NCTS Race Recap: Black’s Tire 200

After two weeks off, NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series returned to the track for the Black’s Tire 200 at Rockingham Speedway. Tanner Gray joined Jake Garcia on the front row for the start. Kaden Honeycutt and Cole Butcher started on the second row. Corey Heim started the race on the fourth row. The stage lengths were 45 laps for the first and second stages, with the final stage being 110 laps.

Need More Heim

Gray had a less-than-ideal launch but was able to get back alongside Garcia. Gray took the lead out of turn two. Garcia fell to Honeycutt and Butcher. He then got passed by Ty Majeski and Heim to fall out of the top five.

Majeski passed Butcher and Honeycutt to get to second.

Andres Perez got into the wall twice in the opening few laps.

Heim continued his climb as he was one of the fastest trucks on the track. He took the lead before lap 20 and immediately had his lead over a second.

Heim went on to win stage one of the Black’s Tire 200! Majeski, Honeycutt, Riggs, and Tanner Gray finished the stage in the top five.

Tick Tock

Grant Enfinger joined Heim on the front row for the restart. Enfinger took the lead into turn one. Heim used a huge run off turn two to pass for the lead into three. Majeski used the opportunity to take the runner-up spot. Enfinger then fell to Honeycutt.

Adam Andretti got turned around and hit the inside wall on the back stretch. That brought out the second caution of the day. The incident spilled fluids on the track.

With 23 to go in the stage, Heim and Majeski brought the field back to green. Heim got a great restart and took the lead into turn one. Majeksi fell in line with Honeycutt and Enfinger behind. Brendan Queen got into the outside wall but was able to keep it going.

Heim led the rest till the stage end, winning stage two in the Black’s Tire 200! Majeski, Honeycutt, Riggs, and Enfinger finished the stage in the top five.

Long Green Flag Run

Gio Ruggiero and Heim brought the green flag back out on the front row. Majeski used a great restart to challenge for second, while Heim pulled away out in front. Ruggiero was able to hold onto the runner-up spot.

Heim quickly pulled away by over two seconds.

Carson Hocevar was forced to retire his truck due to mechanical issues.

With 60 laps to go, Heim was over six seconds ahead of Majeski.

Tanner Gray was the first of the leaders to pit. They took four tires and fuel. He fell to 23rd and two laps down. Ruggiero, running in sixth, was the next truck to pit.

With 36 to go, Majeski made his final scheduled pit stop.

Michael Christopher, Jr. brought out the fourth caution. He got turned off the front bumper of Daniel Hemric.

Heim Time

Honeycutt and Heim restarted the race out front. Heim got a great launch and retook his lead. Enfinger tried to fight for second but could not hold on. Layne Riggs got by Enfinger to get onto the podium.

Honeycutt did not let Heim get away. He kept the lead to under a second. They swapped quicker laps back and forth.

Chandler Smith got to the inside of Enfinger and drove around him to take fourth.

Stewart Friesen tried to pass Enfinger and trailed him for several laps. With seven to go, he finally got the job done.

Heim began to be slowed by lapped traffic, which allowed Honeycutt to close the gap to under half a second. Honeycutt pulled right up to the rear bumper of Heim. Heim used a lapped truck to pull back away. More lapped traffic brought them closer together. Honeycutt took the white flag out front, but a wall of trucks in front of them gave Heim the slight edge.

Heim pinned Honeycutt behind Tanner Gray and took the lead into turn three. He would exit turn four ahead and take the checkered flag to win the Black’s Tire 200!

Honeycutt was so close but had to settle for second. Riggs, Smith, and Friesen finished in the top five.

Marvin’s Minute:

Corey Heim is a very good race car driver. That is nothing new. We all had our suspicions about that. The driver who impressed me was Kaden Honeycutt. He was so close at the end. He drove the wheels off while challenging Heim. Honeycutt will get his win very soon. He has a ton of raw speed; he just needs to put it all together. The Craftsman Truck Series continues its schedule at Bristol next week!