By Reggie Gatlin-Holt

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series

Next Race: Clean Harbors 250

The Place: Richmond Raceway

Track Length: 0.75 Mile Asphalt Oval

The Date: Saturday, August 10

The Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

The Purse: $744,784

TV: FS1, 7:30 p.m. ET

Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Distance: 187.5 miles (250 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 70),

Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 140), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 250)

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series

Richmond Raceway awaits to host the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Regular Season Finale

With just one race left in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series regular season, Richmond Raceway has set the stage for some Saturday night short track racing with the Clean Harbors 250 on August 10 at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

To date, Richmond Raceway has hosted 15 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races, producing 10 different pole winners and 12 different race winners.

Tony Stewart (2002, 2003), Mike Skinner (1996, 2005), and Jack Sprague (1998, 2001) lead the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in wins at the 0.75-mile track with two victories each.

CR7 Motorsport’s Grant Enfinger (2020) is the only previous Richmond winner entered this weekend, while Matt Crafton has visited the track a total of nine times – the most out of the field.

Several legendary drivers have etched their names in the Richmond Raceway record books. Here’s a closer look:

• Race record: Bob Keselowski 104.167 mph (09/04/1997)
• Qualifying record: David Starr 126.648 mph (09/08/2005)
• Most races: Matt Crafton (9)
• Most poles: Ty Majeski (2)
• Most wins: Mike Skinner, Jack Sprague, Tony Stewart (2)
• Most top fives: Ted Musgrave, Joe Ruttman, Jack Sprague (4)
• Most top 10s: Jack Sprague (7)
• Laps led: Jack Sprague (304)

With only three spots remaining in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff field, every lap will count on Saturday.

Practice will begin Saturday, August 10 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FS1 followed by Cometic Gasket Pole Qualifying at 3:00 p.m. ET.

Eckes can almost taste the Regular Series Championship, but Heim is hot on his tail

It’s been a constant battle between Christian Eckes and Corey Heim all season, but McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Eckes currently holds the driver points lead in the series with one race left in the regular season.

The 23-year-old is currently 50 points up on Corey Heim in second as the series heads to Richmond Raceway for the Clean Harbors 250 on Saturday, August 10 at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

If Eckes can hold on and win the Regular Season Championship, he will get an additional 15 Playoff points to take with him into the postseason and will become the eighth different driver to win the regular season title: joining Christopher Bell (2017), Johnny Sauter (2018), Grant Enfinger (2019), Austin Hill (2020), John H. Nemechek (2021), Zane Smith (2022) and Corey Heim (2023).

The Middletown, New York native is undergoing a breakout year, having accumulated three wins, nine top-five, and 14 top-10 finishes this season. Eckes also leads the series in laps led this season with 698.

Clinch Scenarios: Regular Season Championship

The NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Regular Season Championship can be clinched by the following drivers:

• Christian Eckes: Would clinch with 11 points
• Corey Heim: Could only clinch with help

Playoff Clinch Scenarios: One race left to set the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoff field

Richmond Raceway’s Clean Harbors 250 will officially mark the end of the 2024 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Regular Season. While seven drivers are locked into the Playoffs (five on wins and two on points), a slew of others hovering around the cutoff line will try to either sustain their top 10 points position or make a last-ditch effort to win their way in this weekend.

The competitors who have earned their spot in the Playoffs are Christian Eckes, Corey Heim, Nick Sanchez, Rajah Caruth, Ty Majeski, Grant Enfinger, and Tyler Ankrum.

Following Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Daniel Dye is ranked 11th in the Playoff outlook, just five points back from Tanner Gray in the 10th and final postseason transfer spot on points. Just behind Dye is Stewart Friesen in 12th, 16 points back from the postseason cutoff, and three-time Truck Series champion Matt Crafton is 13th, -43 points back from Gray in 10th.

Since the introduction of the Playoffs in the series in 2016, Matt Crafton has not missed the Playoffs, and he leads the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in postseason appearances with eight consecutive (2016-2023). While still mathematically able to advance on points, Crafton is in a must-win scenario along with several other drivers: Chase Purdy (-44), Dean Thompson (-71), Layne Riggs (-75), Jake Garcia (-82), Bayley Currey (-109), Ty Dillon (-114), and Bret Holmes (-124).

Clinch Scenarios for Richmond Raceway – Regular Season Finale:

Already Clinched

The following seven drivers have clinched a spot in the 10-driver postseason field: Christian Eckes, Corey Heim, Ty Majeski, Nicholas Sanchez, Rajah Caruth, Tyler Ankrum, Grant Enfinger.

Can Clinch Via Points

If there is a repeat winner or a win by a driver who cannot advance to the Playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the 6th winless driver in the standings.  The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from among Tyler Ankrum, Grant Enfinger, Taylor Gray, Ben Rhodes or Tanner Gray.

• Taylor Gray: Would clinch with 8 points
• Ben Rhodes: Would clinch with 34 points
• Tanner Gray: Would clinch with 51 points
• Daniel Dye: Could only clinch with help
• Stewart Friesen: Could only clinch with help
• Matt Crafton: Could only clinch with help
• Chase Purdy: Could only clinch with help

If there is a new winner from Daniel Dye or another winless driver lower in the standings but still eligible to advance to the playoffs, the following drivers could clinch by being ahead of the 5th winless driver in the standings.

• Taylor Gray: Would clinch with 12 points
• Ben Rhodes: Would clinch with 39 points
• Tanner Gray: Could only clinch with help
• Daniel Dye: Could only clinch with help
• Stewart Friesen: Could only clinch with help

Can Clinch Via Win

The following drivers would clinch on their win alone:

• Taylor Gray, Ben Rhodes, Tanner Gray, Daniel Dye, Stewart Friesen, Matt Crafton, Chase Purdy, Dean Thompson, Layne Riggs, Jake Garcia, Bayley Currey, Ty Dillon, Bret Holmes, Matt Mills, Timmy Hill, Mason Massey, Lawless Alan, Spencer Boyd

Outside Looking In: One last shot at the Playoffs

TRICON Garage’s Tanner Gray currently holds a five point advantage over McAnally Hilgemann Racing’s Daniel Dye for the last spot (10th) in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs with one race to go in the regular season. Both drivers are looking to make the postseason for the first time in their careers.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, Etc.

Connor Zilisch returns to the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series with a chance to help Spire Motorsports in the Owner Point Standings – Newly announced full-time 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series driver, Connor Zilisch, returns to the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series at Richmond Raceway with a five-race plan throughout the final eight races of the 2024 season.

The Charlotte, North Carolina native will pilot the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet in his second career start in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series this weekend at Richmond, then the 18-year-old will compete at Bristol, Talladega, Homestead, and Martinsville.

A little over four months ago in his debut, Zilisch stole the show by claiming his first pole and becoming the first driver to win a pole in a CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut since Nick Sanchez during the 2023 opener at Daytona International Speedway. Ultimately, he finished fourth in his Truck debut.

Currently, the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet entry is ranked fifth in the owners’ point standings on the strength of two victories – both being recorded by two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February and at Texas Motor Speedway in April. In addition, the truck secured two stage victories, five top-five and nine top-10 results through 15 scheduled events, all while being piloted by the all-star lineup of Zilisch, Busch, Corey LaJoie, Sammy Smith, Connor Mosack, Andres Perez (current ARCA Menards Series points leader) and Clint Bowyer.

Connor Hall to make CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut at Richmond – 2023 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national champion, Connor Hall, will make his NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut this weekend behind the wheel of the No. 91 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet.

Hall, a native of Hampton, Virginia, has proven himself to be one of the elite competitors in asphalt late model racing nationwide. He currently leads both the zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock championship and the Virginia Triple Crown standings and is the defending NASCAR Weekly Series national champion.

“Every driver wants the chance at an opportunity like this, and I want to make the most of it,” Hall said. “Of all the places on the Truck Series schedule, I think Richmond will fit my driving style the best and the kind of racing we have in late model stocks can translate well. I’m incredibly excited for it, and I have to thank Bill McAnally, Towne Bank, A-All Mini Storage, and everyone at MHR for making this happen.”

Hall will join the No. 91 Chevrolet team which will be led by crew chief Darren Fraley at Richmond. The No. 91 team is currently 12th in the owners’ point standings entering the regular season finale.

“We’re really looking forward to having Connor drive for us at Richmond,” Bill McAnally said. “He has been one of the best late model drivers in the nation over the past couple of years and is absolutely deserving of this. He has the talent to win races and has shown the determination to do it. All that he needed was an opportunity and we’re glad to be able to make this a reality.”

COURTESY NASCAR COMMUNICATIONS