris Wright and Nick Leitz were charged with a pit road violation.
Staying out on the track, ty Majeski brings the field down for the green flag restart with Andres Perez alongside on lap 122 with Ty Majeski getting out in front for the lead.
Carson Hocevar restarted in sixth – the first truck to make a pit stop.
La 130, the top five are Ty Majeksi, Andres Perez, Ben Rhodes, Chandler Smith, and Daniel Hemric. Carson Hocevar has dropped out of the top 10.
Lap 135, Chandler Smith is now in second place with Ty Majeski over a second out in front.
Lap 139, Carson Hocevar is slowed on the track with a flat tire.
Ty Majeski wins stage two for his first stage win of the season.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Ty Majeski
Chandler Smith
Ben Rhodes
Christian Eckes
Stewart Friesen
Daniel Hemric
Andres Perez
Gio Ruggiero
Corey Heim
Chase Elliott
Carson Hocevar was charged with pitting while pit road was closed and speeding on pit road.
Drivers who stayed out during the last caution come down pit road for service.
Andres Perez was caught speeding on pit road.
Chandler Smith is the new leader.
Chandler Smith brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Christian Eckes alongside on lap 152. Chandler Smith takes the lead with Gio Ruggiero in second. Drivers are three wide.
Lap 154, the top five are Chandler Smith, Gio Ruggiero, Stewart Friesen, Christian Ecked, and Corey Heim.
Shane van Gisbergen has entered the top 10.
Carson Hocevar is in 31st, two laps down – the first truck two laps down.
Donovan Strauss has taken his truck to the garage.
Lap 162, Chandler Smith has pulled out to a second and a half lead on Gio Ruggiero; Christian Eckes, Stewart Friesen, and Corey Heim round out the top five.
Lap 169, Chandler Smith has increased his lead to over two seconds on Gio Ruggiero.
Lap 177, Chandler Smith now has a lead of over two and a half seconds on Gio Ruggiero; Christian Eckes, Stewart Friesen, and Corey Heim round out the top five. Layne Riggs is just outside the top five in sixth over seven seconds back.
Lap 183, Chandler Smith’s lead is now nearly three and a half seconds on Gio Ruggiero.
There are 23 trucks on the lead lap.
Lap 187, Chandler Smith continues to increase his lead and is now over four seconds out in front.
Lap 191, Layne Riggs has passed Stewart Friesen and Corey Heim for fourth with Shane van Gisbergen right behind in fifth.
Lap 194, the top five are Chandler Smith, Gio Ruggiero, Christian Eckes, Layne Riggs, and Shane van Gisbergen.
Trying to get out of the way of faster trucks, Frankie Muniz brushed the wall.
Lap 199, there are just 21 trucks on the lead lap with Chandler Smith six seconds out in front of the field.
Christian Eckes has passed Gio Ruggiero for second.
Layne Riggs passes Gio Ruggiero for third.
Lap 207, Now in second place, Christian Eckes is beginning to slowly close the gap on leader Chandler Smith.
Lap 211, Layne Riggs passes Christian Eckes for second.
Shane van Gisbergen passes Gio Ruggiero for fourth.
Lap 216, there are 19 trucks on the lead lap with Chandler Smith over five seconds in front of Layne Riggs; Christian Eckes, Shane van Gisbergen, and Gio Ruggiero round out the top five.
With 27 laps remaining in the race, there are just 16 trucks on the lead lap. Chandler Smith has a six second lead on Layne Riggs.
Lap 230, Shane van Gisbergen passes Christian Eckes for third.
Just 20 laps to go, Chandler Smith is “driving it like he stole it” with a lead of over seven seconds on Layne Riggs; Shane van Gisbergen, Christian Eckes, and Gio Ruggiero round out the top five.
Lap 235, in 14th place, Christoopher Bell is the last truck on the lead lap.
Kasey Kleyn is off the track.
Just 13 laps to go, Chandler Smith has pulled out to a lead of over eight seconds.
Eight to go, Chandler Smith has a nine second lead on Layne Riggs.
Five to go, Chandler Smith continues to lap trucks and holds a lead of over nine seconds on the field.
Nathan Nicholson is slowed on the track but gets it of the track and the track stays green.
Chandler Smith takes the white flag
With a lead of over eight seconds, Chandler Smith wins by the largest margin ever in Truck Series history! Chandler Smith goes back to back at North Wilkesboro.
Frankie Muniz is being helped to the ambulance for a ride to the infield care center. A number of the drivers are dumping ice down their fire suits trying to get cooled down.
The unofficial results of the FaithFest 250:
Chandler Smith
Layne Riggs
Shane van Gisbergen
Christian Eckes
Landon Lewis
Gio Ruggiero
Chase Elliott
Stewart Friesen
Corey Heim
Ty Majeski
Kaden Honeycutt
Tyler Reif
Jake Garcia
Ben Rhodes
Christopher Bell
Dawson Sutton
Nick Leitz
Tanner Gray
Tyler Ankrum
Daniel Hemric
Brenden Queen
Cole Butcher
Andres Perez
Ryan Newman
Grant Enfinger
Justin Haley
Carson Hocevar
Mini Tyrrell
Corey LaJoie
Kris Wright
Clayton Green
Frankie Muniz
Luke Baldwin
Nathan Nicholson
Kasey Kleyn
Donovan Strauss