CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs Continue in South Florida in Three Weeks

The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series competitors will have three weeks off to regroup and go over strategy before heading to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the second race of the Round of 8 on Saturday, October 26 at 12 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM Radio.

The 1.5-mile oval has hosted 27 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races since its inaugural CRAFTSMAN Truck Series event on March 17, 1996 – a race won by Dave Rezendes piloting the No. 7 Geoffrey Bodine Motorsports Ford. Notably, there have been 24 different race winners. Kyle Busch leads the series with three wins at the track.

The 2024 season marks the first time the speedway has hosted the second race in the Round of 8.

Homestead had played host to the Round of 8 finale the past two seasons (2022-2023). The track was home to the championship race from 2016-2019 before landing a spot on the regular season schedule for 2020-2021 season.

Of those six previous races, only three Playoff drivers have won: Brett Moffitt (2018), Ty Majeski (2022), and Carson Hocevar (2023). Brett Moffitt is the only driver to have won the championship.

On-track activity for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway kicks off with practice at 2:35 p.m. followed by Cometic Gasket Pole Qualifying at 3:05 p.m. EST on Friday, October 25.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series

Next Race: Baptist Health 200

The Place: Homestead-Miami Speedway

Track Type: 1.5 Mile Asphalt Oval

The Date: Saturday, October 26

The Time: 12 p.m. ET

The Purse: $769,881

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)

Playoff Bubble: Caruth, Gray, Sanchez, and Ankrum outside Championship 4 cutline

With one spot in the Championship 4 secured by Grant Enfinger, the rest of the competitors are certainly starting to feel the heat. As the Round of 8 finale looms closer, the drivers sitting below the cutline are Rajah Caruth, Taylor Gray, Nick Sanchez, and Tyler Ankrum.

Spire Motorsport’s Rajah Caruth, in his first Playoff appearance, finished fourth at Talladega Superspeedway and left the 2.66-mile paved oval five points back from the Championship 4 cutline.

Another driver in his first Playoff appearance below the cutline is TRICON Garage’s Taylor Gray. Despite finishing second at ‘Dega, the 19-year-old is 13 points back from the final transfer position. The Denver, North Carolina native will look to bounce back from the heartbreak at Homestead in three weeks.

Rev Racing’s Nick Sanchez had a rough day at Talladega finishing 22nd after starting on the front row. The 323-year-old now sits 20 points back from the cutline. The driver of the No. 2 Rev Racing Chevrolet made it to the Round of 8 for a second consecutive season.

As the Miami, Florida native returns to his home track, he hopes to capture the checkered flag and secure his spot in the Championship 4 for the first time.

McAnally-Hilgemann’s Tyler Ankrum heads to Homestead ranked eighth in the Playoff stands – 23 points back from the fourth and final spot in the championship round.

Currently, ThorSport Racing’s Ty Majeski is in the fourth and final position to transfer to the championship round. Just ahead of Majeski in third is McAnally-Hilgemann driver Christian Eckes, up +39 points on the Championship 4 cutline.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff Outlook Following Talladega Superspeedway (10-4-24)

Survive and Advance: Round of 8 Experts

In the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs, every lap counts if you want to have a fighting chance to make it into the Championship 4.

Only two of the remaining eight championship contenders are familiar with finding a way to survive and advance to the Championship 4 Round. One of which has already secured his spot to race for the championship.

Let’s take a closer look at those two drivers’ elimination history:

Corey Heim (No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota)

• Finished the 2023 season third in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff standings after being eliminated in the Championship 4 Round.

Grant Enfinger (No. 9 CR7 Motorsports Chevrolet)

• Finished the 2023 season runner‐up in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff standings after making the Championship 4 Round.
• Finished the 2022 season fifth in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff standings after being eliminated in the Round of 8.
• Finished the 2020 season fourth in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff standings after making the Championship 4 Round.
• Finished the 2019 season seventh in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff standings after being eliminated in the Round of 8.
• Finished the 2018 season fifth in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff standings after being eliminated in the Round of 6.

Of the two competitors, Grant Enfinger is the only one locked into the Championship 4 Round.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Etc.

2024 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Manufacturers Championship breakdown – Following 20 races, Chevrolet leads the OEMs in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Manufacturers Championship with 10 wins and 745 points on the season.

2024 Sunoco Rookie of the Year update – Layne Riggs continues to dominate the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings following 20 races in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.

The driver of the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford has two wins on the season (Milwaukee, Bristol) and sits 358 points over Connor Jones and 387 points over Thadd Moffitt.