After the NASCAR Xfinity Series held its race Saturday afternoon, it was the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series turn to run the 1.44-mile Texas Motor Speedway for the Vankor 350 Saturday night. Sheldon Creed was the pole sitter alongside Grant Enfinger. The temperature at the track was 92 degrees.
We're underway in the Lone Star State! Catch the #Vankor350 right now on @FS1 or stream the race at https://t.co/kd5eqlatOc! pic.twitter.com/rNo6UH1yf3 — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 19, 2020
Tanner Gray got off to a bad start as the race began when his truck was stuck in 4th gear. Seven laps into the race, Sheldon Creed, who was leading, had to make an unscheduled pit stop for a flat right rear tire handing the lead over to Kyle Busch. On lap 13, Zane Smith got by Busch to take the lead on the outside of turn three. Not to be denied, Kyle Busch would take back the lead from Smith late in stage one.
Some early trouble for @sheldoncreed! The @GMSRacingLLC driver is forced to make an unscheduled stop in Stage 1. pic.twitter.com/WqQfeU0DTJ — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 19, 2020
"Not so fast." – @KyleBusch (probably) The No. 51 takes the lead back from @zanesmith77. pic.twitter.com/CwQzh2C4p6 — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 19, 2020
On lap 24, Brett Moffitt had to check up to avoid Jordan Anderson, who was already a lap down, which allowed Tyler Ankrum to pass him for the fourth position. Sheldon Creed was also a lap down and caught Kyle Busch, putting himself in a position to get the free pass once stage one ended. Kyle Busch would go on to win stage one.
STAGE WINNER: @KyleBusch uses a late pass of @zanesmith77 to claim the opening stage of the #Vankor350. pic.twitter.com/jxYrbqrx6i — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 19, 2020
Under the caution, all of the leaders pitted with Kyle Busch winning the race off of pit road followed by Christian Eckes. During the caution, Matt Crafton’s crew was able to change the battery on his truck as he was having power issues. The race resumed on lap 47 for the start of stage two. During the green-flag run on lap 62, Johnny Sauter’s truck began smoking and leaving fluid out on turn one to bring out the second caution of the race.
"We were gonna wins this race tonight."- Johnny Sauter's night at Texas goes up in smoke. pic.twitter.com/533CVO1lt4 — FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) July 19, 2020
Austin Hill, Grant Enfinger, Ty Majeski, and Stewart Friesen pitted while the rest of the leaders stayed out. Kyle Busch led the field back to green on lap 70. The green-flag run only lasted four laps when Jordan Anderson smacked the turn four outside wall to bring out the third caution of the night. Most of the leaders pitted except for Ben Rhodes, Brett Moffitt, Ryan Truex, Grant Enfinger, and five others who stayed out. Matt Crafton continued to have issues with the battery/alternator, so his crew continued working to fix the problem.
Brett Moffitt led the field to the restart on lap 79 with two laps to go in stage two. Tate Fogleman and Derek Kraus got together battling for the seventh position when Kraus got loose coming off of turn two, tried to save it, and got into the left rear of Fogleman. Fogleman tried to save his truck but, unfortunately, made contact with the inside wall to bring out the caution for the third time. Brett Moffitt would go on to win stage two.
Watch as @derek9kraus and @tate_fogleman get together coming off of the corner at the end of Stage 2. (📺: FS1) pic.twitter.com/zqiZja8vWa — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 19, 2020
Some of the leaders pitted under caution. Austin Hill’s crew went about making some adjustments under the hood, and Matt Crafton’s crew changed another battery in his truck. The third and final stage got underway on lap 88 with Zane Smith in the lead. Christian Eckes would take the lead from Smith. On lap 95, Kyle Busch challenged Eckes for the lead. He tried again on lap 101; however, he got loose off of turn four and lost the second spot to Zane Smith. Busch recovered and got the second spot back four laps later.
5️⃣0️⃣ to go in Texas! @christianeckes? @KyleBusch? Someone else? Catch the conclusion of tonight's race now on FS1 or stream the finish at https://t.co/kd5eqlatOc! pic.twitter.com/ZuEDzmyOHD — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 19, 2020
Two laps later, Austin Hill was back on pit road with engine issues. He told his crew that it was blowing up. On lap 124, Zane Smith pitted from the third position with a flat right rear tire under scheduled green-flag pit stops. Kyle Busch pitted on lap 130 and headed straight for his “18” pit, which would have been the norm in the cup series. Once he realized the mistake, he quickly saw his pit crew ahead waiting for him, and he rolled into the “51” pit box. A couple of laps later, Christian Eckes would make his scheduled stop leading by .68 seconds over Kyle Busch.
Prior to green-flag stops, @KyleBusch trailed @christianeckes by 0.7 seconds. Following service, he now leads Eckes by over three seconds with 20 to go at @TXMotorSpeedway. pic.twitter.com/yWehfInwO3 — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 19, 2020
Matt Crafton was the new leader as he had not yet pitted. It didn’t take long for Busch to catch and pass him for the lead on lap 135. Busch now had a three-second lead on Christian Eckes as the pit cycle was ending. The fifth caution would come out after Ben Rhodes, and Todd Gilliland got together exiting off of turn two when Gilliland moved up in front of Rhodes, got loose, then Rhodes tapped him, sending him into the inside wall with 15 laps to go.
A big hit and heavy damage for Todd Gilliland. pic.twitter.com/EDnGRantBI — FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) July 19, 2020
With less than ten laps to go, Kyle Busch and Christian Eckes led the field back to green. Eckes was side-by-side with Busch. Eckes did get the lead briefly off of turn four as Busch got next to him for the side draft. The next lap, Busch was able to clear Eckes on the backstretch with seven laps to go. For the most part, it seemed the rest of the pack was just riding around the track, waiting for the race to end and Busch to take the checkered flag. Busch won the Vankor 350 by .777 seconds over one of the trucks he owns driven by Christian Eckes. A one-two finish for Kyle Busch Motorsports. For Kyle Busch, this was the third win in the truck series for the year. This was also his final race of the season in the truck series.
The 5️⃣1️⃣ … is No. 1️⃣. @KyleBusch gets it done in the Gander Trucks tonight at @TXMotorSpeedway. pic.twitter.com/DCl7nuG0kR — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 19, 2020
The rest of the top ten finishers were Matt Crafton, who had alternator issues all night coming in third. Stewart Friesen fourth, Brett Moffitt fifth, Tyler Ankrum sixth, Justin Haley seventh, Grant Enfinger eighth, Ben Rhodes ninth, and Ross Chastain tenth. There were fifteen lead changes by seven drivers and five cautions for 26 laps.
Point standings as of now have Sheldon Creed in first, Grant Enfinger second, Austin Hill third, Ben Rhodes fourth, Christian Eckes fifth, Zane Smith sixth, Brett Moffitt seventh, Tyler Ankrum eighth, Todd Gilliland ninth, and Matt Crafton tenth.
Next up for the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series is a doubleheader at Kansas Speedway starting Friday night for race one at 7 pm on FS1.
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