Christian Eckes wins thrilling CRAFTSMAN Truck race at Phoenix, Ben Rhodes banks second career championship: Cautions, re-starts, retribution, extra laps and high-action marked Friday night’s NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway. And that was just the final 50 laps. In the end, ThorSport Racing’s Ben Rhodes claimed his second series championship in the last three years with a hard-earned fifth-place finish in the No. 99 Ford while McAnally Hilgemann Racing’s Christian Eckes raced to his fourth win of the season by a slight .421-seconds over rookie teammate Jake Garcia in four dramatic overtime periods.(Read More)(11-4-2023)

After four overtime restarts, three wrecked championship contending trucks, #19-Christian Eckes won the season-ending CRAFTSMAN 150 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Phoenix Raceway. Despite having a battered race truck, #99-Ben Rhodes finished fifth, just one position ahead of #23-Grant Enfinger, to win the 2023 championship.
The race win was the fourth of the season for Eckes, his first at Phoenix, and the fifth Truck Series win of his career.
Rhodes won his second championship in three years, making him just the fifth repeat champion in series history.
#35-Jake Garcia grabbed a career-best finish in second. #4-Chase Purdy came home third, #1-Jesse Love was fourth, with Rhodes fifth.
Enfinger finished sixth, with #5-Dean Thompson, #02-Kaden Honeycutt, #15-Tanner Gray, and #2-Nick Sanchez completing the top-10.
Entering the race, #11-Corey Heim, the regular season champion, was the favorite to win the championship. He started from the pole and led 47 laps. Fellow title contender #42-Carson Hocevar, who was also within the top-10 for the majority of the race, got into the rear of Heim on lap 121 and sent him up track into the #52 of Stewart Friesen. The damage on Heim’s truck took him out of contention and caused Hocevar to lose focus. He fell back in the pack, and his night only got worse when on lap 148 Heim seemingly retaliated.
Heim finished 18th and Hocevar was scored in 29th.
There were 10 lead changes among six drivers and 12 cautions for 77 yellow flag laps.
The average speed of the race was: 72.797mph.
See race details at: Race Results, Driver Point Standings, Owner Point Standings, Cumulative Report, Penalty Report

Race Fast Facts – Phoenix
Christian Eckes won the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship, his fifth victory in 91 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races.
This is his fourth victory and 13th top-10 finish in 2023.
This is his first victory and fourth top-10 finish in five races at Phoenix Raceway.
Jake Garcia # (second) posted his first top-10 finish in two races at Phoenix Raceway. It is his ninth top-10 finish in 2023.
Chase Purdy (third) posted his first top-10 finish in four races at Phoenix Raceway.
Jake Garcia (second) was the highest finishing rookie.
Ben Rhodes (P) has won the 2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship.
Nick Sanchez wins the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors.
Chevrolet has won the 2023 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Manufacturer’s Championship.
(NASCAR)

Final Truck Series Championship Driver Point Standings after Phoenix:
1) #99-Ben Rhodes, 4032
2) #23-Grant Enfinger, 4031, -1
3) #11-Corey Heim, 4019, -13
4) #42-Carson Hocevar, 4008, -24
See the Driver Point Standings, Owner Point Standings

Championship Fast Facts
Driver Champion: Ben Rhodes
Team: No. 99 ThorSport Racing Ford
Ben Rhodes has won his second NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship becoming the fifth driver in series history to win multiple titles; joining NASCAR Hall of Famer Ron Hornaday Jr. (2009, ’07, ’98, ‘96), Jack Sprague (2001, ’99, ’97), Todd Bodine (2010, ’06) and his ThorSport Racing teammate Matt Crafton (2013, 2014, 2019)
Rhodes is one of 20 different drivers to win the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship all-time.
Rhodes finished fifth the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck season finale at Phoenix Raceway to win the title.
Rhodes finished the 2023 season with 23 starts, one win, seven top fives and 14 top 10s.
During the Playoffs this season, Rhodes has posted three top fives and four top 10s in seven starts.
Rhodes, from Louisville, Kentucky, is the first and only NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion from the state of Kentucky.
Owner Champion: Duke and Rhonda Thorson, ThorSport Racing
This is ThorSport Racing’s fifth all-time NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series driver championship (Matt Crafton,
2013, 2014, 2019; Ben Rhodes, 2021, 2023) – the most driver titles by an organization in the series all-time.
This is ThorSport Racing’s second NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series owner championship (2021, 2023).
ThorSport Racing is one of 16 different organizations to win NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series owner championship.
ThorSport Racing has posted 28 wins in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series among seven different drivers
– Terry Cook, Matt Crafton, Johnny Sauter, Ben Rhodes, Chase Briscoe, Joey Logano and Ty Majeski.
Owners Duke and Rhonda Thorson fielded their first truck in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series with driver
Terry Cook at the Milwaukee Mile Speedway on July 6, 1996.
Crew Chief Champion: Rich Lushes
This is Rich Lushes’ second career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship (2012, 2023) – both with driver Ben Rhodes.
Lushes is one of 23 different crew chiefs to win a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship, and the sixth different crew chief to win multiple titles; joining Carl Joiner (2013, 2014, 2019), Dennis Connor (1997, 1999, 2001), Mike Hillman Jr. (2006, 2010), Rick Ren (2007, 2009) and Ryan ‘Rudy’ Fugle (2015, 2017).
Lushes has three career NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series victories – all with driver Ben Rhodes.
(NASCAR)

Paint Schemes

Trucks to the rear: #25-Parsons(backup truck)

Pitstall Selections

#11-Corey Heim won the pole for the CRAFTSMAN 150 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season finale at Phoenix Raceway with a speed of 136.654mph for his fourth pole of the season, first at Phoenix, and the sixth pole of his career.
#98-Ty Majeski will start second, followed by #2-Nick Sanchez, #38-Zane Smith, #4-Chase Purdy, #99-Ben Rhodes, #51-Jack Wood, #19-Christian Eckes, #24-Rajah Caruth, and #1-Jesse Love in the top-10.
Where the Playoff drivers qualified:
#11-Heim, 1st
#99-Rhodes 6th
#42-Hocevar 13th
#23-Enfinger, 17th
Did not qualify: #12-Spencer Boyd and #33-Keith McGee.
See the complete CRAFTSMAN 150 Starting Lineup and check out the complete Qualifying Results.

Qualifying Fast Facts – Phoenix:
Corey Heim (P) won the Cometic Gasket Pole Award for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship race with a lap of 26.344 seconds, 136.654 mph.
This is his sixth pole in 41 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races.
This is his fourth pole and 15th top-10 start in 2023.
This is his first pole in two races at Phoenix Raceway.
Ty Majeski (second) posted his 19th top-10 start of 2023 and his third in three races at Phoenix Raceway.
Nick Sanchez # (third) posted his first top-10 start at Phoenix Raceway. It is his 16th in 23 races this season.
Nick Sanchez (third) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
(NASCAR)

Crew Rosters

Qualifying Order

Practice for CRAFTSMAN 150 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Phoenix Raceway is over; the top-five, slowest and notes:
#2-Sanchez 134.943
#11-Heim 134.544
#98-Majeski 134.313
#51-Wood 134.173
#52-Friesen 133.819
Slowest: #33-McGee, 124.117
Most laps run: #45-Alan, 40
Notes: #25-Parsons wrecked at the end of the session with extensive damage to the right side.
Where the Playoff drivers practiced:
#11-Heim, 2nd
#99-Rhodes, 15th
#23-Enfinger, 16th
#42-Hocevar, 21st
See complete results on the Practice speeds page.

The entry list for the season finale CRAFTSMAN 150 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Phoenix Raceway has been released. There are 38 drivers/teams for 36 spots. Since 38 teams are entered, two will miss the race.
Some notes: #1-Jesse Love, #02-Kaden Honeycutt, #04-Spencer Davis, #7-Marco Andretti, #20-Nick Leitz, #22-Christian Rose, #25-Stefan Parsons, #30-Chris Hacker, #61-Jake Drew, #66-Conner Jones, #75-Sean Hingorani, #77-Derek Kraus.
See the complete CRAFTSMAN 150 Entry List page.

Goodyear Tire Notes

Weekend Event Schedule