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Camping World Truck Series Playoffs Are Headed To South Florida

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has had the last couple of weeks off but will be back for some more Playoff action on Saturday, Oct. 22 at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the Baptist Health 200 at 1 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio as the first part of a doubleheader Saturday of racing at the 1.5-mile track. The NASCAR Xfinity Series race, the Contender Boats 300, will follow the Truck race at 4:30 p.m. ET on USA, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

  • Next Race: Baptist Health 200
  • The Place: Homestead-Miami Speedway
  • The Date: Saturday, October 22
  • The Time: 1 p.m. ET
  • The Purse: $721,227
  • TV: FS1, 12 p.m. ET
  • Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
  • Distance: 201 miles (134 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 30),
  • Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 60), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 134)

Homestead-Miami Speedway has hosted 25 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races, producing 22 different race winners and 19 different race winners. The inaugural race was on March 17, 1996 and was won by Dave Rezendes.

Kyle Busch holds the record for most wins (three) and most laps led (394) in the Camping World Truck Series at Homestead-Miami. Matt Crafton is also a known name at the track with the most top 10s (12), most lead lap finishes (16) and most laps completed (2,721).

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series did not compete at the 1.5-mile track in 2021 so Kyle Busch sits as the track’s most recent winner with his win during the 2020 season. Busch is not entered in this weekend’s Baptist Health 200, leaving ThorSport Racing’s Matt Crafton as the only previous winner entered this weekend.

This will be the first time that Homestead-Miami Speedway will host the sixth race in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs. During the Playoff Era (2016-2022), the track was home to the championship race from 2016 to 2019 before landing a spot on the regular season schedule for the 2020-2021 seasons.

Truck Series drivers will kick off this Playoff weekend with practice on Friday, Oct. 21 at 4 p.m. ET followed by Cometic Gasket Pole Qualifying at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Wide open for the Championship 4 Round

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers will be back on the track for their last race in the Playoffs Round of 8 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. With a win by non-playoff driver Matt DiBenedetto at their last race at Talladega Superspeedway, only one driver has secured his spot in the Championship 4 Round at Phoenix Raceway with his win at Bristol Motor Speedway – Ty Majeski.

The remaining seven Playoff drivers will have to give it their all if they want a chance to compete for the 2022 title. Let’s take a look at what it will take for each driver to make it in.

Already Clinched

The following driver has clinched a spot in the 4-driver field of the next round: Ty Majeski.

Can clinch via points

If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the fourth winless driver in the standings. The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among Chandler Smith, Zane Smith or Ben Rhodes.

  • Chandler Smith: Would clinch with 26 points
  • Zane Smith: Would clinch with 38 points
  • Ben Rhodes: Would clinch with 52 points
  • Christian Eckes: Could only clinch with help
  • Stewart Friesen: Could only clinch with help
  • John Hunter Nemechek: Could only clinch with help
  • Grant Enfinger: Could only clinch with help

If there is a new winner from Christian Eckes or another winless driver lower in the standings but still eligible to advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the third winless driver in the standings.

  • Chandler Smith: Would clinch with 29 points
  • Zane Smith: Would clinch with 41 points
  • Ben Rhodes: Could only clinch with help
  • Christian Eckes: Could only clinch with help
  • Stewart Friesen: Could only clinch with help
  • John Hunter Nemechek: Could only clinch with help
  • Grant Enfinger: Could only clinch with help

Can clinch via win

The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: Chandler Smith, Zane Smith, Ben Rhodes, Christian Eckes, Stewart Friesen, John Hunter Nemechek, Grant Enfinger.

Playoff Bubble: Eckes, Friesen, Nemechek, Enfinger outside Champ 4 cutline

Looking at the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoff standings following the second race in the Round of 8 at Talladega Superspeedway, the postseason competitors are tasked with trying to make the Championship 4 Round with just one race to go.

ThorSport Racing’s Ty Majeski won at Bristol in the Round of 8 opener and non-playoff driver Matt DiBenedetto snagged the win at Talladega, leaving three spots still up for grabs. Heading into their next Playoff race this weekend, Chandler Smith and Zane Smith assume the second and third Playoff positions, respectively.

Ty Majeski’s ThorSport Racing teammate Ben Rhodes is currently ranked in the fourth and final transfer spot on points to the Championship 4 Round, up only three points on teammate Christian Eckes in fifth. Behind Eckes is Halmar Friesen Racing’s Stewart Friesen in sixth (-3 points below the cutline), then Kyle Busch Motorsports’ John Hunter Nemechek in seventh (-5 points) and GMS Racing’s Grant Enfinger in eighth (-29 points).

Keep in mind, because Matt DiBenedetto – a non-Playoff driver – won the second race in the Round of 8, now at least two of the four Championship 4 Round spots will be filled by drivers transferring in on points.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs Outlook Following Talladega Superspeedway
RankDriverPointsRace WinsStage WinsPlayoff PtsStarts+/- Cutoff
1Ty Majeski3,06813821In On Wins
2Chandler Smith3,11636282130
3Zane Smith3,10437372118
4Ben Rhodes3,0891817213
5Christian Eckes3,08601721-3
6Stewart Friesen3,086111321-3
7John H. Nemechek3,084272421-5
8Grant Enfinger3,06010721-29

Make it or break it: One shot to earn a spot in the Championship 4 Round

This weekend will be the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoff Round of 8 contenders last opportunity to prove they have what it takes to compete for the championship at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 4. All but one Playoff driver have given Homestead-Miami Speedway a go in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, making this weekend that much more intense.

Ty Majeski: The driver of the No. 66 ThorSport Racing Toyota has one start at Homestead-Miami Speedway (2020) and posted a 10th-place finish. This is the first-time in his career he has qualified for the Championship 4 Round in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs.

Chandler Smith: The driver of the No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota will be making his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career track debut this weekend. Smith is looking to earn a spot in the Championship 4 Round for the first-time in his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career.

Zane Smith: The driver of the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford has one start at the track (2020). He finished 37th after an incident early on Lap 19. Smith is looking to earn a spot in the Championship 4 Round for the third straight season in his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career (2020, 2021).

Ben Rhodes: The driver of the No. 99 ThorSport Racing Toyota has five starts at the track. He has posted one top-10 finish (2018) and has led 45 laps. He has an average start of 7.8 and an average finish of 15.8. Rhodes is looking to earn a spot in the Championship 4 Round for the second consecutive time in his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career (2021).

Christian Eckes: The driver of the No. 98 ThorSport Racing Toyota has two starts at the 1.5-mile track with one top five and two top 10s. He has an average start of 3.0 and an average finish of 5.5. Eckes is looking to earn a spot in the Championship 4 Round for the first-time in his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career.

Stewart Friesen: The driver of the No. 52 Halmar-Friesen Toyota has five starts at the track with one top five and two top 10s. He has an average start of 11.2 and an average finish of 13.0. Smith is looking to earn a spot in the Championship 4 Round for the second-time in his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career (2019).

John Hunter Nemechek: The driver of the No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota has four starts at Miami with one top five and two top 10s. He has an average start of 7.5 and an average finish of 8.8. Nemechek is looking to earn a spot in the Championship 4 Round for the second consecutive year in his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career (2021).

Grant Enfinger: The driver of the No. 23 GMS Racing Chevrolet has made five starts at Homestead putting up one top five, three top 10s and one pole (2018). He has an average start of 7.6 and an average finish of 11.4. Enfinger is looking to earn a spot in the Championship 4 Round for the second-time in his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career (2020).

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Etc.

Max Gutiérrez to make his fourth Truck Series start – NASCAR Mexico Series driver Max Gutiérrez will be making his fourth start in the series behind the wheel of the No. 22 AM Racing Chevrolet this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Gutiérrez had his Truck Series debut earlier this season at Charlotte Motor Speedway, posting a 26th-place finish. He went on to post two more starts at Nashville and Pocono, finished eighth and 21st, respectively.

The 19-year-old driver has expanded his resume, also posting starts in the ARCA Menards Series. He has a total of seven starts and has posted one top 10 (2022).