NASCAR
NASCAR Truck Series Fans Respond To Grant Enfinger Avoiding Last-Lap Crash, Opening Round of 8 With Love’s RV Stop 225 Victory At Talladega Superspeedway
At his home state track, NASCAR Truck Series driver Grant Enfinger earned an invitation to compete in next month’s Championship 4 event by eluding a last-lap crash and capturing Friday’s Love’s RV Stop 225 at Talladega Superspeedway.
After leading for an event-best 34 of 85 rotations, Enfinger was positioned perfectly when a trailing tri-oval accident involved Tyler Ankrum, Daniel Dye, Christian Eckes, Stewart Friesen, Corey Heim, Ty Majeski and Ryan Reed.
With a Round of 8-opening trip to Victory Lane, Enfinger earned his 11th career win and the circuit’s first invitation to next month’s Championship 4 race.
“We knew stuff was going to get dicey,” Enfinger said, per The Associated Press. He alluded to the final restart on Lap 77 in which the 39-year-old pilot elected the inside lane and held off Taylor Gray (P2) and Christian Eckes (P6) over the final eight laps.
X (Twitter) users responded to Enfinger earning his first win of the season and the first victory for the No. 9 Chevrolet team …
Welcome to the Championship Four, @GrantEnfinger! pic.twitter.com/wvceKuDU4I
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) October 4, 2024
So, you dream of racing at the iconic 2.66-mile tri-oval? …
This view is INSANE. pic.twitter.com/HjllBoffyT
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 4, 2024
After claiming the pole position earlier Friday, one day after his 18th birthday, William Sawalich became the circuit’s youngest pole sitter at Talladega and joined some youthful company …
Youngest NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Pole Winners:
Cole Custer – 16Y, 4M, 22D
Chase Elliott – 17Y, 8M, 24D
Connor Zilisch – 17Y, 8M, 1D
WILLIAM SAWALICH – 18Y, 0M, 1D (📸)#NASCAR | @NASCAR_Trucks | 📸: @tysongifford91 pic.twitter.com/KlnVQoyU6h— Joseph Srigley (@joe_srigley) October 4, 2024
Here’s a look at the last-lap mele. It’s Talladega, right? …
I accidentally played this video on FULL volume in class and my teacher asked "is that Lawless Alan first top 5 in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series?" so I said yes and she said “Gray should’ve pushed him" and the whole class clapped omfg I’m cryinggg 😭😭😭
pic.twitter.com/aQNC8V0NCu— EpicGreenThunder (@Texachev) October 4, 2024
Heim, who entered Friday leading the series points standings, and Rajah Caruth collided exiting Turn 2. The outside land dissolved on Lap 82. Caruth ended up P4 after rallying from a speeding penalty …
Rajah Caruth's pit road avail was a bit of a trip. Crew guy dropped an F bomb right next to him and then he stopped to go to congratulate Grant Enfinger
Caruth was mad at himself for his speeding penalty but fought back to finish 4th. pic.twitter.com/Y8uzBJq4BD
— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) October 4, 2024
Bumped by Eckes on Lap 71, Nick Sanchez (2) went sideways, forcing Dawson Sutton (25) and Mason Maggio (21) into spins. Maggio ended up striking Keith McGee as Daniel Dye slid through the infield grass without sustaining significant damage. McGee was a last-minute substitution for Bryan Dauzat and finished P26. Dye ended up placing P3 ..
Nick Sanchez on being crashed from the front twice but also an issue with race control approving and then calling him back down pit road
If not for that Sanchez thinks he could have a shot
He has some work to do at Homestead and Martinsville now pic.twitter.com/8glFYfKCH9
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) October 4, 2024
Ignited by Stefan Parsons (75) making contact with the bumper of Jake Garcia (13) as the duo entered Turn 1 on Lap 62. Garcia’s machine struck Layne Riggs (38) and the two ended up collecting Tyler Ankrum, Taylor Gray, Tannor Gray, Dean Thompson and Connor Zilisch …
The first big one of the weekend! 💥
Jake Garcia, Layne Riggs, Dean Thompson, Tanner Gray, Matt Mills, Stefan Parsons, Connor Zilisch, Tyler Ankrum, and Taylor Gray are all involved!#NASCAR #TalladegaSuperspeedway pic.twitter.com/dew2nSbo0J
— Last Lap Insider. (@LastLapInsider) October 4, 2024
Matt Mills takes Stage 1 …
Matt Mills has earned his first stage win in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Mills won Stage 1 in the Love's RV Stop 225 at Talladega. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/caAORcUfto
— The Racing Experts (@TheRacnExperts) October 4, 2024
With his 18th consecutive top-10 finish, Eckes continues climbing the charts …
Here are the 10 longest top 10 streaks in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series history pic.twitter.com/uv4KM0j3Ei
— Trey Ryan (@TreyRyan99) October 5, 2024