Congrats to Norm Benning on his 200th start. There are 32 trucks in the field. It’s a mostly sunny day with a few fluffy clouds – much better than the weather for yesterday’s qualifying. Ben Rhodes (41) and Noah Gragson (18) qualified for the top two spots. Alex ‘Tags’ Tagliani (12) is in the field. Timothy ‘TP’ Peters (25) is also running today. Dalton Sargent got cut on Wednesday and decided Spencer Gallagher would complete the season then injures his shoulder during a workout on Thursday. So they called TP who said his passport had expired. They flew him to Atlanta to expedite his passport and he’s in the truck today.
This is the first race of the Truck Series Playoffs for the Championship. The stages are 20-20-24.
On lap 4 of 64 Stewart Friesen (52) goes for a spin.
The 3 of Jordan Anderson spins into the grass on lap 5 of 64 then gets going again.
Noah Gragson passes Ben Rhodes on lap 7 or 46 for the lead.
Myatt Snider (13) spins on lap 9 of 64.
Grant Enfinger and DJ Kennington went through the grass on lap 17 of 64.
Noah Gragson wins stage one.
Timothy Peters inherits the lead by staying out during this pit stop cycle.
Restarting on lap 25 of 64. Todd Gilliland (4) is also on the front row with Timothy Peters (25).
Noah Gragson takes over the lead.
On lap 27 of 64 the 97 of Roger Reuse has a lot of damage after hitting the wall hard, but he was able to get it going again and make it to pit road.
Max Tullman (20) has come to a stop bringing out the caution on lap 30 of 64.
Restarting on lap 34 of 64 with Noah Gragson and Justin Haley (24) up front.
Noah Gragson wins stage two.
So far this has been a boring race. Noah Gragson’s team seems to have gotten different package specs than the rest of the field. So once he gets out front no one can catch him. Boring.
The caution is extended due to the cleanup of fluid spilled on the track.
Johnny Sauter (21) stayed out on that pit cycle and will lead the field to green alongside Grant Enfinger (98) with Cody Coughlin and TP behind thhem.
Restarting on lap 48 of 64.
Spin on lap 49 of 64 by Austin Wayne Self (22) brings out the caution. He was spinning sideways across and down the track, as opposed to spinning off the track, so the caution was displayed quickly.
Restarting on lap 53 of 64 with Johnny Sauter and Grant Enfinger up front, Cody Couglin and Todd Gilliland in the second row, and Ben Rhodes and Timothy Peters in the third row.
Todd Gilliland (4) gets past Grant Enfinger (98) for second.
MRN said Matt Crafton (88) was starting his 424th race – that he’s become the iron man of the truck series.
Todd Gilliland is all over Johnny Sauter’s tailgate.
Todd Gilliland passes Johnny Sauter on lap 53 of 64.
With 10 to go a truck gets turned around in front of the field – Alex Tagliani – by he gets it going in the right direction so the field stays green. MRN says Tags hinted that we may see more of him in the truck series in 2019. I’m looking forward to it if he has a quality ride. He’s a very talented driver.
Noah Gragson has passed Sauter for second on lap 57 of 64.
Ben Rhodes has also gotten around Sauter as has Justin Haley.
Noah is now chasing down Todd Gilliland who had gotten more than a second’s lead on the second position.
Gilliland is pulling farther ahead, now about three seconds ahead.
The tv broadcast has gone to black – all except the left-side leaderboard.
Caution on lap 60 of 64 for a spin by Austin Wayne Self into the tire barrier.
Todd Gilliland’s 3.7 second advantage has disappeared.
On restart Todd Gilliland and Noah Gragson will lead Justin Haley, Ben Rhodes, Brett Moffitt and Johnny Sauter to the green flag.
They will restart in overtime.
Gilliland roars away.
Someone spins – Ben Rhodes – but gets it turned around and going again.
Noah is slowly catching up to Todd Gilliland. Noah is at Gilliland’s right rear and turns them both as Justin Haley bypasses them to ross the finish line first.
Justin Haley wins.
Harrison Burton (51) and Bo LeMastus (54) are tangled up on the track after the race.
Todd came back onto the track and two cars spun trying to avoid him.
Todd Gilliland said he would go fight him riht now, but he can’t and he just has to get his emotions in check.
Marcus Richmond – Todd’s crew chief – is yelling at Noah Gragson. David Gilliland is also over there where Marcus is yelling at Noah. Todd shook off everybody’s hands who touched him as he was headed to the pit wall.
Noah apologizes to everybody at KBM and accepts responsibility. Noah says he wasn’t trying to take him out and he thought Todd would give him a little more room on the bottom and it wasn’t there and wasn’t meant to be and he apologizes.
Congrats to Timothy ‘TP’ Peters on his fourth place finish. He thanks his wife for helping him get his passport in time to do the race.
Noah finished ninth and Todd finished 11th. Tags finished 10th.
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