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Writer's pictureMichael Heilman

Matt Crafton ends drought with win at Kansas Speedway

The NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series concluded the doubleheader weekend Saturday afternoon at Kansas Speedway in the E.P.T 200. Austin Hill was looking to complete the sweep after winning Friday’s race. Several drivers were starting this race in the rear of the field, including Sheldon Creed, Jordan Anderson, Spencer Davis (backup trucks), Stewart Friesen (transmission change), and Kevin Donahue, Travis Pastrana, Ryan Huff, Tyler Hill (driver changes). Chase Purdy won the pole by a draw, and next to him was Brandon Jones. The air temperature was 90 degrees, with the track temperature at 121 degrees.


It's on in Kansas! The #EPT200 is GREEN. 📺: FS1 | 🖥: https://t.co/kd5eqlatOc pic.twitter.com/wqAF4y7WGy — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 25, 2020

On the second lap of the race, Ty Majeski and Tyler Ankrum made contact with Majeski suffering damage to the left front, Majeski would come to pit road. On the seventh lap, Christian Eckes had debris on his hood. With Eckes dealing with the debris, Zane Smith was able to pass him for the lead. The debris would later come off of Eckes truck. On lap 22, Travis Pastrana was running in the 28th position when he had to come to pit road with a flat right rear tire. Meanwhile, Zane Smith remained in the lead and would go to win stage one, his second stage win of the year.


That is not supposed to be there. @christianeckes | @KBMteam pic.twitter.com/iA4mkumMgL — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 25, 2020

During the caution, all of the leaders pitted with Ben Rhodes, Austin, and Stewart Friesen taking two tires while others took four. Johnny Sauter was caught speeding and had to restart in the rear of the field. The race got back underway on lap 37 with Ben Rhodes in the lead. Four laps into the restart, Zane Smith got by Austin Hill on the inside lane of turn three for the lead. Two laps later, the second caution would come out for Bryan Dauzat after getting loose and spinning at turn two without suffering any damage.


NEW LEADER: @_AustinHill's two tires cannot keep @zanesmith77 in the rearview mirror. The No. 21 leads again at @kansasspeedway. pic.twitter.com/IBRWSHhWTs — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 25, 2020

During the caution, Austin Wayne Self, Stewart Friesen, Kevin Donahue, Jordan Anderson, and Codie Rohrbaugh all came to pit road while the others stayed out. Kevin Donahue was issued a penalty for an uncontrolled tire and had to restart at the rear of the field. The race resumed at lap 47, with Zane Smith still in the lead. On the same lap entering turn one, Tyler Ankrum got loose and fell to eleventh place. Zane Smith did not have much to worry about except for Matt Crafton and would go on to win stage two.


That was impressive, @TylerAnkrum. 👏 FS1 | https://t.co/kd5eqlatOc pic.twitter.com/cX3WKp0Xz4 — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 25, 2020

STAGE WINNER: @zanesmith77 sweeps the opening two stages of the #EPT200 at @kansasspeedway! pic.twitter.com/PdWTbZ9JPv — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 25, 2020

During the caution, Stewart Friesen took fuel only and won the race off of pit road while everyone else took four tires and fuel. Friesen led the field back to green on lap 68 to start the final stage. A lap into the restart, Brett Moffitt took the lead away from Friesen. Moffitt’s lead would not last long as Sheldon Creed got by him on lap 72. A lap later, Travis Pastrana got loose, almost hitting his teammate Natalie Decker before spinning into the grass on the front stretch to bring out the fourth caution of the day.


A spin out of @TravisPastrana! The @NieceMotorsport machine goes for a slide early in the final stage. #EPT200 pic.twitter.com/r4fVNGh6v8 — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 25, 2020

Sheldon Creed led the field back to green on lap 78. On the same lap, two separate incidents brought out the fifth caution. First, Derek Kraus got loose coming off of turn two and did not have any significant damage. Meanwhile, Corey Roper also got loose trying to avoid Kraus and headed straight into the inside wall off of turn two. Roper would get out of his truck and appeared to be alright.


.@derek9kraus spins, but @CoryRoper04 makes heavy contact with the inside wall at @kansasspeedway. pic.twitter.com/Z7Bn3Y1V2F — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 25, 2020

During the caution, several drivers came to pit road, including Stewart Friesen, Jordan Anderson, Brandon Jones, Johnny Sauter, Matt Crafton, Christian Eckes, Brennan Poole, Ben Rhodes, and Tate Fogleman. Just as the race got back underway on lap 83, the caution would come out again for the sixth time as multiple trucks were involved in a major wreck at turn one. The wreck started when Tanner Gray turned Clay Greenfield and collected several trucks, including Natalie Decker, Codie Rohrbaugh, Jennifer Jo Cobb, Spencer Davis, Johnny Sauter, Ty Majeski, and Stewart Friesen.


A big crash entering the corner collects multiple contenders including @JohnnySauter, @StewartFriesen and others! pic.twitter.com/uBPLwuvGV1 — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 25, 2020

The red flag would be displayed as track crews cleaned up the mess. The red flag only lasted five minutes. During the caution, the trucks that stayed out at the last caution all came to pit road. The race got back underway at lap 88. On lap 94, Zane Smith got loose coming off of turn four and got into Tyler Ankrum, then Ankrum went up and hit teammate Brett Moffitt to bring out the caution for the seventh time.


A @GMSRacingLLC collision! @TylerAnkrum, @Brett_Moffitt and @zanesmith77 are all involved in this incident. pic.twitter.com/GdHpueFCmu — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 25, 2020

Tate Fogleman led the field back to the restart with 34 laps to go. Austin Hill drove around Fogleman for the lead. Four laps later, Raphael Lessard spun at turn one with no damage to bring out the eighth caution of the day. During the caution, Tanner Gray and Ben Rhodes came to pit road while everyone else stayed out. Austin Hill led the field back to the restart with 26 laps to go.

During the restart, Matt Crafton got a big push from Christian Eckes to take the lead from Austin Hill with Eckes taking the second spot. Both drivers pulled away, and it was just down to Crafton and Eckes. In the closing laps, Christian Eckes closed in on Matt Crafton; however, Matt Crafton would end a 67 winless drought winning the E.P.T 200 by .324 seconds over Christian Eckes. For Crafton, the last time he won a race was in 2017 at Eldora. With the win, Crafton now punches his ticket to the playoffs.


CHECKERED FLAG: @Matt_Crafton holds off @christianeckes down the stretch and wins the #EPT200 at @kansasspeedway! pic.twitter.com/ZnuJOwkt9G — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) July 25, 2020

The rest of the top ten finishers were Grant Enfinger third, Tanner Gray fourth, Ben Rhodes fifth, Austin Hill sixth, Derek Kraus seventh, Brandon Jones eighth, Zane Smith ninth, and Chase Purdy tenth. There were fourteen lead changes by nine drivers, nine cautions for 38 laps.

The playoff point standings as of now are Austin Hill first, Grant Enfinger second, Sheldon Creed third, Matt Crafton fourth, Ben Rhodes fifth, Zane Smith sixth, Christian Eckes seventh, Brett Moffitt eighth, Derek Kraus ninth, and Todd Gilliland tenth.

With Kansas Speedway now in the rear-view mirror, the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series will now head to Michigan International Speedway on August 7th at 6 pm on FS1.


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