2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Race Fourteen Mid-Ohio

Trucks in the field: 36
Pole: Corey Heim (11)
Outside pole: TY Majeski (98)
Stages: 20-20-27
Modified pit stops in effect
Weather: Light rain, 66 degrees, 3 mph winds with gusts of 5 mph
MRN reports the start and restarts will be single-file until further notice. It is raining. The start of the race was delayed by lightning and heavy rain in the area for over an hour. IndyCar drivers Marco Andretti 7() and Conor Daly (41) are in today’s field.

Caution on lap 1 of 67 before they make it to turn 2 due to Jake Garcia (35) getting stuck in the gravel and being unable to get out and moving.

On restart several trucks go for a spin starting with William Sawalich (1) who clipped Carson Hocevar (42) and Rajah Carruth (24) and Failie Deegan (13) also spun in the incident. Hocevar has a flat. Tyler Ankrum (16) spins in turn six.

Ty Majeski (98) takes over the lead from pole-sitter Corey Heim (11).

Caution on lap 7 of 67 for a spin by Tanner Gray into the gravel trap where he is stuck.

Corey Heim (11) loses the lead to Ben Rhodes (99) when Heim goes off track on lap 12 of 60.

MRN reports the sun has popped out on lap 12 of 67 at 1512 eastern.

Tanner Gray (15) goes off track on lap 12 of 67 and into the gravel. He manages to drive through the gravel, through the grass and back onto the track.

Carson Hocevar (42) and Colby Howard (9) are both in the gravel trap on lap 13 of 60. Hocevar got out of shape and took Colby Howard out with him. Caution comes out on lap 13 of 67.

Caution on lap 17 of 57 for Conner Jones (66) and Spencer Boyd (12) getting stuck in the gravel trap.

Stage one ends under caution with Ben Rhodes (99) at the front of the field.

The trucks all parked on pit road for the pit stop. When NASCAR gave them the signal to begin all of the teams ran over to the trucks to begin service. It was funny seeing the rush to the trucks.

MRN reports all the trucks on a team are pitted together to make the pit stops easier.

Lots of teams are cleaning the front of the trucks off with cloths.

The pace truck is sitting parked with a couple of drivers, who stayed out, behind it – Matt Crafton (88) and Carson Hocevar (42).

Apparently since Crafton pitted before stage end he will keep his position, though he put on wet weather tires and the sun has been out on the track for a while. The trucks that pitted put on slicks. The rest of the field will restart where they pitted.

Ben Rhodes (99) takes over the lead on lap 21 of 67 a few turns after the restart. Several trucks spin, but the event stays green.

Lawless Alan (45) spins through the gravel trap then ends up stuck in it while trying to drive out of the grass. He is in the sand trap on lap 23 of 67 bringing out the caution.

Crafton (88) pits for slicks after losing a lot 11 spots in four laps.

Ty Majeski (98) re-takes the lead from Ben Rhodes (99) on lap 31 of 67.

Ben Rhodes and Ty Majeski go for a slide on lap 42 of 67 handing the lead to Corey Heim (11) and Zane Smith (38) goes to second. The teammates were running side-by-side, Majeski tapped Rhodes in a curve – looked like Rhodes was trying to pinch Majeski down – and around they go. Majeski has a flat.

Jack Wood (51) is stuck in the gravel trap on lap 44 of 67. Caution comes out on lap 45 of 67. Will Rodgers (02) is stuck in a different gravel trap after a spin.

Restarting on lap 48 of 67 Corey Heim (11) and Zane Smith (38) side-by-side for the double-file restart.

Heim gets the early lead.

Caution on lap 49 of 67 for Bret Holmes (32) stuck in the gravel trap and Will Rodgers () in a different gravel trap.

Hall of Famer Ron Hornaday Jr is at the track today with Landen Lewis (04) who is making his first start in the series. Apparently Horny said he thought Lewis was better than Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick according to MRN. Hornaday forgot to include the words – at age 17 – and got crucified on social media. He asked MRN for some help clarifying his statement. Hornaday was saying Lewis is more developed at age 17 than Johnson and Harvick were at the same age.

Heim (11) again gets the lead on the restart on lap 52 of 67.

Tanner Gray is in the graveon lap 54 of 67. Gray manages to drive himself out of the gravel.

Caution on lap 55 of 67.

MRN reports that Austin Wayne Self (22) hits Will Rodgers (02) and sends Rodgers into the tire barrier and Self gets stuck in the gravel. MRN says, “the Austin Wayne Self truck just took off at speed and clipped Will Rodgers sending Rodgers hard into the tire barrier”. MRN believes something broke on the Austin Wayne Self truck causing the incident.

Restarting on lap 58 of 67.

Cory Heim (11) gets the early lead.

Rajah Caruth (24) and Bret Holmes (32) spin after contact on lap 58 of 67. Rajah was spinning in the middle of the track on the restart and collected Holmes.

Caution on lap 58 of 67 for Bret Holmes (32) in the gravel.

The team pushes the damaged truck of Dean Thompson (5) into the garage.

Restarting on lap 62 of 67 with Cory Heim (11) and Christian Eckes (19) leading them to the green flag.

Heim again gets the early lead.

Taylor Gray (17) spins into the grass then continues.

On lap 63 of 67 Heim has a 1.131 second lead over second place Zane Smith (38).

William Sawalich (1) drives through the gravel trap and through the grass on lap 64 of 67 then heads to pit road.

Landen Lewis (04) goes through the grass on lap 65 of 67.

Corey Heim (11) finally puts an end to this event almost a second ahead of Zane Smith (38). Scott Zippadelli is his crew chief at TriCon Garage. Heim is a 21-year-old from Marietta, Georgia.

Stewart Friesen (52) started 35th and finished 4th. He said, “IndyCar driver Jack Hawkesworth helped him out with the timing of this place”.

MRN is reporting two drivers holding each other by the collar and shouting at each other. I wasn’t paying attention to what Georgia Hannaberry was saying so I don’t know who. Friesen said he has 11 teammates in the garage so if they’re fighting they’re rolling around on the floor. Not sure what I missed there. TV is doing the standard post-race interviews with Heim and Zane Smith. They show a graphic then talk to Stewart Friesen.

Georgia Hannaberry caught up to Ben Rhodes who apologized to Ty Majeski for their spin and said he’s sure Ty feels the same about the racing deal. Apparently Ben Rhodes and Matt Crafton were the two shouting at each other and holding each other by the collar. Rhodes says Crafton is really mad because his rear end hit Rhodes front. Rhodes says Crafton finished one spot behind him. He told him they would talk about it on Monday. They’re teammates. Rhodes was chuckling about it.

MRN reported Crafton is just one point into the playoffs.

Georgia also caught up with Matt Crafton for an interview. Crafton said, “Oh Ben is never wrong”. He continued, “Ben just dive bombed me, but I’m sure I did everything wrong and he did nothing wrong”. He said, “It’s Ben’s world and we’re just living it in it. He’s never wrong. Ben’s world. He’s always right.”

Motorsport News:

1. 1. 1. New Zealander Shane van Gisbergen wins Chicago Street Race in NASCAR debut.
      2. Chicago post-race inspection complete.
      3. Commercial breakdown: 2023 Grant Park 220.
      4. NASCAR officials discuss Chicago race weekend.
      5. Sad News- Wayne Miller.
      6. Kip Childress Joins CARS Tour as Executive Director.
      7. Richard Childress named Grand Marshal for Quaker State 400 at Atlanta.
      8. Cole Custer joins Rick Ware Racing for three NASCAR Cup Series races.
      9. Austin Wayne Self returns to the Truck Series at Mid-Ohio.
      10. Chicago Street Course is NBC Sports’ most-watched NASCAR race in six years.
      11. Shane Van Gisbergen would be allowed to move to NASCAR in 2024.
      12. Caleb Costner to makes Truck Series debut at Mid-Ohio.
      13. NASCAR, premier partners launch new Thank You, Fans campaign as part of 75th anniversary celebration.
      14. Connor Mosack hopes to put full races together for Joe Gibbs Racing and Sam Hunt Racing.
      15. Mason Massey to honor fallen mentor at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
      16. Landen Lewis to make Craftsman Truck Series debut with Roper Racing at Mid-Ohio.
      17. 75th Anniversary Feature: The fraternity of Georgia-born winners at Atlanta is a small one.
      18. Dale Earnhardt Jr. making second Xfinity Series start of 2023 at Homestead.
      19. NASCAR changes pit road speed limit, DVP at Atlanta.
      20. New season of SRX Series Racing brings Thursday Night Thunder back to ESPN beginning July 13.
      21. 2024 Daytona 500 tickets on sale.
      22. Will Rodgers joins Young’s Motorsports for Mid-Ohio Truck Series race.
      23. MBM Motorsports withdraws from Xfinity Series race at Atlanta.
      24. NASCAR to test short track package changes.
      25. Marco Andretti not ruling out full-time move to NASCAR.
      26. Corey Heim triumphs in wild Truck Series race at Mid-Ohio.
      27. Drivers lose crew members, pit selection following inspection failures at Atlanta.
      28. F1 teams angry at ’embarrassing’ FIA penalties in Austria.
      29. Pagenaud misses Mid-Ohio race following wreck.
      30. F1 to test rain guards at Silverstone.
      31. Schumacher completes F1 test with McLaren.
      32. Extreme E boasts a meaningful mission and compelling racing.
      33. F1 prepares for Brad Pitt movie action.
      34. Hamilton urges activists to avoid British GP track.
      35. Visibility in wet is biggest safety issue, say drivers.
      36. Russell: Verstappen’s F1 calendar talk is a ploy.
      37. Hamilton: Mercedes ‘missing something’ at Silverstone.
      38. Perez out in Q1, misses Q3 for fifth straight time.
      39. Hamilton: McLaren improvement ‘a wake up call’.
      40. Norris surprised by ‘insane’ Silverstone front row.
      41. F1 drivers excited by Brad Pitt’s movie project.
      42. IndyCar stars call for rule changes after Pedersen anger.
      43. Colton Herta finds latest IndyCar calamity “difficult to process”.
      44. Rahal admits Mid-Ohio IndyCar result “stings” after pitstop woes.
      45. Power admits IndyCar points dominator Palou ‘has it all nailed’.
      46. Brown praises Palou but no more McLaren F1 tests until IndyCar ends.
      47. Project91, Van Gisbergen Put NASCAR on Global Stage.
      48. Chicago’s ‘Kabbalah’ of Cars Introduces New Fans to NASCAR.
      49. Almirola Wins Cup Pole at Atlanta.
      50. Despite Many Challenges, This Young Nascar Driver Is Enjoying The Ride.
      51. Despite Selling Minority Stake In JGR, Nascar Hall Of Famer Joe Gibbs Won’t Be Returning To The NFL.
      52. For Nascar Driver Josh Berry, Earning Harvick’s Seat Was ‘About Preparation Meeting Opportunity’.
      53. Motorsport Network Media LLC Acquired By GMF Capital.
      54. Nascar’s Chicago Street Race Isn’t The First Street Race In The Sport’s Modern Era.
      55. NASCAR’s first street-course race led to a hilarious on-track traffic jam in Chicago.

Next Race: Pocono

GO Trucks!!!!