Austin Hill leads the last 39 laps to win the World of Westgate 200

Race two of the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series playoffs kicked off a busy weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the World of Westgate 200 Friday night. Brett Moffitt won the pole by a metric qualifying system. His teammate Tyler Ankrum qualified second. The “Choose Cone Rule” was in play at this race. Before the race began, Natalie Decker was not medically cleared to race, and because her truck passed inspection, she would get credit with a last-place finish.

The Round of 10 in the #NASCARPlayoffs continues in Las Vegas! We're green in the #Westgate200! (📺: @FS1) pic.twitter.com/Korigpo0DC — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) September 26, 2020

On the second lap of the race, Sheldon Creed passed Brett Moffitt for the lead. Two laps later, Raphael Lessard went to pit road after hitting the wall and suffering a flat right-front tire. The competition caution would come out at lap 11. During the caution, Ben Rhodes, Matt Crafton, Stewart Friesen, Derek Kraus, and others went to pit road. Sheldon Creed chose the outside lane while Brett Moffitt went inside for the restart on lap 15. Six laps into the restart, Matt Crafton made his way back into the top ten after pitting at the competition caution. Upfront, Creed led the last fifteen laps to win stage one. Commentators talked about how the sand and heat made it gritty and hard on the tires. Drivers were slipping and sliding around the track.

An early move that didn't quite work for @Matt_Crafton. 📺: FS1 | 🖥: https://t.co/kd5eqkSSWE pic.twitter.com/r465hvzuLq — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) September 26, 2020

During the caution, all of the leaders went to pit road for service with both Creed and Moffitt maintaining the top two positions. Creed chose the outside lane, and Moffitt went inside to start stage two on lap 38. A lap into the restart, Zane Smith moved up a couple of spots to third place. Upfront, Creed’s lead was over two-seconds, and he led all 22 laps to win stage two.

Probably need to tighten the truck up. 😬@TylerAnkrum | #Westgate200 pic.twitter.com/mY3oZc0EfS — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) September 26, 2020

During the caution, all of the leaders came to pit road. Creed, Moffitt, Smith, and Kraus did not change tires. Creed took the outside lane while Moffitt chose inside to start the final stage on lap 68. On the same lap, Christian Eckes got around both Creed and Moffitt for the lead. Creed was able to take back the lead six laps later. Ben Rhodes, who had problems with his truck all night, got loose at turn two, battling Stewart Friesen for tenth place, and spun into the inside wall to bring out the fourth caution. During the caution, all of the leaders went to pit road for four new tires.

Fans of @benrhodes are not going to like this. Caution is out at @LVMotorSpeedway. (📺: @FS1) pic.twitter.com/UYk5TjnVSN — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) September 26, 2020

Sheldon Creed chose the outside lane while Zane Smith went inside for the restart on lap 90. On the restart, Jordan Anderson drove his truck below the line and looked to be going to the garage when he stalled at the pit exit to bring out the fifth caution of the night. No one went to pit road during the caution. Sheldon Creed chose the outside while Austin Hill went inside for the restart on lap 96. Hill took the lead on the same lap while Creed fell back to seventh. He would rebound and get second place back on lap 102. Creed spent the rest of the race chasing Hill, who led the remaining 39 laps to win the race by .546 seconds over Sheldon Creed and advance to the Round of 8 playoffs.

You think he's fired up? He's fired up! After a rough start to the #NASCARPlayoffs at @BMSupdates, @_AustinHill bounces back in a big way in Las Vegas! 🏁 pic.twitter.com/6Ucw8B9Xbk — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) September 26, 2020

The rest of the top ten finishers were Tanner Gray third, Stewart Friesen fourth, Chandler Smith fifth, Grant Enfinger sixth, Zane Smith seventh, Christian Eckes eighth, Matt Crafton ninth, and Tyler Ankrum tenth. There were five cautions for 25 laps and four lead changes.

Updated playoff point standings (+/- cutoff) are Austin Hill first (1 win), Sheldon Creed second (+52), Brett Moffitt third (+44), Zane Smith fourth (+39), Grant Enfinger fifth (+31), Tyler Ankrum sixth (+15), Matt Crafton seventh (+15), Christian Eckes eighth (+6), Ben Rhodes ninth (-6), and Todd Gilliland tenth (-19). The Round of 10 playoffs concluded next Saturday at Talladega Superspeedway for the Talladega 250 at 1 pm on FS1.

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