After Niece Motorsport’s driver Carson Hocevar emerged victorious at Richmond Raceway, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs are set to get underway next weekend at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park for the TSport 200 (Saturday, August 11 at 9 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM Radio).
The 2023 season will mark the eighth running of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs (2016-2023). Since the inception of the new format in 2016, seven different drivers have hoisted the championship trophy – Johnny Sauter (2016), Christopher Bell (2017), Brett Moffitt (2018), Matt Crafton (2019), Sheldon Creed (2020), Ben Rhodes (2021), and Zane Smith (2022).
The structure of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs will remain the same as years past: a seven-race, three round elimination format. The CRAFTSMAN Truck Series will cap off their season in conjunction with the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway for the Championship 4 Finale.
Characteristics of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff format include:
- The number of championship drivers in contention for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship will decrease after every three Playoff races, from 10 to start in the Playoffs; eight after race No. 3; and four after race No. 6.
- The first three races of the Playoffs (17-19) will be known as the Round of 10; races 20-22 will be known as the Round of 8; and race No. 23 will be the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship (Championship 4 Round).
- A win by a championship-eligible driver in any Playoff race automatically clinches the winning driver a spot in the next round.
- Four drivers will enter the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship with a chance at the title, with the highest finisher among those four capturing the championship.
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff Structure:
- Round of 10: Races 17-19 will be at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, the Milwaukee Mile, and Kansas Speedway. If a driver in the Playoffs wins a race in this round, the driver automatically advances to the Round of 8. The remaining available positions (1-8) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points. Each advancing Playoff contender will then have their points reset to 3,000, plus any Playoff points awarded to that point are added.
- Round of 8: Races 20-22 will be at Bristol Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway. Likewise, if a driver in the top eight in points wins a race in this round, the driver automatically advances to the Championship 4 Round. The remaining available positions (1-4) that have not been filled by wins will be filled on points. Each advancing Playoff contender will then have their points reset to 4,000.
- Each eliminated driver will return to the Playoff-start base of 2,000 (plus any awarded Playoff points), with their accumulated points starting with race No. 17 added. This will allow all drivers not in contention for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series title to continue to race for the best possible season-long standing, with final positions fifth-through-10th still up for grabs.
The 2023 10-driver NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff Field:
- Corey Heim – TRICON Garage – No. 11 Toyota – 2,030 points
- Zane Smith – Front Row Motorsports – No. 38 Ford – 2,022 points
- Carson Hocevar – Niece Motorsports – No. 42 Chevrolet – 2,021 points
- Christian Eckes – McAnally-Hilgemann Racing – No. 19 Chevrolet – 2,019 points
- Grant Enfinger – GMS Racing – No. 23 Chevrolet – 2,017 points
- Ty Majeski – ThorSport Racing – No. 98 Ford – 2,014 points
- Ben Rhodes – ThorSport Racing – No. 99 Ford – 2,013 points
- Nick Sanchez – Rev Racing – No. 2 Chevrolet – 2,005 points
- Matt DiBenedetto – Rackley W.A.R. – No. 25 Chevrolet – 2,002 points
- Matt Crafton – ThorSport Racing – No. 88 Ford – 2,002 points
The return to historic Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park
For the second time since 2011, the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series is returning to Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park next weekend. The track will play host to a Playoff race for only the second time in CRAFTSMAN Truck Series history. Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park is the fifth track to open the Playoffs, along with New Hampshire Motor Speedway (2016, 2017), Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (2018), Bristol Motor Speedway (2019, 2020), and World Wide Technology Raceway (2021).
This historic track houses a 0.68-mile paved oval located in Clermont, Indiana, but the original intent was to design a 15-turn, 2.5-mile road course. In 1995, the inaugural CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park was won by Mike Skinner, piloting the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Skinner went on to win the series championship that same year.
Through the 18 previous events at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, only twice has the winner come from a starting position outside of the top five. In 2011, Timothy Peters started in 16th and Johnny Benson Jr. started eighth in 2008. The pole winner has gone on to win five of the eighteen races. In addition, the winner has started on the front row eight separate times. Cometic Gaskets Pole Qualifying will surely be key for the 10 drivers who will begin their Playoff run for the 2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship next weekend.
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Next Race: TSport 200
The Place: Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park
The Date: Friday, August 11
The Time: 9 p.m. ET
The Purse: $699,222
TV: FS1, 8 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 137.2 miles (200 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 60),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 120), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 200)
Scouting the 2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff Roster
The field for the 2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs is packed with both postseason veterans and several new ones. Eight different teams are represented along with all three of NASCAR’s OEMs (Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota). Below is a quick look at the contenders in this year’s Playoff grid as the drivers have a week off to prepare for the first race of the Round of 10 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
The 2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Regular Season Champion Corey Heim enters the Playoffs at the No. 1 seed with 2,030 points. The driver of the No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota’s first year with his new team has gone without a significant hitch securing two wins (Martinsville, Mid-Ohio) to lock him into the Playoffs. Despite missing Gateway due to illness, The Marietta, Georgia native leads the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series field with 408 laps led, 13 top-10 finishes, and five stage wins. This is Heim’s first Playoff appearance.
Heading into the Playoffs as the No. 2 seed is the reigning NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Champion Zane Smith with 2,022 points. The 24-year-old swept both the regular and postseason titles last year. Like Heim, Smith reached the Playoffs on two wins (Daytona, COTA). The driver of No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford became the first repeat NASCAR winner at COTA and made the Front Row Motorsports team a perfect 3-for-3 in CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races at the famed road course, after taking the reins from Todd Gilliland. With eight top-five finishes, Smith leads the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series field.
With 2,021 points, Carson Hocevar of Niece Motorsports enters as the No.3 seed. The third-year driver has been in the Playoffs since his rookie season in 2020. Piloting the No. 42 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet, Hocevar leads the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series with three wins (Texas, Nashville, Richmond). The Michigan native held an impressive streak of five consecutive top-five finishes – the longest of his career – during the stint from Darlington to Nashville.
The driver of the No. 19 McAnally-Hilgermann Racing Chevrolet Christian Eckes heads into the Playoffs at the No. 4 seed with 2,019 points. It didn’t take Eckes long to mesh well with his new team. The 22-year-old raced his way into his third Playoffs after securing two wins (Atlanta, Darlington). The New York native’s four stage wins are tied for second among the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series field.
Postseason veteran and the No. 5 seed Grant Enfinger enters the Playoffs two points behind Eckes with 2,017 points. With steady performances week in and week out, the driver of the No. 23 GMS Racing Chevrolet has only failed to crack the top-15 only twice – both before May. With two wins (Kansas, St. Louis) securing his Playoff spot, Enfinger will look to continue his consistency in the postseason.
The No. 6 seed Ty Majeski follows Enfinger into the Playoffs with 2,014 points – three behind the veteran. The driver of the No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford was the first driver to lock himself into the Playoffs via points. The Wisconsin native has had a knack for high finishes this season. His seven top-five finishes are tied for second among the entire CRAFTSMAN Truck Series field, while his 11 top- 10 finishes rank second.
2021 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Champion Ben Rhodes enters the Playoffs as the No. 7 seed with 2,013 points. Rhodes is no stranger to the postseason as this is his sixth Playoff appearance. The 26-year-old secured his spot with one win (Charlotte). In sixteen starts this season, the driver of the No. 99 ThorSport Racing Ford has 10 top-10 finishes and 88 laps led.
Entering as the No. 8 seed with 2,005 points is Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate Nick Sanchez. The 2022 ARCA Menards Series Champion has taken the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series by storm as he leads the field with four poles. Although the rookie has not seen Victory Lane yet, there is no doubt about the speed he possesses. The 22-year-old finished inside the top-10 in five of the final six regular season races.
Following closely behind by three points as the No. 9 seed is Matt DiBenedetto (2,002 points). After a rough start to the season, the driver of the No. 25 Rackley W.A.R. Chevrolet raced his way into the Playoffs via points. The California native concluded the 2023 regular season by finishing inside the top-10 in six of his last seven events.
Rounding out the 10 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff contenders is veteran Matt Crafton, who also has 2,002 points. A seventh-place finish in the regular-season finale at Richmond helped the driver of the No. 88 ThorSport Racing Ford sneak his way into the postseason field – extending his series record of postseason appearances to eight seasons (2016-2023). With the experience of three prior titles (2013, 2014, 2019), Crafton is very familiar with the high adrenaline that the Playoffs bring.
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Etc.
Hocevar to attempt Xfinity race at Michigan with Spire Motorsports – Unlike most of his fellow NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series competitors who will be taking this weekend off, Niece Motorsport’s Carson Hocevar will instead be moonlighting in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in the Cabo Wabo 250 (Aug. 5) at Michigan International Speedway for Spire Motorsports.
Hocevar, who is just coming a big win in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series regular season finale at Richmond, will be piloting the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet on Saturday in the Xfinity Series race.
Hocevar has made four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts this season, posting two top 10s.