This week NASCAR travels to Talladega for another triple header weekend. The Craftsman Truck Series gets things started on Friday afternoon with qualifying without any practice before racing a few hours later in a mid-afternoon race with the Love’s RV Stop 225.
A superspeedway, there will be two rounds of qualifying with the top 10 moving on to the second round to set the pole.
Thirty-eight teams brought trucks for 36 starting spots; which means two drivers will not make the race.
And Smoke returns to drive the Kaulig Racing number 25 guest truck!
The first truck on the track is 74 year old Norm Benning and posts a time of 55.468 seconds around the 2.66 mile track.
Bryan Dauzat has announced that at 66, he is retiring after the Talladega race today.
Brenden Queen did not make a qualifying run with a transmission issue.
With a time of 53.983 seconds, Ty Majeski puts his number 88 truck on the pole and is the only driver with a time below the 54 second mark. Sammy Smith in the number seven truck will start alongside Majeski on the front row.
The starting lineup for the Love’s RV Stop 225:
Ty Majeski
Sammy Smith
Kaden Honeycutt
Gio Ruggiero
Cole Butcher
Austin Green
Tyler Ankrum
Corey Hiem
Layne Riggs
Ben Rhodes
Jake Garcia
Kris Wright
Tanner Gray
Chandler Smith
Stewart Friesen
Cory Roper
Justin Haley
Grant Enfinger
Thomas Annunziata
Christian Eckes
Clay Greenfield
Corey La Joie
Mini Tyrrell
Cleetus McFarland
Andres Perez
Dawson Sutton
Daniel Hemric
Conner Jones
Tony Stewart
Landen Lewis
Frankie Muniz
Spencer Boyd
Josh Reaume
Jason M. White
Timmy Hill
Norm Benning
Bryan Dauzat
Brendan Queen
Stages one and two of the race are just 20 laps each with stage three lasting 45 laps for a total of 85 laps around the 2.66 mile tri-oval. The drivers can run 30 to 35 laps on a single load of fuel.
Brad Keselowski joins the broadcast booth for today’s race.
Cast members from the film “Talladega Nights” give the command to start the engines as NASCAR celebrates the 20th anniversary of the film this weekend.
Ty Majeski brings the field down for the green flag start of the race with Sammy Smith alongside. Majeski edges out for the lead.
Sammy Smith drops down to take the lead after a push from Gio Ruggiero.
Drivers are two wide but they are trying to for a third lane.
Lap two, the top five are Sammy Smith, Ty Majeski, Kaden Honeycutt, Gio Ruggiero, and Austin Green.
Lap three, after starting in 29th place, Tony Stewart has entered the top 20.
Lap four, Sammy Smith leads the race with Gio Ruggiero in second; Austin Green, Ty Majeski, and Layne Riggs rounding out the top five.
Lap five, getting a push from Austin Green, Gio Ruggiero moves up to battle with Sammy Smith for the lead.
Lap nine, Justin Haley takes the lead with Gio Ruggiero in second; Austin Green, Ben Rhodes, and Layne Riggs round out the top five.
Lap 10, Austin Green takes the lead with Layne Riggs in second.
Lap 12, Austin Green leads the race with Lyane Riggs in second; Gio Ruggiero, Ben Rhodes, and Justin Haley round out the top five.
Lap 13, several drivers fan out when Justin Haley gets a flat tire but Haley gets to put road and the drivers avoid a crash!
Lap 15, Christian Eckes makes an unscheduled trip down pit road.
Lap 16, Gio Ruggiero takes the lead with Kaden Honeycutt in second; Austin Green, Corey Heim, and Tanner Gray round out the top five.
Lap 17, a big crash brings out the first caution flag and an end to stage one.
Tony Stewart, Stewart Friesen, Cleetus McFarland, Andres Perez, Corey LaJoie, Cole Butcher, Daniel Hemric, and Kris Wright.
The race has been red flagged while NASCAR gets the trucks removed and the track cleaned up.
Gio Ruggiero wins stage one for his first stage win of the season.
The top 10 at the end of stage one:
Go Ruggiero
Kaden Honeycutt
Austin Green
Corey Heim
Layne Riggs
Ben Rhodes
Tanner Gray
Ty Majeski
Sammy Smith
Mini Tyrrell
Christian Eckes is the “lucky dog”.
The trucks are moving again and pit road is open.
Drivers come down pit road for service with Austin Green winning the race off of pit road after taking no tires.
Several drivers were charged with penalties on pit road and will have to restart the race from the back of the field.
Gio Ruggiero is still on pit road after getting stuck in reverse.
Kaden Honeycutt had a slow pit stop.
Cleetus McFarland is out of the race.
Austin Green brings the field down for the green flag start of stage two with Sammy Smith alongside on lap 23. Green takes the lead.
The 17 crew of Gio Ruggiero takes the truck to the garage for a transmission change.
The top five are Ty Majeski, Corey Heim, Tanner Gray, Landen Liews, and Austin Green.
Corey Heim falls through the field with a flat tire and has to make an unscheduled trip down pit road.
Lap 26, Austin Green takes the lead with teammate Sammy Smith in second; Ty Majeski, Layne Riggs, and Tanner Gray round out the top five.
Corey Heim has to make a second unscheduled trip down pit road with a flat tire.
Lap 30 Sammy Smith leads the race with Layne Riggs in second; Grant Enfinger Ben Rhodes, and Austin Green round out the top five.
Lap 33, Layne Riggs leads the race with Austin Green in second; Grant Enfinger, Ty Majeski and Ben Rhodes round out the top five.
Chandler Smith and Cole Butcher were caught speeding on pit road and will have to serve a passthrough penalty.
Lap 35, Grant Enfinger takes the lead with Austin Green in second; Ty Majeski, Layne Riggs, and Tanner Gray round out the top five.
Lap 38, leader Grant Enfinger has to make an unscheduled trip down pit road with a flat tire. There is a large tire carcass on the track.
The caution flag comes out on lap 39 to end stage two with Tanner Gray winning the stage for his second career stage win.
The top 10 at the end of stage two:
Tanner Gray
Layne Riggs
Ben Rhodes
Kaden Honeycutt
Ty Majeski
Landen Lewis
Dawson Sutton
Austin Green
Justin Haley
Brenden Queen
There are 24 trucks on the lead lap.
Drivers come down pit road for service with Dawson Sutton winning the race off of pit road after taking no tires.
Ben Rhodes has to replace his right window.
Jake Garcia brings the field down for the green flag start of stage three with Dawson Sutton alongside on lap 46. Jake Garcia pulls down off the track. Ty Majeski moves up to lead the inside lane and take the lead of the race.
The top five are Ty Majeski, Layne Riggs, Dawson Sutton , Tanner Gray, and Brenden Queen.
Gio Ruggiero was caught speeding on pit road and will have to serve a passthrough penalty.
With 30 laps to go, Gio Ruggiero is caught speeding on pit road serving his passthrough penalty and will have to serve a second passthrough penalty.
Lap 49, Dawson Sutton makes an unscheduled trip down pit road with a flat tire.
The caution flag comes out on lap 49 for debris on the track – a window from Cole Butcher’s truck
There are just 21 trucks on the lead lap.
Drivers come down pit road for service with Layne Riggs winning the race off of pit road after taking fuel only.
Layne Riggs brings the field down for the green flag restart with Tanner Gray alongside on lap 54. Getting a push form Grant Enfinger, Layne riggs takes the lead.
Lap 54, the top five are Tanner Gray, Landen Lewis, Kaden Honeycutt, Brenden Queen, and Layne Riggs.
Lap 56, Kaden Honeycutt takes the lead with Landen Lewis in second; Ben Rhodes, Tyler Ankrum, and Tanner Gray.
Jake Garcia gets into the wall hard to bring out the caution flag and collects up several other drivers. Jake Garcia, Conner Jones, and Chandler Smith.
Kaden Honeycutt brings the field down for the green flag restart with Ben Rhodes alongside on lap 64. Tanner Gray gives Ben Rhodes a push to the lead.
Tanner Gray edges out for the lead with Ben Rhodes in second; Kaden Honeycutt, Tyler Ankru, and Landen Lewis round out the top five.
Ben Rhodes takes the lead on lap 65.
Tanner Gray and Ben Rhodes battle back and forth for the lead.
Twenty to go! Ben Rhodes has the lead with Kaden Honeycutt in second; Tanner Gray, Landen Lewis, and Tyler Ankrum round out the top five.
Lap 69, Tanner Gray moves up on the outside lane to take the lead as he and Ben Rhodes battle back and forth for the lead.
Lap 70, Layne Riggs comes up to take the lead of the race with Sammy Smith in econd; Jutin Haley, Autin Green, and Ty Majeki round out the top five.
Lap 71, Sammy Smith takes the lead.
Lap 72, Justin Haley is the new leader.
Lap 73, Sammy Smith retakes the lead.
There have been 27 lead changes in the race so far.
Justin Haley and Sammy Smith battle back and forth for the lead.
Jutin Haley I off the pace with a flat tire with the carcass falling off the truck. Haley has to make an unscheduled trip down pit road.
Lap 75, Sammy Smith is the race leader.
Ten to go, Sammy Smith leads the race from the outside lane with Layne Riggs in second.
Nine to go, Thomas Annunziata comes up on the outside to lead the race.
The caution flag comes out with just even lap to go when Thomas Annunziata spins out and hits the wall hard. Grant Enfinger was also involved when he got into Annunziata.
Sammy Smith leads the race with six laps remaining in the race.
There have been 29 lead changes – three away from the record.
Pit road is open but Chandler Smith is the only driver to come down for service.
Kaden Honeycutt is reporting some radio issues.
Sammy Smith brings the field down for the green flag with Layne Riggs alongside for the green, white, checkered battle to end the race. Kaden Honeycutt is behind Layne Riggs. Sammy Smth holds on to the lead with a push from TY Majeski.
Ty Majjeski pulls out to battle with Sammy Smith for the lead.
Ty Majeski takes the white flag. Big wreck back in the field.
Ty Majeski gets a push from Kaden Honeycutt.
Sammy Smith wins the race in a three way battle by 0.091 seconds with Ty Majeski and Kaden Honeycutt.
The unofficial results of the Love’s RV Stop 225:
Sammy Smith
Tyler Ankrum
Austin Green
Ty Majeski
Kaden Honeycutt
Landen Lewis
Brenden Queen
Layne Riggs
Spencer Boyd
Corey Heim
Tanner Gray
Frankie Muniz
Jason M. White
Chandler Smith
Clay Greenfield
Timmy Hill
Ben Rhodes
Cory Roper
Dawson Sutton
Justin Haley
Christian Eckes
Josh Reaume
Thomas Annunziata
Grant Enfinger
Gio Ruggiero
Jake Garcia
Conner Jones
Mini Tyrrell
Cole Butcher
Stewart Friesen
Andres Perez
Kris Wright
Corey LaJoie
Tony Stewart
Daniel Hemric
Cleetus McFarland
Jason White, Tanner Gray, Gio Ruggiero, Dawson Sutton, Frankie Muniz, Timmy Hill, Cory Roper, Clay Greenfield, and Ben Rhodes