For the first time since testing the package NASCAR would make the decision to move to the wet weather package for the trucks after a rainstorm moved through the Martinsville area. Zane Smith would start on the pole and bring 36 trucks into turn one for the first time with the wet tires on the trucks with everyone clearing away with no issues.
Smith would continue to lead the way until Kyle Busch would take over the lead with just six laps in the books. Early on it would be Corey Heim working his way through traffic getting around Eckes and eventually Smith to take over the second-place spot. Once Heim would clear he would set his sights on leader Busch.
However, Busch would begin lapping the field working himself all the way to the 26th spot before NASCAR would throw the competition caution to change the trucks back to racing slicks in place of the wet tires. Over the 26 laps of racing using the tires, trucks began to see a three-plus second fall off in lap times.
The first stops of the night were a little different than usual with NASCAR announcing a non-competitive stop allowing teams to change the truck back over to normal racing tires which allowed trucks to keep their position on track so long as they didn’t lose a lap while on pit road.
When the race went back green following the competition caution Busch would clear away briefly before Corey Heim would take control of the lead on lap 43. Heim would continue to maintain the race lead for the remaining handful of laps to take home the first stage win of the night over Busch, Smith, Tanner Gray and Eckes.
Following more than a dozen plus laps under the first stage caution, rain would reappear putting a hold to racing with trucks coming to pit road and red flagging the event just 33 laps from halfway and an official event.
NASCAR would dry the track off and racing would resume with 129 laps to go following a 24 minute and 40 second red flag to dry the track.
Caution would once again come out for the third time of the night when Lawless Alan would cut across the nose of Daniel Dye to spin to make contact with the wall.
With less than a handful of laps caution would once again be displayed for Stewart Friesen spinning with a tire down in turn three. Caution would remain on the track handing the second stage of the night to Corey Heim over Busch, Smith, Eckes and Tanner Gary.
Just six laps of green flag racing would go up on the board before the sixth caution of the night would come out for Daniel Dye spinning. Dye had already been sent to the back during the last caution for speeding on pit road.
Tempers would pick up when Carson Hocevar would run Taylor Gray down the track on the backstretch before hooking him intentionally. Hocevar would end up with the worst end of the deal when he would spin then NASCAR would hold him on pit road for two laps.
Rain would continue to pick up under the sixth caution of the night forcing NASCAR to once again bring the trucks to pit road and red flag the race for the second time of the night.
As midnight would approach on the east coast NASCAR would be forced to end the race early with 76 laps to go.
Corey Heim would be awarded the win after winning two stages and leading 82 laps, Ky. Busch, Z. Smith, Majeski and Tanner Gary would round out the top five.
“I just can’t thank David Gilliland, Kevin Ray, Johnny Gray, the Gray family for everything they do and how much work they have put in these last few weeks – countless hours in the shop. My 11 crew – I can’t ask for a better group of guys. Toyota Racing, Safelite, TRICON Garage, everyone at the shop – just a huge thank you.” Said Heim
“My spotter, did an amazing job coaching me through everything. I really just have to give all of the credit to my TRICON team. They’ve worked so, so, so hard these last few months and putting all the hours and effort into these trucks. Our Tundra TRD Pro was phenomenal today – just a big thank you to Toyota Racing, Safelite, everyone that makes this happen.” Continue Heim
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series moves onto Kansas Speedway on Saturday, May 6th at 8:00 p.m. ET on FS1.
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