The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series took on the “Tricky Triangle” this past weekend at Pocono Raceway, as the regular season winds down and the pressure is added on to the tough truckers. With 35 drivers at the ready, Layne Riggs and Kaden Honeycutt were fastest in qualifying earlier in the afternoon, allowing them to lead the field to the green flag.
Stage 1
Riggs had the advantage on the start, leading the field to green, but Honeycutt was able to prevail coming out of Turn 1. The always-dominant Corey Heim took the lead on the backstretch, as Honeycutt and Riggs got settled in behind them, as Carson Hocevar and Tanner Gray rounded out the top-5. Throughout the pack, drivers fought for valuable real estate to collect stage points towards their playoff hopes. Daniel Hemric and Ty Majeski made contact on Lap 3, going into Turn 2, but nothing too major. The draft played a role in the running order, allowing drivers to slingshot around one another, after building momentum on a long straightaway. With two-to-go in the stage, Cody Dennison slammed the outside wall going into Turn 1, allowing Layne Riggs to win Stage 1, and was followed by Kaden Honeycutt and Connor Mosack, rounding out the top-3.
Stage 2
On the start of the second stage, Stewart Friesen started alongside Heim, with the advantage belonging to Friesen, until Heim reclaimed the lead on Lap 27. Heim has been on a mission all year, leading at least one lap in every single NCTS race up to this point. With a few laps to go in the second Stage, Hocevar drove his way up to second, but it was not enough, allowing Heim to collect another stage victory towards the playoffs.
Final Stage
On the last restart, Nashville winner, Rajah Caruth led the field to the green flag after staying out under caution, leaving the Washington D.C. native with older tires compared to the rest of the field. Heim started alongside him, as the field fanned out going into Turn 1. Caruth was able to lead three laps before Heim and the rest of the field passed Caruth. On Lap 57, Grant Enfinger made contact with Ben Rhodes on Lap 57, causing a multi-truck pileup.
The race restarted with less than 20-to-go, but before the restart, Corey Heim had a tire issue and was forced to come down pit road. Hocevar and Riggs led the field, as Hocevar initially prevailed, but NASCAR determined that Hocevar jumped the restart, forcing him to come down pit road and serve a penalty. This allowed Layne Riggs to collect his first win of the 2025 season and third-career win, locking him into the Playoffs ahead of this weekend’s race at Lime Rock Park.
Leaving Pocono, Corey Heim finds himself +138 over Chandler Smith, as there are only three spots available in the Playoff Standings. Grant Enfinger, Kaden Honeycutt and Ty Majeski hold the last three spots on points, but with four races remaining, there’s a possibility we get four winners and the tenth seed is determined by who’s highest up in points, so expect more aggression going into Lime Rock Park this weekend, which takes place Saturday, June 28th at 1:00PM EST/10:00AM PST on FOX.
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