For the first time in NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series history, the series will have its first doubleheader this weekend at Kansas Speedway beginning Friday night in race one of the Blu-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 200. Christian Eckes won the pole by a draw, and starting next to him was Brett Moffitt. Two drivers had to go to the rear of the field, and they were Bryan Dauzat (adjustments), and Ray Ciccarelli (missing rookie meeting).
Doing the double this weekend! We're green in the #BlueEmu200 at @kansasspeedway! 📺: FS1 📱:https://t.co/kd5eqlatOc pic.twitter.com/8oUmzx9MMp — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 24, 2020
On the first lap of the race, Brett Moffitt got the lead from Christian Eckes on the inside lane. Sheldon Creed and Grant Enfinger were battling for the twelfth position when both trucks make contact and kept going. Moffitt led the first eight laps before Todd Gilliland past him on the inside lane heading into turn three for the lead.
Out front early.@ToddGilliland_ makes the pass for the lead. 📺: FS1 pic.twitter.com/ktKE0oAytN — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 24, 2020
On the tenth lap, Tyler Ankrum was running ninth when he got a flat right rear tire and came to pit road. He went back out; however, he reported that he lost his brakes in the rear due to damage and headed to the garage. The first caution of the day came out at lap 19 as Robby Lyons II was pushing his truck to avoid going a lap down and lost it at turn four. His truck did not suffer any damage.
Oops. Robby Lyons goes around. pic.twitter.com/RC9l7hwVsA — FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) July 24, 2020
Several drivers came to pit road during the caution, including Grant Enfinger taking fuel only while Brandon Jones, Christian Eckes, Sheldon Creed, Stewart Friesen, Johnny Sauter, and Ty Majeski took four tires. Ty Majeski was penalized for speeding, and Spencer Davis had too many men over the wall as both drivers had to restart in the rear of the field. The race resumed with six laps to go in stage one as Todd Gilliland lost the lead to Brett Moffitt. Moffitt pulled easily pulled away from the field and would win stage one.
During the caution, Sheldon Creed and Austin Wayne Self took fuel only, Johnny Sauter and Chase Purdy took two tires, while everyone else took four tires and fuel. Christian Eckes led the field back to green on lap 37 to start stage two.
🥵 We don't know how they all make it through the restarts. 📺: FS1 📱:https://t.co/kd5eqlatOc pic.twitter.com/UO6lH7NvRV — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 24, 2020
Eckes led five laps before losing the lead to Austin Hill on lap 41. Nine laps into stage two, Stewart Friesen, made a pit stop from the sixth position with a flat right rear tire. Austin Hill led the rest of stage two as he was ahead of Ben Rhodes by .74 seconds when he won stage two, his first stage win of the season.
During the caution, all of the leaders pitted. Once again, Johnny Sauter only took four tires while everyone else took four. Codie Rohrbaugh was penalized for speeding and had to restart in the rear of the field. Eckes led the field back to green on lap 67 to start the final stage.
Ben Rhodes got loose on the restart after restarting second and fell to eighth place. Two laps later, Zane Smith passed Christian Eckes on the inside lane at turn three for the lead. Smith was pulling away, leaving Eckes and Austin Hill fighting for second-place. There was no changes upfront for ten laps until the third caution came out when Korbin Forrester got into the outside wall off of turn four with a flat right-front tire on lap 82.
That No. 21 is a 🚀.@zanesmith77 goes to the top of the leaderboard in the #BlueEmu200. pic.twitter.com/qwIPSCKvJ5 — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 25, 2020
During the caution, Ross Chastain took fuel only while everyone else took four tires. Brett Moffitt ran into the rear of Austin Hill as he checked up, leaving pit road. Both drivers were penalized during the caution as Brandon Jones (speeding), and Todd Gilliland (uncontrolled tire) had to restart in the rear of the field. Jones came back in to pit road to top off with fuel and make adjustments.
Ross Chastain led the field back to green on lap 88. He was in a battle for the top spot fighting Matt Crafton and Austin Hill. Once the dust settled, Austin Hill was the leader on lap 90 and began to pull away from Moffitt. Meanwhile, Grant Enfinger made his way up to third place after restarting eighth.
Three trucks battling for the top spot! Who's going to come out on top?#BlueEmu200 | @kansasspeedway pic.twitter.com/SiGbS2HPY7 — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 25, 2020
Ross Chastain became the latest driver to suffer a flat tire, this time in the right rear. Chastain came back out onto the track; however, he had smoke coming out from a tire rub due to tire debris stuck to the right rear and had to come back to pit road. He would take his truck to the garage with brake issues and was done for the day finishing in 34th place. Meanwhile, Austin Hill built a three-second lead over Brett Moffitt. Moffitt was battling Grant Enfinger to keep second-place.
With four laps to go, Jordan Anderson and Spencer Davis made contact coming off of turn four; however, both drivers managed to save their trucks. Austin Hill would go on to win his first race of the season in the Blu-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 200 by 2.928 seconds over the second-place finisher Brett Moffitt. With the win, Hill punches his ticket to the playoffs.
The last thing the leader wants to see, but we stay green! pic.twitter.com/TtUjeLQLlg — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 25, 2020
🔊 A big win in the plains! We know @_AustinHill is excited! pic.twitter.com/VvbFqtLYzr — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 25, 2020
The rest of the top ten finishers were Grant Enfinger third, Matt Crafton fourth, Derek Kraus fifth, Zane Smith sixth, Ben Rhodes seventh, Sheldon Creed eighth, Johnny Sauter ninth, and Todd Gilliland tenth. There were sixteen lead changes by eight drivers, and four cautions for 19 laps. The NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series will conclude with the doubleheader tomorrow afternoon for the E.P.T. 200 at 1:30 pm on FS1.
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