GMS Racing’s wheelman, Grant Enfinger, prevailed late Saturday night at Kansas Speedway to earn his first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series victory of the season and clinch a spot in the Playoffs. This season marks the fifth-time Enfinger has earned a spot in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs in his career (2023, ‘22 ’20, ’19, ’18).
The victory was Enfinger’s eighth career win and his first at Kansas Speedway, as well as his first since winning at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in 2022. The driver of the No. 23 GMS Racing Chevrolet led a race-high of 65 laps en route to his Kansas win.
TRICON Garage’s Corey Heim won a close battle for second over Front Row Motorsport’s Zane Smith. Heim posted his sixth top-10 finish of 2023 and his second top-10 in three races at Kansas. Smith earned his sixth top-10 finish in seven Kansas races.
In her historic debut, Toni Breidinger earned a 15th-place finish, driving the No. 1 Victoria’s Secret Toyota Tundra for TRICON Garage. She made history not only as the first Arab American woman to debut in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, but the best debut finish in history by a female driver. That feat was previously owned by Hailee Deegan, who finished 16th in her debut at Kansas Speedway in 2020.
“I feel like this gives me a confidence boost as a driver and hopefully I can do more Truck races and get even better finishes,” said Toni Breidinger. “Nobody gives an inch, so I feel like there’s a massive learning curve throughout.”
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Next Race: Buckle Up South Carolina 200
The Place: Darlington Raceway
The Date: Friday, May 12
The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
The Purse: $690,259
TV: FS1, 6:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 200.8 miles (147 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 45),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 147)
CRAFTSMAN Truck Series ‘throwing it back’ at Darlington Raceway
After an adrenaline-charged weekend in Kansas, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series is ready to ‘throw it back’ during the Buckle Up South Carolina 200 at Darlington Raceway (Friday, May 12, at 6:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Darlington Raceway has hosted 10 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races with the inaugural event in May 2001, a race won by Bobby Hamilton. ThorSport Racing’s Matt Crafton is the only driver in the series to make all 10 previous starts at the 1.366-mile track.
The 10 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races have produced six different pole winners and seven different race winners. Five drivers are tied for the series-most poles at Darlington with one each – Jack Sprague (2001), Jason Leffler (2002), Carl Edwards (2004), Timothy Peters (2010), Cole Whitt (2011). Three drivers are tied for the series-most wins with two each – Bobby Hamilton (2001, 2003), Kasey Kahne (2004, 2011), and Sheldon Creed (2021 sweep).
CRAFTSMAN Truck Series drivers to watch at ‘Too Tough to Tame’ track
Matt Crafton, the only driver in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series to make all 10 previous Darlington starts, knows the ‘Lady in Black’ all too well. In 10 starts, Crafton has finished in the top-10 seven times – his best finish being fourth-place (2011 and 2021). Last year, the driver of the No. 88 Ford finished fifth.
Niece Motorsports’ Carson Hocevar finished with a hard-fought runner-up effort in overtime last year. It was the third time he’s achieved that career-best mark without winning and was the second time in a row. In three starts at the track ‘Too Tough to Tame,’ Hocevar has two top-five finishes and has led 10 laps. In his 2021 debut, the driver of the No. 42 Chevrolet finished third.
GMS Racing’s Grant Enfinger heads into Darlington after triumphing in Kansas. The Alabama native has three top fives and four top-10 finishes in four starts at the 1.366-mile track. Last year, he recorded his best finish at the track (third).
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Etc.
Nick Sanchez to honor Mario Andretti with throwback paint scheme – Nick Sanchez will honor Mario Andretti at Darlington Raceway, paying homage to Mario Andretti’s 1967 Daytona 500 Victory. With primary sponsorship from Gainbridge, the No. 2 Chevrolet will bear the powder blue, gold and red that Andretti wheeled to Victory Lane in the 1967 Daytona 500, his only NASCAR triumph in his monumental career.
“You don’t really get pressure as a race car driver a lot,” Sanchez said. “But driving his paint scheme that he won the ’67 Daytona 500 in at a place like Darlington on throwback weekend? That’s pressure – a good kind of pressure, though.”
Andretti will be on site in Darlington to see his cherished paint scheme, while celebrating NASCAR’s 75th anniversary.
Andretti and Sanchez will hold a media availability on Friday, May 12 at 5:45 p.m. ET in the Darlington media center.
Four NASCAR Cup Series drivers attempt to CRAFTSMAN Truck race at Darlington – Of the 38 entries in this weekend’s Buckle Up South Carolina 200, four NASCAR Cup Series drivers will attempt to pull double and triple duty.
William Byron, Bubba Wallace, and Corey LaJoie will look to make their Darlington Raceway CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debuts, while Ross Chastain will visit the Lady in Black for a second time.
Six-time NASCAR Cup Series winner William Byron will attempt his 28th CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start, getting behind the wheel of the No. 51 Chevrolet for Kyle Busch Motorsports this weekend at Darlington.
23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace will attempt to make his 50th CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start in the No. 1 TRICON Garage Toyota Tundra. In 49 starts, he has six career Truck Series wins.
Attempting to make his fourth career CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start, Corey LaJoie will pilot the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet.
Ross Chastain has made one previous start at Darlington Raceway in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. In 2022, he finished 26th. Joining Niece Motorsports, Chastain will attempt his 105th Truck Series career start behind the wheel of the No. 41 Chevrolet.
