Grant Enfinger uses a lapped truck to pass Crafton and win at Richmond Raceway

The NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series kicked off a busy weekend Thursday night from Richmond Raceway in the ToyotaCare 250 for the final regular-season race. This is the first time in 15 years that the Truck Series has raced at Richmond Raceway. Austin Hill won the pole by a metric qualifying system, and alongside him was Ben Rhodes. The “Choose Cone Rule” was in play for this race. No drivers were sent to the rear of the field.

Tonight, we set the #NASCARPlayoffs field for the Gander Trucks. The green is out in the #ToyotaCare250 at @RichmondRaceway! pic.twitter.com/xJS5t6iExq — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) September 11, 2020

On the sixth lap, Johnny Sauter, who had to win this race to get into the playoffs, came to pit road with a possible tire going down. Sauter radios his crew chief that it wasn’t the tire, then something else must be broken. On lap 32, Austin Hill, the leader, had a 2.5-second lead over Christian Eckes. Then Hill would get into trouble with lapped traffic, allowing Ben Rhodes to get to Hill’s bumper. The first caution of the night would come out on lap 42 when Ray Ciccarelli hit Tim Veins at turn four. During the caution, the top two drivers stayed out while Grant Enfinger and eight others went to pit road.

Austin Hill chose the inside lane, and Ben Rhodes went to the outside lane as the race resumed on lap 62. On lap 67, Zane Smith, who restarted 15th after making a pit stop, went three-wide to take the lead with three laps to go and win stage one.

Couldn't have said it better ourselves, @KurtBusch. 😂 pic.twitter.com/spUTihspvr — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) September 11, 2020

During the caution, drivers who did not pit at the last one came this time. Ben Rhodes won the race off of pit road. Zane Smith chose the inside lane while Grant Enfinger went to the outside. Chandler Smith ran over the cone and had to go to the back of the field as stage two got underway on lap 83. Zane Smith and Grant Enfinger were able to hold onto the top two spots on older tires. Enfinger was able to use the inside lane to pass Zane Smith for the lead on lap 110. Ben Rhodes took advantage of the inside lane and went to second place. Enfinger and Rhodes were clashing for the lead, and by lap 120, Rhodes cleared Enfinger and took the lead. He would lead the last 20 laps to win stage two.

It's a @ThorSportRacing battle at the front between @benrhodes and @GrantEnfinger! 📺: FS1 | 📲: https://t.co/kd5eqlatOc pic.twitter.com/TzsAxlE3Qa — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) September 11, 2020

During the caution, Rhodes led the field down to pit road and once again came out first. He would choose the inside lane while Grant Enfinger chose the outside for the final stage underway on lap 152. Two laps into the restart, Rhodes and Enfinger got together, with Enfinger suffering damage and smoke coming out of his truck. Enfinger went to pit road three laps later as his crew pulled out the fender before he headed back onto the track. Ben Rhodes, now firmly in the lead at this point, held a two-second lead on Austin Hill on lap 170.

Contact! Between teammates! Not good!!! 😬@GrantEnfinger is forced to pit road under green in the #ToyotaCare250! pic.twitter.com/teFP9udRVH — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) September 11, 2020

Four laps later, Ray Ciccarelli and Austin Wayne Self got together to bring out the fourth caution of the night. During the caution, the top six drivers stayed out while Matt Crafton was the first driver to come to pit road from the seventh position. Ben Rhodes chose the inside lane, and Austin Hill went to the outside for the restart on lap 183. On the same lap, David Ragan got by Hill for second. Three laps later, Brett Moffitt, who restarted 12th, made his way up the field to take the lead away from Rhodes with an inside pass heading into turn one.

NEW LEADER: @Brett_Moffitt powers to the front on fresh tires to take the lead of the #ToyotaCare250! Catch the rest of the action on FS1! pic.twitter.com/9fSe2Skz8a — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) September 11, 2020

Moffitt ran into trouble with lapped traffic allowing Matt Crafton to catch him. On lap 219, Crafton would use the inside lane off of turn two to get by Moffitt for the lead with 30 laps to go.

NEW LEADER: @Matt_Crafton reels in @Brett_Moffitt to take the top spot with less than 30 to go!@RichmondRaceway | #ToyotaCare250 pic.twitter.com/WTuqtlVXzM — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) September 11, 2020

Crafton would lead 25 laps before Grant Enfinger used a lapped truck to pass Crafton with seven laps to go. Enfinger would go on to win his third race of the season by 1.033 seconds over Matt Crafton. Austin Hill would go on to capture the regular-season title giving him 15-playoff bonus points.

BACK TO THE FRONT GOES THE 98!@GrantEnfinger gets by his teammate @Matt_Crafton for the lead at @RichmondRaceway! pic.twitter.com/kuaONCKAvE — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) September 11, 2020

What. A. Drive. Retweet to congratulate @GrantEnfinger on his third win of 2020! 🏁🏁🏁 pic.twitter.com/qi3WuPr8k8 — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) September 11, 2020

The rest of the top ten finishers were Ben Rhodes third, Brett Moffitt fourth, Tyler Ankrum fifth, Codie Rohrbaugh sixth, David Ragan seventh, Austin Hill eighth, Timmy Hill ninth, and Stewart Friesen tenth. There were four cautions for 37 laps and eight lead changes.

The drivers that will be competing for the championship are Sheldon Creed first, Zane Smith second (-4), Austin Hill third (-4), Grant Enfinger fourth (-7), Brett Moffitt fifth (-11), Ben Rhodes sixth (-12), Matt Crafton seventh (-17), Christian Eckes eighth (-21), Todd Gilliland ninth (-23), and Tyler Ankrum tenth (-24). The Round of 10 playoffs starts next Thursday from Bristol Motor Speedway for the UNOH 200 Presented by Ohio Logistics at 7:30 pm on FS1.

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