With only one race remaining in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series regular season, three positions remain up for grabs in the 10-driver playoff field thanks to Kyle Busch giving Kyle Busch Motorsports its 100th victory in Saturday’s CRC Brakleen 150 at Pocono Raceway.
The win was the second in five starts for Busch this season and No. 64 in 170 starts for his career.
Entering the July 29 regular season finale at Richmond International Raceway, drivers who have already secured a position in the playoffs via a victory this season are Corey Heim, defending series champion Zane Smith, Grant Enfinger, Ben Rhodes, Christian Eckes and Carson Hocevar. Ty Majeski locked himself into the playoffs with his sixth-place finish Saturday at Pocono Raceway. Even though Majeski is winless this season, he’s fifth in the driver standings, 101 points above the cutline.
Those fighting for the last three playoff berths are Matt DiBenedetto, Nick Sanchez, Matt Crafton, Stewart Friesen and Tanner Gray. Entering the regular season finale, DiBenedetto is eighth in the driver standings, 27 points above the cutline, while Sanchez is ninth, 12 points to the good.
Three-time Truck series champion Matt Crafton found himself on the playoff cutline following the Pocono event thanks to a 14th-place finish that came after he sidestepped a 10-truck accident with eight laps remaining.
Initially, it appeared Stewart Friesen would have a productive day in the points, but he was caught up in the large wreck. Instead of owning a provisional playoff berth, Friesen found himself with a 32nd-place finish, nine points below the cutline.
Tanner Gray’s single-car crash on lap four of Saturday’s 60-lap event relegated him to last in the 36-car field. That left him 47 points below the cutline.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoff Field
10-Driver field will be locked in after race at Richmond on July 29
x-Corey Heim
x-Zane Smith
x-Grant Enfinger
x-Ben Rhodes
x-Christian Eckes
x-Carson Hocevar
y-Ty Majeski +101 points above cutline
Matt DiBenedetto +27 points above cutline
Nick Sanchez +12 points above cutline
Matt Crafton, On the cutline
Stewart Friesen 9 points below the cutline
Tanner Gray 47 points below the cutline
x-Qualified by winning a race
y-Mathematically locked in by points
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Race
CRC Brakleen 150
Pocono Raceway
Saturday’s Results
1. (12) Kyle Busch(i), Chevrolet, 60.
2. (9) Corey Heim, Toyota, 60.
3. (11) Taylor Gray #, Toyota, 60.
4. (14) Christopher Bell(i), Toyota, 60.
5. (3) Grant Enfinger, Chevrolet, 60.
6. (34) Ty Majeski, Ford, 60.
7. (35) Christian Eckes, Chevrolet, 60.
8. (33) Dean Thompson, Toyota, 60.
9. (22) Ben Rhodes, Ford, 60.
10. (8) Matt DiBenedetto, Chevrolet, 60.
11. (4) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 60.
12. (18) Tyler Ankrum, Toyota, 60.
13. (21) Hailie Deegan, Ford, 60.
14. (25) Matt Crafton, Ford, 60.
15. (26) Colby Howard, Chevrolet, 60.
16. (7) Rajah Caruth #, Chevrolet, 60.
17. (20) Daniel Dye #, Chevrolet, 60.
18. (10) Chase Purdy, Chevrolet, 60.
19. (1) Nick Sanchez #, Chevrolet, 60.
20. (17) Kaden Honeycutt, Chevrolet, 60.
21. (36) Tyler Hill, Toyota, 60.
22. (24) Parker Kligerman(i), Chevrolet, 60.
23. (31) Cory Roper, Ford, 60.
24. (32) Stephen Mallozzi, Ford, 60.
25. (30) Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 60.
26. (29) Josh Reaume, Ford, 60.
27. (27) Lawless Alan, Chevrolet, 60.
28. (19) Stefan Parsons(i), Chevrolet, 60.
29. (28) Bret Holmes #, Chevrolet, 60.
30. (23) Ross Chastain(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 52.
31. (15) Kaz Grala(i), Toyota, Accident, 51.
32. (16) Stewart Friesen, Toyota, Accident, 51.
33. (5) Austin Hill(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 51.
34. (6) Zane Smith, Ford, Accident, 51.
35. (2) Jake Garcia #, Chevrolet, Accident, 45.
36. (13) Tanner Gray, Toyota, Accident, 3.
Average Speed of Race Winner: 108.434 mph.
Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 23 Mins, 0 Secs. Margin of Victory: .604 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 5 for 20 laps.
Lead Changes: 5 among 4 drivers.
Lap Leaders: N. Sanchez # 1-7;Z. Smith 8-20;K. Busch(i) 21-26;Z. Smith 27-32;C. Heim 33-59;K. Busch(i) 60.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Corey Heim 1 time for 27 laps; Zane Smith 2 times for 19 laps; Kyle Busch(i) 2 times for 7 laps; Nick Sanchez # 1 time for 7 laps.
Stage #1 Top Ten: 38,2,25,51,7,35,11,23,52,17
Stage #2 Top Ten: 38,52,2,25,23,99,16,24,9,88
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