NCTS Race Recap: LiUNA! 150

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series took to the hills of Lime Rock Park for the LiUNA! 150. Corey Heim was fastest in qualifying, so he led the field to green. Jordan Taylor, making his series debut, joined Heim on the front row. Layne Riggs, Ty Majeski, and Brent Crews rounded out the top five. The stage lengths were 35 laps for the first two stages, with the final stage being 30 laps.

(He)Im The Captain Now

Heim got a huge start and was able to jump out in front. Riggs found his way around Taylor to take second. The field stretched out quickly on the narrow track. Heim let his rear end hang out a bit and kicked some dust into the air, but he was able to keep it going forward.

Tanner Gray made an excursion off track but kept it moving and carried on.

Spencer Boyd got off course when a right front tire went down. He was able to limp his truck to the pits.

With 20 to go in the stage, Heim maintained his lead at almost five seconds. He caught the back of the field and began lapping other trucks. Riggs sat in second with Taylor three seconds behind, in third. Crews caught the back of Taylor in fourth. Connor Mosack worked his way around Kaden Honeycutt to get into the top five. 

Heim would go on to lead every lap in the stage and get the stage one win! He led the field by over seven seconds. Riggs, Taylor, Crews, and Connor Mosack rounded out the top five at the stage break.

The pit stop procedure was a bit different this week. With the series being away from the other series, they used non-competitive stops. The field was frozen and given three minutes to do whatever they needed to the trucks. No one was allowed over the wall until NASCAR instructed.

(He)im All Alone

Heim and Riggs brought the field back to green. Heim quickly jumped back out front out of turn one and built a lead of over a second over Riggs. The field stretched out single file behind him.

There was some battling back through the pack. Cam Waters, a road course ringer, caught Tyler Ankrum for 14th. Waters started the race in 16th, and moved forward slowly.

With 15 laps left in the stage, Heim had a lead of almost five seconds over Riggs in second. He, again, caught the back of the field and was patient in passing them on the narrow track. His lead shrank to only four seconds as he dealt with the lappers. That did not last long. As soon as he found clean air, the lead was back to five seconds and growing.

Heim stayed dominant and got the stage two win! At the stage end, he had a seven-second lead over Riggs. Taylor, Mosack, and Chandler Smith finished the stage in the top five.

Coming to green, NASCAR added an additional caution lap to pick up debris on the track. They decided to red flag the race to clean up a fluid.

Heim is Money

Heim and Riggs brought the field back to green. Riggs tried to side draft the leader, but Heim would keep his lead. Matt Crafton was forced off the track in turn one. He got back on the track and was able to keep it going. He brought his truck down pit road. Matt Mills also got off track, but kept it going.

Dawson Sutton got a flat left rear tire. Some of the tire rolled into the the grass. He was able to make it back to pit road.

The third caution came out when Mills got stuck off track. He could not get his truck back on the track.

Heim and Riggs brought the green back out with five to go. In turn one, several trucks got shoved off the track. Riggs drove too deep into turn one and fell back. Taylor, Andres Perez, and Rajah Caruth all went off track but got back on and kept it going. Heim retook his lead out of turn one.

Ty Majeski, Gio Ruggiero, Ben Rhodes, and Cam Waters used the stack up to get into the top five.

Heim would take the field to the checkered flag to win the LiUNA! 150! He officially led 99 out of the 100 laps. Majeski, Ruggiero, Rhodes, and Waters rounded out the top five. Riggs would finish the race in 13th.

Marvin’s Moment:

Corey Heim did it again. He has been the driver to beat all season. The only way to beat him is to promote him to the NASCAR Cup Series. It is only a matter of time. The only thing that seems to slow him down are bad pit stops, or his truck literally shutting off as he battles for the lead. Only three races left in the regular season for the trucks. The next race is at Indianapolis Raceway Park on July 25th.