2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Race Nineteen Kansas

Trucks in the field: 36
Pole position: Chase Purdy (4)
Outside pole: Nick Sanchez (2)
Stages: 30-30-74

Nick Sanchez (2) wins stage one under caution.

Grant Enfinger (23) stays out.

Restarting on lap 35 of 134.

Nick Sanchez (2) passes Enfinger for the lead.

Sanchez battled Ben Rhodes (99) door-to-door for three laps for the lead, before passing Rhodes’ cleanly.

Carson Hocevar (42) passes Nick Sanchez (2) for the lead on lap 48 of 134.

Stage two ends with Carson Hocevar (42) at the front of the field 2.406 seconds ahead of second position.

Restart on lap 68 of 134 with Corey Heim (11) leading them to the green flag.

Matt Crafton (88) visited the outside wall on lap 70 of 134. He heads to pit road. Crafton is battling Ben Rhodes (99) for the final transfer spot into the next round of the play-offs.

Ben Rhodes (99) has slowed on the track on lap 73 of 134.

MRN reports Crafton lost a right-side tire sending him into the wall.

Carson Hocevar (42) passes Corey Heim (11) for the lead on lap 76 of 134.

Hocevar (42) and Heim (11) are battling for the lead and trading it back and forth.

On lap 85 of 134 Matt Crafton (88) pits again under green after tagging the wall again.

On lap 89 of 134 Ben Rhodes (99) pits under green.

On lap 93 of 134 Matt Crafton (88) hits the wall again and heads to pit road again.

Corey Heim (11) pits under green from second position on lap 94 of 134. Heim slides through his box.

Green flag pit stops are underway.

Ty Majeski (98) pits and stalls his truck.

On lap 117 of 134 Mason Magio (22) heads to pit road showering sparks after riding the wall a while.

Caution on lap 118 of 134.

MRN reports there are only 12 trucks on the lead lap. The Free Pass will make it thirteen.

Restarting on lap 126 of 134 with Corey Heim (11) and Carson Hocevar (42) followed by Zane Smith (38), Nick Sanchez (2), Christian Eckes (`9), Taylor Gray (17), Matt ‘MattiD’ DiBenedetto (25), and Stewart Friesen (52).

Caution on lap 127 of 134 for spins by Tanner Gray (15) and Rajah Caruth (24).

Restarting on lap 131 of 134 with Corey Heim (11) and Zane Smith (38) on the front row with Hocevar (42) and Eckes (19) behind them.

Zane Smith, Christian Eckes and Corey Heim are three-wide taking the white flag.

Smith gets sideways. He loses position, but avoids hitting anyone or anything.

Christian Eckes (19) finishes first.

Taylor Gray (17) finishes second.

Ben Rhodes (99) continues on in the play-offs by 5 over DiBenedetto (25) who finished third.

The last 60 laps were intermittently fun to watch when they raced door-to-door.

The bummer for me is that I don’t like so many of the drivers so I frequently find myself either pulling for the lesser of the evils or cheering against the drivers I dislike most. It’s not nearly as much fun as when I used to cheer for several drivers in the field. I miss likable, talented drivers who were fun to watch and fun to listen to. For a while I was falling asleep on the race and just wanting it to end. The early laps ticked down quickly and I was relieved. Toward the end they were racing hard and I was engaged enough to mostly stay awake. The last several laps were hard racing and woke me up; getting me excited to see what happened next. The result was okay. The overall unlikability of the majority of the field tempers my enjoyment of the event. There are currently four full-time series drivers in the field for whom I cheer. Out of an average field of 35 drivers, that’s a small percentage. I don’t admire the personality, nor driving of most of the field. That means I won’t follow them up the series ladder to Xfinity, nor Cup. As they get promoted they will populate the series with drivers about whom I don’t care, which will lead me away from the sport. Previous drivers may not have been more likable, but there were professional broadcasters able to present the drivers and the sport in an engaging, attractive manner that drew me in and I became a big fan. As those folks leave the sport and are replaced by the untalented and untrained the sport diminishes along with my interest.

Motorsport News:

1. 1. 1. Chris Buescher continues hot streak at Darlington.
      2. Kyle Larson wins Cook Out Southern 500 to advance in NASCAR Cup Playoffs.
      3. Darlington post-race inspection complete.
      4. Commercial breakdown: 2023 Cook Out Southern 500.
      5. Hendrick Motorsports engines earn milestone 500th victory.
      6. Chase Purdy Earns First Career Truck Series Pole for Kansas.
      7. Daniel Suarez, Alex Bowman Butt Heads After Late Darlington Crash.
      8. Derek Kraus returning to Kaulig Racing at Kansas.
      9. 23XI Racing remaining with Toyota.
      10. Carson Kvapil to make Truck Series debut at Bristol with Spire Motorsports.
      11. Daniel Hemric to switch car numbers at Kaulig Racing.
      12. NASCAR to introduce stricter inspection process for Xfinity Series.
      13. Harrison Burton still waiting on 2024 plans UPDATE.
      14. John Hunter Nemechek to drive the 42 for Legacy Motor Club in 2024.
      15. AM Racing welcomes back Mason Maggio for Kansas Lottery 200.
      16. Darlington TV ratings.
      17. No more races for Jimmie Johnson this season.
      18. Nick Leitz making Xfinity Series debut for RSS Racing at Kansas.
      19. Congratulations to A.J. and Tara Allmendinger.
      20. NASCAR Cup Series & Xfinity Series from Kansas on USA, NBC.
      21. Jimmie Johnson comments on Noah Gragson, John Hunter Nemechek, and moving to the United Kingdom.
      22. Fan Favorites Alter Ego, Door Bumper Clear headline entertainment for Bank of America Roval 400 weekend.
      23. Five Xfinity Series teams lose pit stall selections at Bristol for inspection failures at Kasnas.
      24. Christian Eckes steals victory in NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck elimination race at Kansas.
      25. Kansas pre-race inspection complete; No 23 team fails twice.
      26. Rea to end nine-year Kawasaki stint and join Yamaha.
      27. Creighton ‘ready’ for final Junior WRC title push.
      28. Sainz robbed at Milan hotel after Italian GP.
      29. Ricciardo unlikely to return for Singapore GP.
      30. Hamilton apologises to Piastri for clash.
      31. All 10 teams spent within budget cap in 2022.
      32. McLaren’s Rosenqvist to leave for MSR next year.
      33. Rowe, off USF Pro 2000 title, heads to Indy NXT.
      34. Armstrong parlays ROY run into full IndyCar deal.
      35. IndyCar is looking to F1 juniors to be tomorrow’s talents.
      36. 75 things for NASCAR’s 75th anniversary: What-ifs.
      37. Malukas unexpectedly lands open McLaren seat.
      38. Marko sorry for offensive comments on Perez.
      39. Carson Kvapil Joins Spire for Truck Series Debut at Bristol.
      40. Rajah Caruth Learning in Classroom, on Racetrack in 2023.
      41. Jesse Love Wins Pole for ARCA Race at Kansas.
      42. Connor Mosack Earns First Career ARCA Win at Kansas.
      43. Busy Breidinger Rides Confidence, Comfortability into Kansas.
      44. Grosjean tipped for IndyCar reunion with Dale Coyne Racing in 2024.
      45. Dixon frustrated by IndyCar race control call as title bid comes up short.
      46. Andretti Autosport rebrands entire operation to Andretti Global.
      47. Rahal rues lost IndyCar shot from Portland pole: “Wrong place, wrong time”.
      48. HMD Motorsports set for IndyCar split with Dale Coyne Racing.
      49. Juri Vips relishes second chance with “awesome” IndyCar debut.
      50. Bryan and Colton Herta IndyCar ride swap at Laguna Seca “off the charts”.
      51. Palou: Lack of F1 guarantee at my age played part in McLaren U-turn.
      52. IndyCar Laguna Seca: Start times, how to watch, entry list & more.
      53. IndyCar track records set to tumble at “badass” repaved Laguna Seca.
      54. IndyCar Laguna Seca: Herta tops crash-filled opening practice.
      55. Stephen Mallozzi, Outback Steakhouse join forces for Bristol.
      56. Italian Grand Prix ‘Very Difficult’ and ‘Most Physically Challenging’ Race of the Year – Alonso.
      57. Wounded Ukrainian troops to race SKARLATs at Rally TT Cuenca.
      58. “Overtake!” anime set for 1 October premiere.
      59. Suarez says Bowman “has to use his brain a little more” after crash.
      60. ARCA Kansas: Connor Mosack dominates, laps almost entire field.
      61. ‘It’s been a great run.’ Kerry Tharp steps down as Darlington Raceway president.
      62. Flood emergency forces F1 to cancel Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
      63. Got $13M and a dream? Price drop just in for unique mansion near Charlotte.
      64. 2023 National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame Class revealed.
      65. Drivers anticipating IMSA’s Indy return as entry list grows to 48.
      66. Denny Hamlin signs multi-year contract extension with Joe Gibbs Racing.
      67. IndyCar schedule, silly season update and other 2024 changes.
      68. Kobayashi, Toyota GR top final WEC practice at Fuji Speedway.

Next Race: Bristol

GO Trucks!!!!