The final race in the Round of 8 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series took place Friday night at Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Hall of Fame 200. The “Choose Cone Rule” returned for this race. Sheldon Creed won the pole by a metric qualifying system, and his teammate Zane Smith was starting in second. Josh Reaume and BJ McLeod were sent to the rear of the field for changing drivers.
IT'S GO TIME! We settle the #Championship4 tonight at @MartinsvilleSwy! 📺: FS1 📱: https://t.co/kd5eqlatOc pic.twitter.com/7m1lxGll3T — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 31, 2020
Zane Smith led the first eleven laps before Creed moved inside on turn two to take the lead. The following lap, the caution came out after Tate Fogleman spun Tanner Gray at turn four, leading to other trucks spinning, including Ray Ciccarelli and Trevor Bayne. Together, they blocked the track, with no one able to get around them.
We … haven't exactly seen this before 🙃. Follow live scoring as we sort this out: https://t.co/g7Y6GfZVw6 pic.twitter.com/XxSaJCEkPZ — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 31, 2020
No one went to pit road during the caution. Creed chose the outside lane with Smith inside for the restart on lap 22. The race went caution-free for 26 laps before Natalie Decker got hit from behind by Jordan Anderson to bring out the second caution and ending stage one that went to Sheldon Creed.
Big time moves by @Matt_Crafton! His aggressive drive takes him to P2. pic.twitter.com/Nwtv9VfPBY — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 31, 2020
Everyone pitted with Creed and Matt Crafton, the first two trucks off of pit road during the caution. Creed chose the outside lane with Crafton inside to start stage two on lap 60. During the run, both Parker Klingerman and Sheldon Creed suffered left-rear flat tires and went to pit road with Matt Crafton, the new leader. Crafton led a lap before Zane Smith took over the lead. Austin Hill radioed his crew chief telling him the truck is about to blow up. Clay Greenfield spun at turn three to bring out the third caution.
A devastating issue for the leader, @sheldoncreed! A flat tire forces the No. 2 to pit road. pic.twitter.com/HBQMyFkkaH — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 31, 2020
Several leaders went to pit road during the caution, including Brett Moffitt, Grant Enfinger, Ben Rhodes, and five others. Zane Smith chose the outside lane with Crafton inside for the restart on lap 85. The restarted lasted six laps when Sheldon Creed bumped Tanner Gray out of the way, sending him around at turn four to bring out the fourth caution.
.@sheldoncreed had places to be. Unfortunately @tannergray5 was in his way. pic.twitter.com/89W8J2C0Jr — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 31, 2020
During the caution, Johnny Sauter, Brandon Jones, Zane Smith, Ben Rhodes, and two others went to pit road. Matt Crafton was the leader and chose the inside lane with Stewart Friesen outside with three laps to go in stage two. Friesen powered his way to the lead and would win stage two, his first stage win of the season.
Friesen and Crafton both pitted, leaving Grant Enfinger the new leader. Raphael Lessard was in second. On the restart, Enfinger chose the inside lane along with Lessard, who dropped from second to third. Meanwhile, Christian Eckes went to the outside and went from third to second to start the final stage on lap 113.
Four laps into the final stage, Christian Eckes spun Carson Hocevar at turn four to bring on the fifth caution. Tate Fogleman was also involved in a separate crash suffering damage to the front. His day would end, and he finished in 34th place. During the caution, Austin Hill went to pit road with engine issues. Hill’s day was done, eliminating him from playoff contention and a 33rd place finish. Enfinger chose the inside lane with Sauter outside for the restart on lap 127.
"I can't even put into words what I'm feeling right now." Barring a miraculous scenario, @_AustinHill will see his championship hunt come to an end. pic.twitter.com/YW8XQX0UWc — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 31, 2020
Sauter took the lead and led 31 laps before the caution came out again for the seventh time when Tanner Gray suffered a right front flat tire at turn one. During the caution, everyone pitted except for Carson Hocevar, who was now the new leader. Hocevar chose the inside lane with Sauter outside for the restart on lap 162. Two laps in, Sauter suffered a flat left rear tire and went to pit road. Three laps later, Clay Greenfield spun at the backstretch, also with a flat left rear tire to bring out the eighth caution of the night.
During the caution, everyone pitted with Enfinger and Moffitt the first two off of pit road. Both Enfinger and Moffit chose the inside lane with Sheldon Creed outside, improving his position from third to second for the restart on lap 174. The restart only lasted a lap before Creed came down on Enfinger and spun at turn four to bring out the ninth caution. No one went to pit road during the caution.
.@sheldoncreed drove through the field, but gets spun while battling for the lead with @GrantEnfinger! pic.twitter.com/woeJde7pkI — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 31, 2020
Once again, no one went to pit road during the caution. Enfinger chose the inside lane with Raphael Lessard outside for the restart on lap 182. The restart only lasted for three laps when the tenth caution came out for Carson Hocevar’s spin at turn one. Raphael Lessard was the leader and chose the inside lane with Brett Moffitt outside for the restart on lap 191.
Brett Moffitt got into Ben Rhodes a lap into the restart, causing Rhodes to get loose and spin Lessard out as the eleventh caution was out. Rhodes saved the truck and was now in second place. Meanwhile, Moffitt’s day was done, and he would finish in 28th place. Enfinger chose the inside lane with Rhodes outside for the restart with two laps to go. Enfinger would hold off Rhodes to win the race by .803 seconds to advance to next week’s championship four finals. Ben Rhodes, Tyler Ankrum, Matt Crafton, and Austin Hill are eliminated from the playoffs.
RETWEET to congratulate @GrantEnfinger on his walk-off win at @MartinsvilleSwy! pic.twitter.com/lzbRRhx943 — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 31, 2020
The rest of the top ten finishers were Zane Smith third, Christian Eckes fourth, Matt Crafton fifth, Stewart Friesen sixth, Danny Bohn seventh, Sheldon Creed eighth, Austin Wayne Self ninth, and Derek Kraus tenth. There were eleven cautions for 82 laps and sixteen lead changes. The drivers that will compete for the championship are Brett Moffitt, Sheldon Creed, Grant Enfinger, and Zane Smith.
The season will conclude next Friday, November 6th, from Phoenix Raceway in the Lucas Oil 150 at 8 pm on FS1.
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