The NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series concluded the Round of 10 playoffs Saturday afternoon at Talladega Superspeedway for the Chevrolet Silverado 250. Sheldon Creed won the pole by a metric qualifying system, and Austin Hill qualified second. There was no “Choose Cone Rule” for this race. Three drivers were sent to the back of the field: Kaz Grala (driver change), Stewart Friesen, and Codie Rohrbaugh (multiple inspection failures). Both Friesen and Rohrbaugh crew chiefs were suspended and lost twenty driver and owner points.
It's a #NASCARPlayoffs elimination race at @TalladegaSuperS! Buckle up! We're green in the #ChevySilverado250 on FS1! pic.twitter.com/XSQIuBSd1Z — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 3, 2020
Creed and Hill exchanged the lead for the first five laps before Hill got the better of Creed on lap six, taking first. Playoff contender Grant Enfinger went to pit road with a flat left rear tire on the tenth lap and found himself down several laps. On lap 13, Creed tried to throw a block on Hill, and this led the field to back up and cause a multiple wreck behind them involving Joe Nemechek, Zane Smith, Chase Purdy, and eight others to bring out the first caution. The race was then red-flagged for five minutes.
.@sheldoncreed saves it, but a big accident behind him! #ChevySilverado250 pic.twitter.com/YDB15x8FCI — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 3, 2020
Take another look at the accident in the middle of the corner at @TalladegaSuperS. pic.twitter.com/Oox3atRo2j — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 3, 2020
During the caution, the leaders stayed out while six trucks, including Stewart Friesen and Grant Enfinger, pitted. Christian Eckes was the leader as the race resumed with two laps to go in stage one. Creed led a lap before Austin Hill got a push to win stage one. Creed finished fourth and clinched a spot in the Round of 8 playoffs.
STAGE WINNER: @_AustinHill gets pushed to the front coming to the line to take the opening stage of the #ChevySilverado250! FS1 | https://t.co/kd5eqlatOc pic.twitter.com/AMttPghcHo — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 3, 2020
During the caution, the leaders went to pit road. Kaz Grala and six others took two tires while everyone else took fuel only. Upfront, Derek Kraus was inside, and Raphael Lessard was outside to start stage two on lap 26. Kraus led all 14 laps as stage two ended under caution with four laps to go. Tanner Gray was moving to the bottom and hit Gus Dean, sending him sliding and hitting the inside wall hard at turn four.
A HUGE hit for Gus Dean at Talladega. pic.twitter.com/CSklpQLjyO — FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) October 3, 2020
During the caution, the leaders pitted except for all KBM trucks, who waited for the following lap to pit. Brett Moffitt took fuel only, Creed, Kraus, and Ankrum took two tires while everyone else took four. Brett Moffitt was the new leader as the final stage got underway on lap 45. Three laps into the restart, Todd Gilliland’s engine blew up, causing the field to back up. Tanner Gray got loose and spun on the backstretch, hitting the inside wall to bring out the caution for the fourth time.
.@tannergray5 spins. @ToddGilliland_ has an issue. We've got problems at @TalladegaSuperS! pic.twitter.com/Wc34wQCE0w — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 3, 2020
During the caution, Grant Enfinger got the free pass and was now back on the lead lap. Six trucks, including Enfinger, went to pit road. Moffitt was still the leader when the race resumed on lap 54. Ten laps into the restart, drivers began to make their scheduled pit stops with Austin Hill, Stewart Friesen, and Derek Kraus going first. Hill was caught speeding and had to do a drive-through. On lap 82, Creed took the lead after Jennifer Joe Cobb pitted. Creed lost a right rear tire seven laps later, sending debris on the track, and the caution would come out for the fifth time.
The leader has a problem! @sheldoncreed hits pit road for an unscheduled stop … just laps from the finish! (📺: FS1) pic.twitter.com/mf18teDmvy — NASCAR Gander Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 3, 2020
During the caution, Creed went to pit road to change the flat tire. Stewart Friesen was the leader when the race resumed with two laps to go. Friesen would lose the lead before Creed hit Chandler Smith on the final lap. Smith would then hit Friesen before Eckes spun him, causing another wreck. The caution would come out freezing the field on this last lap. Nascar officials reviewed the last lap and determined that Raphael Lessard was the winner of the Chevrolet Silverado 250. This meant Christian Eckes and Todd Gilliland were eliminated from the playoffs.
THAT. WAS. WILD. Retweet to congratulate @raphael_lessard on his @NASCAR_Trucks WIN at Talladega! Results» https://t.co/Hudk9ae6L7 pic.twitter.com/zST4nfnvg7 — FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) October 3, 2020
The rest of the top ten finishers were Trevor Bayne second, Chandler Smith third, Ben Rhodes fourth, Codie Rohrbaugh fifth, Jordan Anderson sixth, Brett Moffitt seventh, Matt Crafton eighth, Kaz Grala ninth, and Derek Kraus tenth. There were five cautions for 24 laps and fourteen lead changes.
Moving on to the Round of 8 playoffs are Austin Hill, Sheldon Creed, Brett Moffitt, Zane Smith, Grant Enfinger, Tyler Ankrum, Ben Rhodes, and Matt Crafton. The Round of 8 playoffs begins in two weeks at Kansas Speedway for the Clean Harbors 200 on Saturday, October 17th, at 4 pm on FS1.
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