Frontrunners crash as Hocevar claims first truck win in wild Texas finish

Carson Hocevar clinched his first NASCAR Truck Series win at Texas Motor Speedway in a dramatic overtime finish on Saturday.

Nick Sanchez dominated the race from pole, winning both stages and leading 168 of 171 laps.

At the white flag, he fought next door to reigning Truck Series Champion Zane Smith. He sidestepped just as Hocevar came at them with a massive run. Sanchez’s truck hooked to the right and slammed into the outside wall, picking up both Smith and Christian Eckes.

“In the final round, me and the 38 played an aggressive side draft game,” Sanchez explained after being released from the infield care center. “Walked at him a bit too aggressively, broke loose, walked through the grass, saved it and just got hooked by the 42 (Hocevar) so I don’t know what else to say about that… Hate that we fast.” ripped one up, but we’ll build another and come back stronger.”

Smith blamed Sanchez, saying of the incident, “I don’t really know what’s wrong with the 2 (Sanchez) but he was just so patchy, especially on the straights. drives him through the grass and then I’m just hooked… he was a featherless arrow on the straight.”

The caution at the end of the race meant Hocevar would win for the first time in his 59th career start. He had four second places and several other close calls before this win. Of course he was excited.

“I’m just excited,” said Hocevar. “I didn’t want to get into the 2 (Sanchez). I just wanted to give him a shove and they were sideways. When I hit him he was gone. I apologize to them. I’ll take the fall there demolishing a Chevy, but Luckily there’s a Chevy in Victory Lane.

“But of all times we are the fastest car and I don’t win and this team didn’t win and they deserve to win more than anything. Now I can stop being asked the same question so many times. We didn’t deserve to win today, but we were in the right place at the right time.

Unofficially, Chase Purdy was ranked second, followed by Stewart Friesen, Ty Majeski, Jake Garcia, Hailie Deegan, Corey Heim, Ryan Vargas, Jack Wood and Ben Rhodes.

stage 1

Sanchez led the field from the pole to the green flag, but caution flew almost immediately when Chad Chastain spun on the exit of Turn 2. He suffered rear damage after backing the truck up against the outside wall.

Chastain then spun a second time in the same spot as before. He was the first driver to drop out of the race.

At the subsequent restart, Christian Eckes briefly fought for the lead before settling into second place.

Tanner Gray entered Hocevar and both drivers slid up the track. As the field looked up, Tyler Ankrum made contact with another truck and suffered a tire blowout.

A competition warning on lap 35 brought the field back behind the pace car. There are no live pit stops for the standalone truck race, so the order after the pit stops stayed the same.

Sanchez dominated the opening period, taking the green and white checkered flag ahead of Rhodes, Eckes, Majeski, Z. Smith, Dean Thompson, Corey Heim, Purdy, Friesen and Grant Enfinger.

Level 2

Rhodes tried his best to hold on to Sanchez’s outside early in stage two, but eventually gave up position. Caution then blew up for a single truck spin from Lawless Alan.

Eckes moved second ahead of Rhodes in the restart that followed, but Sanchez maintained control.

Behind, Hocevar encountered Raj Caruth, who flattened the outer wall. Due to the damage, he had to pit under green.

Matt Crafton passed Stewart Friesen for the final stage point just before the end of Stage 2.

Sanchez again won the stage ahead of Rhodes, Eckes, Majeski, Z. Smith, Thompson, Heim, Purdy and Crafton.

level 3

Smith shot up to second at the restart to start the final stage just behind Sanchez.

Thompson slipped into the marbles and dropped several places as multiple fights raged throughout the field. tay. Gray then came into the wall but continued.

Smith ran towards Sanchez and slid up in front of him. Sanchez cut back under him and took the lead again. However, the fight was then interrupted by another yellow.

Jack Wood had dragged grass and dirt onto the front straight after an infield excursion, earning the seventh caution of the race.

The following restart ended in a violent one Collision of several trucks on the front straight. The red flag was promptly displayed with 22 laps to go.

Thompson had spun on the exit of Turn 4 and suffered multiple bumps from Trey Hutchens and Matt Mills. Armani Williams was also involved. Mills hit the ground to catch his breath after emerging from his wrecked truck. Thompson was placed on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance.

He was later taken to a local hospital for further evaluation.

Tyler Ankrum was also injured in the incident.

The race resumed with 17 laps to go. Smith was chasing Sanchez for the lead, only for another caution when Taylor Gray hit the wall and spun. He picked up Daniel Dye on his way across the track. Ben Rhodes also made an unscheduled pit stop after hitting the outside wall.

The green flag waved, followed by another warning. Crafton, Enfinger, Tan. Gray and Colby Howard were all involved. They weren’t done yet in this high attrition race either.

The first restart in overtime didn’t last long as Alan received the eleventh caution for a spin.

In double overtime, Sanchez and Smith fought for race victory. The wreck, which ended both their days and Eckes, left the riders in 14th (Smith), 15th (Eckes) and 16th (Sanchez).

Immediately the warning flag was raised and after a quick check, Hocevar was declared the winner of the race. He only led the last lap.

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