The Craftsman Truck Series returns for some short track racing at Richmond Raceway with the Black’s Tire 250.
Thirty-nine teams brought trucks to the track for 36 starting spots.
The drivers get a 50 minute practice session before making a qualifying run. They are practicing and qualifying in the heat of the day for a night race.
Elliott Sadler makes a return to the Truck Series as the driver of the Kaulig Racing number 25 guest truck. Practice has been nothing but trouble for Sadler after the crew had to make a fuel pump change and a number of handling issues in the truck. Sadler has not been in a Truck Series race since 2011.
Justin Haley’s number 16 truck is the first time that Kaulig Racing is fielding a truck that was completely constructed at the Kaulig Race shop.
Cup Series drivers Shane van Gisbergen and Christopher Bell are in the race this week. Reigning Richmond champion Corey Heim returns to the Truck Series in the number five truck.
Tristan McKee is making his Truck Series debut at Richmond after turning just 16 years old last week.
Dystiny Spurlock got loose and spun out to bring out the caution flag.
Several of the drivers are reporting issues with brake shake.
Layne Riggs tops the leaderboard after practice.
The first truck on the track to make a qualifying run is Justin Carroll who posted a time of 24.829 seconds
With just two races remaining in the regular season, Gio Ruggiero has finished all but six laps this season so far.
With a time of 23.168 seconds, Shane van Gisbergen put the Spire Motorsports number seven truck on the pole with Kaden Honeycutt alongside on the front row. This is van Gisbergen’s first career pole.
The starting lineup for the Black’s Tire 250:
Shane van Gisbergen
Kaden Honeycutt
Chandler Smith
Grant Enfinger
Nick Leitz
Parker Eatmon
Ty Majeski
Andres Perez
Stewart Friesen
Tyler Ankrum
Layne Riggs
Christian Eckes
Tristan McKee
Gio Ruggiero
Ben Rhodes
Corey Heim
Christopher Bell
Corey LaJoie
Justin Haley
Daniel Hemric
Jake Garcia
Tanner Gray
Timmy Hill
Landen Lewis
Cole Butcher
Benden Queen
Dawson Sutton
Mini Tyrrell
Derek Lemke
Kris Wright
Connor Hall
Elliott Sadler
Mason Massey
Spencer Boyd
Frankie Muniz
Dystany Spurlock
Justin Carroll, Kasey Kleyn, and Caleb Costner 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 ¾ mile track.
Shortly before it was time for the race to begin, lightning struck. The track is currently under a 30 minute lightning delay and there is more possible bad weather in the area. Good news is with Richmond being a short track, the wet weather tires are in play.
And the raindrops have begun to fall at 7:49pm.
At 8:23pm the lightning delay has been lifted and the drivers are heading to their trucks. Racing will commence in short order.
Just as NASCAR was about to give the command to start engines, there was another lightning strike and a delay of at least 30 minutes.
After a delay of over two hours NASCAR has called the race and will resume on Saturday afternoon.
A wet Friday night has given way to a dry Saturday afternoon and the command to fire up the engines is given.
The drivers can run 90 to 100 laps on a single load of fuel.
Shane van Gisbergen brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Kaden Honeycutt alongside before a packed house. Van Gisbergen edges out for the lead from the outside lane before Honeycutt comes up to battle for the lead.
Lap two, Shane van Gisbergen and Kaden Honeycutt battle side by side with Honeycutt taking the lead on lap three.
Lap four, the top five are Kaden Honeycutt, Shane van Gisbergen, Chandler Smith, Ty Majeski, and Grant Enfinger.
Lap sseven, Layne Riggs has moved up three spots since the race start.
Christopher Bell was scheduled to drive the number 62 truck and qualified the truck but after the race was postponed due to bad weather, Leland Honeyman Jr has taken over the driving duties with Bell having another commitment on Saturday afternoon.
Lap 14, Kaden Honeycutt has a lead of over half a second on Shane van Gisbergen; Chandler Smith, Ty Majeski, and Grant Enfinger round out the top five.
Sixteen year old Tristan McKee is on Corey Heim’s bumper in 13th place.
Ty Majeski is reporting brake shake in his truck.
Lap 19, leader Kaden Honeycutt has begun lapping slower traffic.
Lap 25, Kaden Honeycutt has pulled out to a one second lead on Shane van Gisbergen with 35 trucks on the lead lap.
Lap 27, Kaden Honeycutt continues to expand his lead and is now a second and a half on Shane van Gisbergen; Chandler Smith, Ty Majeski, and Grant Enfinger round out the top five.
Lap 37, there are 30 trucks on the lead lap.
Grant Enfinger passes Ty Majeski for fourth. Kaden Honeycutt holds a second and a half lead on Shane van Gisbergen.
Lap 40, Kaden Honeycutt’s lead is down to just one second on Shane van Gisbergen: Grant Enfinger, Ty Majeski, and Chandler Smith round out the top five.
Lap 44, Layne Riggs passes Chandler Smith for fifth.
Tristan McKee is just outside the top 10 in eleventh.
With 23 laps in stage one, the top five are Kaden Honeycutt, Shane van Gisbergen, Grant Enfinger, Ty Majeski, and Layne Riggs.
There are now 24 trucks on the lead lap.
Lap 53, 16 year old Tristan McKee has entered the top 10. He is a three time ARCA Series race winner. His first win came in Late Models at age 12!
Lap 60, Kaden Honeycutt has a lead of less than one second on Shane van Gisbergen; Grant Enfinger, Ty Majeski, and Layne Riggs round out the top five.
With nine laps remaining in stage one, there are only 21 trucks on the lead lap.
Eight laps to go in stage one, Shane van Gisbergen has closed the gap on leader Kaden Honeycutt to under half a second.
With just 18 trucks on the lead lap, Kaden Honeycutt wins stage one.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Kaden Honeycutt
Shane van Gisbergen
Grant Enfinger
Ty Majeski
Layne Riggss
Chandler Smith
Christian Eckes
Tyler Ankrum
Tristan McKee
Nick Leitz
Kaden Honeycutt wins the race off of pit road.
Mason Massey and Tyler Ankrum’s crew came over the wall too soon. Dystany Spurlock was charged with an uncontrolled tire. All three drivers will have to restart the race from the back of the field.
Multiple laps down, Spurlock was black flagged at the start of the race for not meeting minimum speed.
Lap 82, Kaden Honeycutt brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two and holds on to the lead.
Lap 86, Kaden Honeycutt has a lead of over half a second on Shane van Gisbergen; Layne Riggs, Grant Enfinger, and Christian Eckes round out the top five.
Lap 89, Ty Majeski makes an unscheduled trip down pit road and is now two laps down.
Lap 94, Kaden Honeycutt holds a lead of over half a second on Shane van Gisbergen; Layne Riggs, Grant Enfinger, and Christian Eckes round out the top five.
Lap 102, Kaden Honeycutt has pulled out to a second and a half lead on Shane van Gisbergen; Layne Riggs, Grant Enfinger, and Christian Eckes round out the top five. There are just 18 trucks on the lead lap with all 36 drivers still in the race.
Lap 106, Kaden Honeycutt has increased his lead to two seconds on Shane van Gisbergen.
Lap 108, Ty Majeski has gotten one of his laps back and is now just one lap down.
Lap 111, Tyler Ankrum has recovered from his penalty and is in a three way battle with Landen Lewis and Tristan McKee for eleventh.
Lap 113, Shane van Gisbergen is now two and a half second behind leader Kaden Honeycutt.
Layne Riggs and Shane van Gisbergen battle for second.
Lap 118, Shane van Gisbergen holds on to second but is now three seconds behind leader Kaden Honeycutt; Layne Riggs, Grant Enfinger, and Christian Eckes round out the top five.
Leaders are amidst slower traffic with 18 trucks on the lead lap.
Lap 125, halfway! Kaden Honeycutt has a three second lead on Shane van Gisbergen; Layne Riggs, Grant Enfinger, and Christian Eckes round out the top five. Gio Ruggiero is the last driver on the lead lap in 18th.
Kaden Honeycutt continues to pull away from the field and is now three and a half seconds out in front of Shane van Gisbergen.
With nine laps remaining in stage two, Layne Riggs has caught Shane van Gisbergen and passes for second place after van Gisbergen got loose, four seconds behind leader Kaden Honeycutt.
With five laps to go in stage two, Shane van Gisbergen and Grant Enfinger battle for third.
With a five second lead, Kaden Honeycutt wins stage two for the stage sweep.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Kaden Honeycutt
Layne Riggs
Grant Enfinger
Chrisian Eckes
Shane van Gisbergen
Chandler Smith
Nick Leitz
Daniel Hemric
Corey Heim
Jake Garcia
Drivers come down pit road for service with Kaden Honeycutt winning the race off of pit road. Shane van Gisbergen gains two spots and come out third.
Shane van Gisbergen was charged with an uncontrolled tire and will have to restart the race from the back of the field.
Kaden Honeycutt brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Grant Enfinger alongside on lap 150. Honeycutt takes the lead.
The top five are Kaden Honeycutt, Grant Enfinger, Christian Eckes, Chandler Smith, and Layne Riggs.
Lap 159, Kaden Honeycutt has a lead of over half a second on Grant Enfinger; Christian Eckes, Chandler Smith and Layne Riggs round out the top five.
Currently in 20th, Ty Majeski is the first truck not on the lead lap.
Lap 164, Shane van Gisbergen restarted the race in 18th place and has not moved since the restart. Now 12 seconds back, is he mired in traffic or just saving his tires???
With 85 laps to go, Kaden Honeycutt has pulled out to a lead of over a second on Grant Enfinger.
Lap 172, Layne Riggs passes Chandler Smith for fourth.
Just 75 laps remaining in the race; Kaden Honeycutt has a second and a half lead on Grant Enfinger; Christian Eckes, Layne Riggs, and Corey Heim round out the top five. Shane van Gisbergen is now in 16th place.
With 68 laps remaining in the race, Kaden Honeycutt has pulled out to a lead of over a second and a half on Grant Enfinger; Christian Eckes, Layne Riggs, and Corey Heim round out the top five.
Just 57 laps to go and the pit window is now open to make it to the end of the race. Chandler Smith is the first driver on pit road for fresh tires.
Kaden Honeycutt now has a lead of over two seconds on Grant Enfinger.
With 55 laps to go, more drivers come down pit road for service including top five driver Layne Riggs.
Lap 198, leader Kaden Honeycutt makes his pit stop and give the lead over to Grant Enfinger. Layne Riggs had a slow pit stop and he is now in 21st place.
The top five drivers are the only trucks on the lead lap and have yet to make a pit stop – Grant Enfinger, Daniel Hemric, Tyler Ankrum, Stewart Friesen, and Shane van Gisbergen. Once they pit, Kaden Honeycutt will retake the lead.
Grant Enfinger is looking to make it to the end of the race without making a pit stop.
Kaden Honeycutt has gotten his lap back in sixth place.
Forty to go, Grant Enfinger has a lead of over a second and a half on Daniel Hemric; Shane van Gisbergen, Kaden Honeycutt, and Christian Eckes round out the top five.
The first caution flag comes out for an on track incident with 36 remaining in the race when Stewart Friesen gets into the wall hard with a flat tire.
Grant Enfinger leads a large group of drivers down pit road. Grant Enfinger wins the race off of pit road.
Grant Enfinger brings the field down for the green flag restart with Kaden Honeycutt alongside with just 28 laps remaining in the race.
There has been a last lap pass in six of the last seven races.
Enfinger and Honeycutt go side b side with Honeycutt taking the lead
The top five are Kaden Honeycutt, Corey Heim, Grant Enfinger, Shane van Gisbergen, and Christian Eckes.
With 25 laps to go, Kaden Honeycutt has a lead of over a second on Corey Heim.
Just 22 laps to go, Kaden Honeycutt has a lead of over a second and a half on Corey Heim; Grant Enfinger, Christian Eckes, and Shane van Gisbergen round out the top five.
With 17 laps to go, Kaden Honeycutt has a near two second lead on Corey Heim; Christian Eckes, Shane van Gisbergen, and Grant Enfinger round out the top five.
Just a dozen laps remain in the race, Kaden Honeycutt has a near two second lead on Corey Heim with Christian Eckes, Shane van Gisbergen, and Grant Enfinger round out the top five as the sun makes an appearance.
Eight to go, mired in traffic, Kaden Honeycutt’s lead is now less than a second and a half on Corey Heim.
Five to go, leader Kaden Honeycutt continues to lap slower traffic with a near second and a half lead on Corey Heim; Christian Eckes, Shane van Gisbergen, and Grant Enfinger round out the top five.
Kaden Honeycutt takes the white flag.
Earning his second win of the season, Kaden Honeycutt wins the race at Richmond. Oh, and he and his wife are expecting a baby in February!
The unofficial results of the Black’s Tire 250:
Kaden Honeycutt
Corey Heim
Christian Eckes
Shane van Gisbergen
Grant Enfinger
Jake Garcia
Chandler Smith
Tristian McKee
Gio Ruggiero
Daniel Hemric
Tyler Ankrum
Nick Leitz
Tanner Gray
Landen Lewis
Layne Riggs
Parker Eatmon
Leland Honeyman Jr (for Christopher Bell)
Ty Majeski
Brenden Queen
Corey LaJoie
Cole Butcher
Andres Perez
Derek Lemke
Mason Massey
Dawson Sutton
Justin Haley
Connor Hall
Mini Tyrrell
Frankie Muniz
Kris Wright
Elliott Sadler
Timmy Hill
Spencer Boyd
Dystany Spurlock
Stewart Friesen