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By Michael Jaworecki September 19th, 2024
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series was back on track after taking a several week break, resuming the round of 10 playoffs. After crashing out of the Bush Beans 200 ARCA Menards East race, Connor Zilisch jumped in the #7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado and got out to an early race lead from his pole position. A fast evolving first stage with lots of passing and action throughout the field ended with Rajah Caruth taking the green and white checkers to end stage one.
Timmothy Hill would remain on track and not pit after stage one, assuming a short-lived lead before Coey Heim would pass him for the lead over Rajah Caruth to start stage two. With ARCA Menards East cars on track before the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race and plenty of green flag laps by the trucks laying down plenty of rubber, it wasn’t long before two grooves lead to exciting side-by-side racing.
Pole sitter Connor Zilisch would fall on some bad luck as the second stage was ending when he spun out, dropping him back to 29th place and a lap down. Connor would not manage to recover and manage to only climb back up to a disappointing 19th place finish.
Corey Heim would take down the stage 2 win in quick fashion. No cautions except the caution late in the stage brought out by Connor Zilisch spinning, which would become the stage break, kept the race moving along at a fast pace.
In somewhat of a surprise when the green dropped for stage three Layne Riggs, who is not in the playoffs and had started the race in 18th, jumped to the lead over Corey Heim. Lane was the 8th different driver to lead the race, and he would be the last. Rajah Caruth would get stronger as the final stage progressed, making a charge to the front. With 50 to go, he would make it up to 3rd place and remain there for the remainder of the race.
Kayden Honeycutt and Danel Dye brought out the 3rd caution of the night after colliding in turn four. Daniel was trying to get pit road and would collect Kayden. An extended caution flag flew due to pit road being blocked while the track crew cleaned the pit entrance. The green flag came back out with 29 laps to go. Lane Riggs in the Loves Travel stops #38 jumped back out to the lead on the restart with Corey Heim sideways. With 19 laps to go in the race Jack Wood spun after Ben Rhodes got into the back of him bringing out the 4th and final caution as Layne Riggs cruised to his second win in a row after winning the LiUNA! 175 at the Milwaukee Mile on August 25th.
Race Notes:
4 total cautions made for a quick race.
Corey Day made his Truck debut tonight in the Hendricks Motorsports #81 finishing 18th.
With his 3rd place finish Rajah Caruth moved from 10th in playoff points to 3rd.
Playoff driver Ben Rhodes in the #99 struggled all night and had the worst finish of all the playoff drivers dropping him to last 12 below the cut line..
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck series head to Kansas Friday September 27th for the Kubota Tractor 200 and the final race in the round of 10.
Playoff Standings Round of 10 as of 9-19 2024:
Advancing
- Christian Eckes #19- Adv
2. Corey Heim#11- Adv
3. Nick Sanchez #2- Adv
Above the cut Line
4. Ty Majeski #98 +58
5. Rajah Caruth #71 +35
6. Tyler Ankrum #18 +25
7. Taylor Gray #17 +23
8. Grant Enfinger #9 + 7
Below the Cut Line
9. Daniel Dye #43 -7
10 Bed Rhodes #99 -12
Unofficial Finish UNOH 200 Presented by Ohio Logistics at Bristol Speedway September 29th 2024
