After missing out on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoffs early this year, Noah Gragson ended up in victory lane by beating Matt Crafton after a late race restart with less than ten laps to go.
Earlier in the day, Chase Briscoe and playoff contender Matt Crafton, set the front row in qualifying Saturday morning.
The stages were broken up into 50/50/100.
In the first stage, Briscoe jumped out to the lead and led early. However, on lap 20, he started to get involved with lap traffic and that allowed Crafton to close in.
The first caution came out on lap 36 for playoff contender, John Hunter Nemechek, who hit the wall in turns 1 and 2 after loosing the brakes, thus ending his day early and would wind up 30th.
The race remained clean and green after the restart, and Matt Crafton won stage 1 to earn ten championship playoff points.
Stage 2 restarted on lap 60 and went to lap 100.
Just like the ending of stage 1, stage 2 did not have much action. Johnny Sauter took the lead on lap 72 and held on from there to win stage 2.
After the pit stops, Bell and Ryan Truex came out the leaders by taking two tires only. Crafton and Noah Gragson was third and fourth with four fresh tires.
Stage 3 began on lap 111 or 89 laps to go, it was action packed with a few cautions mixed in the middle.
Bell led early in the race, but on lap 121, he was accidentally spun out after making contact with Crafton in turns 3 and 4. Crafton reported that the contact was “not intentional” on the radio.
With 64 laps to go, former playoff contender, Chase Briscoe went around in the corner after cutting a left rear tire down thus regulating him back in the pack.
Crafton was back in the lead with 57 to go until a late race caution on lap 184, for Bayley Currey who spun by making contact with Jeffrey Abbey
The winning move came with ten to go on the restart, as Gragson made the power move on the outside of Crafton and took the lead, eventual win with nine to go.
Gragson led once for ten laps and this was his first ever career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win in his 22nd career start.
There were six cautions for 45 laps and five leaders among seven lead changes.
Playoff Standings
1. Christopher Bell +45
2. Johnny Sauter +42
3. Matt Crafton +30
4. Ben Rhodes +11
Below the cut line
5. Austin Cindric -11
6. John Hunter Nemechek -28
Next Up: The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series continue their run toward the championship at Homestead-Miami next Friday night at Texas Motor Speedway.
