North Wilesboro is Heim Time in Trucks

(NORTH WILKESBORO, NC – MAY 19, 2024 – RIS) Corey Heim scored his third victory in the season. The brand-new pavement got washed clean when torrential rain hit the track just after the first stage ended Saturday, forcing the Wright Brand 250 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race to be completed on Sunday. In spite of the rain-cleaned new asphalt, the race resumed with some three-wide passes, side-by-side battles that lasted for lap after lap. Series rookie Laybe Riggs took third place, just ahead of first-time series racer Brenden Queen who finished fourth after making over 60 position passes in the race. 

Ty Majeski took the lead from Christian Eckes after Eckes led the first 62 laps of the Wright Brand 250 and led through the stage brake, holding the lead until Mother Nature decided to flood the track with rain calling so hard that tires were floating around the pits and the pit wall was actually under water because a drain was blocked in the first turn. When the green flag finally came back out on Sunday morning, Rajah Caruth jumped out to the lead and held on until he got a little loose and spun with Majeski to his outside. No contact was made and the caution opened up the pit stop cycles for most of the field.

Another caution flew when Lawless Alan slid into the wall on lap 114, with many teams opting to pit for tires and fuel. 

The second stage ended under caution for Bret Holmes’ spin in turn one, with Tyler Ankrum leading at the end of the stage.

Jake Garcia and Layne Riggs took the lead at the restart, followed by Tyler Ankrum, Stewart Friesen and Ben Rhodes but the lead ten started swapping positions.

A spin by Conner Jones in the fourth turn brought out another brief yellow on lap 176, followed by one on lap 211 when Nick Sanchez spun entering the first turn. In all the other action, first-time series driver Brenden Queen has passed over 60 trucks for positions and is running in fifth place while Heim and Riggs run one-two with Heim about a second ahead of Riggs in just a few laps.

Heim took the white flag three seconds ahead of Enfinger, with Riggs, Queen and Sammy Smith following in the top five positions. 

[I] can’t say enough about these Tricon Aarage guys,” said Heim after giving the checkered flag to a young fan after the race.

‘Butterbean’ Brenden Queen said after finishing fourth that: “It’s what I’ve worked for all my life and and never knew if I’d have this opportunity. I was just lucky to drive it. I’m just blessed – I love racing my late model but this is my dream to get to the next level – I’m the lucky guy who gets to hold the wheel.”

Unofficial Results: Wright Brand 250, May 19, 2024 - North Wilkesboro Speedway
Fin, Str, Driver, Truck, Laps, Stage 1 Pos, Stage 2 Pos, Pts, Status, Tms, Laps, Playoff Pts
1) 12, Corey Heim, No. 11 Safelite Toyota, 250, 5, 8, 49, Running, 2, 66, 5
2) 9, Grant Enfinger, No. 9 Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet, 250, , 10, 36, Running, , , 
3) 23, Layne Riggs #, No. 38 Infinity Communications Group Ford, 250, , 5, 40, Running, , , 
4) 26, Brenden Queen, No. 1 Best Repair Company Toyota, 250, , , 33, Running, , , 
5) 31, Sammy Smith(i), No. 7 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet, 250, , , 0, Running, , , 
6) 1, Christian Eckes, No. 19 Instacoat Premium Products Chevrolet, 250, 7, 7, 39, Running, 1, 62, 
7) 2, Nick Sanchez, No. 2 Gainbridge/NASCAR Foundation Chevrolet, 250, , , 30, Running, , , 
8) 21, Tyler Ankrum, No. 18 LiUNA! Chevrolet, 250, 10, 1, 40, Running, 1, 26, 1
9) 18, Daniel Dye, No. 43 Champion Container Chevrolet, 250, , 9, 30, Running, , , 
10) 11, Stewart Friesen, No. 52 Halmar International Toyota, 250, , 3, 35, Running, , , 
11) 4, Ty Majeski, No. 98 Road Ranger Ford, 250, 1, , 36, Running, 2, 50, 1
12) 17, Jack Wood, No. 91 Cometic Gasket/Klotz Chevrolet, 250, 9, 4, 34, Running, , , 
13) 5, Taylor Gray, No. 17 SEM Products Toyota, 250, 4, , 31, Running, , , 
14) 24, Rajah Caruth, No. 71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, 250, 3, , 31, Running, 1, 6, 
15) 3, Ross Chastain(i), No. 45 NC Governor's Hwy Safety Program Chevrolet, 250, , , 0, Running, , , 
16) 8, Tanner Gray, No. 15 Dead On Tools Toyota, 250, 8, , 24, Running, , , 
17) 33, Stefan Parsons, No. 75 Food Country USA Chevrolet, 250, , , 20, Running, , , 
18) 15, Matt Mills, No. 42 J.F. Electric/Utilitra Chevrolet, 250, , , 19, Running, , , 
19) 19, Bayley Currey, No. 41 AutoVentive/Precision Chevrolet, 250, , , 18, Running, , , 
20) 25, Matt Crafton, No. 88 Jack Links/Menards Ford, 250, , , 17, Running, , , 
21) 14, Jake Garcia, No. 13 Quanta Services Ford, 250, , 2, 25, Running, 1, 40, 
22) 6, Ben Rhodes, No. 99 Campers Inn RV Ford, 250, 2, 6, 29, Running, , , 
23) 22, Mason Massey, No. 02 RANDCO Industries Chevrolet, 250, , , 14, Running, , , 
24) 7, Chase Purdy, No. 77 Bama Buggies Chevrolet, 250, , , 13, Running, , , 
25) 10, Ty Dillon, No. 25 Rackley Roofing Chevrolet, 250, 6, , 17, Running, , , 
26) 13, Timmy Hill, No. 56 Coble Enterprises/UNITS Toyota, 250, , , 11, Running, , , 
27) 28, Dean Thompson, No. 5 Thompson Pipe Group Toyota, 249, , , 10, Running, , , 
28) 36, Dawson Sutton, No. 26 Rackley Roofing Chevrolet, 248, , , 9, Running, , , 
29) 20, Bret Holmes, No. 32 Best Value Carriers Chevrolet, 247, , , 8, Running, , , 
30) 16, Lawless Alan, No. 33 AUTOChargit Ford, 246, , , 7, Running, , , 
31) 29, Thad Moffitt #, No. 46 Window World Chevrolet, 245, , , 6, Running, , , 
32) 27, Spencer Boyd, No. 76 Latitude Aero Chevrolet, 245, , , 5, Running, , , 
33) 32, Josh Reaume, No. 22 Matrix CAD Design Ford, 245, , , 4, Running, , , 
34) 34, Clayton Green, No. 04 CarQuest Chevrolet, 245, , , 3, Running, , , 
35) 30, Conner Jones #, No. 66 Farm Paint Ford, 179, , , 2, Accident, , , 
36) 35, Trey Hutchens, No. 14 Quality Roof Seamers Chevrolet, 128, , , 1, Transmission, , ,
(i) Ineligible for driver points, (#) Rookie

Race Length: 250 Laps, 156.25 Miles
Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 53 Mins, 2 Secs.
Average Speed: 82.94 MPH
Margin of Victory: 2.474 Seconds

Stage 1 Top 10: 98, 99, 71, 17, 11, 25, 19, 15, 91, 18
Stage 2 Top 10: 18, 13, 52, 91, 38, 99, 19, 11, 43, 9

Comments: Corey Heim won the Wright Brand 250 at North Wilkesboro Superspeedway, his eighth NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series victory.

Failed to Qualify: (1) 16 Aric Almirola(i).

Cautions: 7 for 58 laps;
Laps: 59-67 (Precipitation [02]);
72-86 (Stage 1 Conclusion [Red Flag 21:06:14] [7]);
93-98 (#71, 98 Incident Turn 2 [75]);
117-123 (#33 Incident Turn 2 [56]);
140-146 (#32 Incident Turn 2 / Stage 2 Conclusion [2]);
178-185 (#66 Incident Turn 4 [26]);
213-218 (#2, 5 Incident Turn 2 [25]).

Lead Changes: 7 among 6 drivers;
C. Eckes 1-62;
T. Majeski 63-85;
R. Caruth 86-91;
T. Majeski 92-118;
C. Heim 119;
T. Ankrum 120-145;
J. Garcia 146-185;
C. Heim 186-250.

Unofficial Points: Wright Brand 250 - North Wilkesboro Speedway
Pos) Driver   Truck Starts GL     Points Ldr    Nxt    Race Wins    Stage Wins   Playoff Pts
1) Christian Eckes   19      10      0       426    0       0       2       3       13
2) Corey Heim         11      10      0       422    -4      4       3       4       19
3) Ty Majeski 98      10      1       362    -64     60      0       3       3
4) Nick Sanchez      2       10      -1      360    -66     2       1       1       6
5) Taylor Gray         17      10      0       328    -98     32      0       0       0
6) Tyler Ankrum      18      10      1       315    -111   13      0       2       2
7) Rajah Caruth      71      10      -1      307    -119   8       1       0       5
8) Grant Enfinger    9       10      3       256    -170   51      0       0       0
9) Ben Rhodes        99      10      1       254    -172   2       0       0       0
10) Tanner Gray      15      10      -1      252    -174   2       0       0       0
11) Matt Crafton      88      10      -3      250    -176   2       0       0       0
12) Daniel Dye        43      10      0       235    -191   15      0       0       0
13) Stewart Friesen  52      10      0       222    -204   13      0       0       0
14) Jake Garcia       13      10      2       206    -220   16      0       0       0
15) Bayley Currey    41      10      -1      202    -224   4       0       0       0
16) Chase Purdy      77      10      -1      196    -230   6       0       0       0
17) Layne Riggs #    38      10      4       191    -235   5       0       0       0
18) Bret Holmes      32      10      -1      182    -244   9       0       0       0
19) Ty Dillon 25      10      0       177    -249   5       0       0       0
20) Dean Thompson 5       10      -2      173    -253   4       0       0       0
21) Timmy Hill        56      10      -1      169    -257   4       0       0       0
22) Mason Massey   02      10      1       151    -275   18      0       0       0
23) Kaden Honeycutt                  4       -1      140    -286   11      0       0       0
24) Lawless Alan     33      10      0       133    -293   7       0       0       0
25) Matt Mills         42      10      1       130    -296   3       0       0       0
26) Jack Wood        91      6       2       123    -303   7       0       0       0
27) Spencer Boyd    76      10      -2      120    -306   3       0       0       0
28) Stefan Parsons   75      5       -1      116    -310   4       0       0       0
29) Thad Moffitt #    46      10      0       93      -333   23      0       0       0
30) Conner Jones #  66      6       0       83      -343   10      0       0       0
31) Colby Howard             2       0       50      -376   33      0       0       0
32) Keith Mcgee               5       0       46      -380   4       0       0       0
33) Johnny Sauter            2       0       39      -387   7       0       1       1
34) Mason Maggio             4       0       39      -387   0       0       0       0
35) Connor Zilisch            1       0       38      -388   1       0       0       0
36) Brett Moffitt               1       0       37      -389   1       0       0       0
37) Brenden Queen  1       1       -37     33      -393   4       0       0       0
38) Connor Mosack           2       -1      31      -395   2       0       0       0
39) Bryan Dauzat             1       -1      28      -398   3       0       0       0
40) William Sawalich                  2       -1      28      -398   0       0       0       0
41) Jason White               1       -1      25      -401   3       0       0       0
42) Cam Waters               2       -1      25      -401   0       0       0       0
43) Carter Fartuch            1       -1      16      -410   9       0       0       0
44) Cory Roper                 1       -1      15      -411   1       0       0       0
45) Codie Rohrbaugh                  1       -1      14      -412   1       0       0       0
46) Dale Quarterley           1       -1      11      -415   3       0       0       0
47) Toni Breidinger           1       -1      10      -416   1       0       0       0
48) Stephen Mallozzi          1       -1      9       -417   1       0       0       0
49) Dawson Sutton  26      1       -49     9       -417   0       0       0       0
50) Kris Wright                1       -2      7       -419   2       0       0       0
51) Marco Andretti            1       -2      6       -420   1       0       0       0
52) Justin Carroll             2       -2      6       -420   0       0       0       0
53) Jennifer Jo Cobb                  1       -2      5       -421   1       0       0       0
54) Memphis Villarreal                1       -2      4       -422   1       0       0       0
55) Josh Reaume     22      1       -55     4       -422   0       0       0       0
56) Vicente Salas              1       -3      3       -423   1       0       0       0
57) Blake Lothian             1       -3      3       -423   0       0       0       0
58) Clayton Green    04      1       -58     3       -423   0       0       0       0
59) Trey Hutchens   14      2       -4      3       -423   0       0       0       0
60) Kyle Busch(i)              5       -4      0       -426   3       2       5       0
61) Ross Chastain(i) 45      3       -4      0       -426   0       1       0       0
62) Zane Smith(i)              4       -4      0       -426   0       0       1       0
63) Sammy Smith(i) 7       2       -2      0       -426   0       0       0       0
64) Christopher Bell(i)                 1       -5      0       -426   0       0       0       0
65) Jack Hawksworth                 0       -5      0       -426   0       0       0       0
66) Corey Lajoie(i)             1       -4      0       -426   0       0       0       0
67) Aric Almirola              0       -67     0       -426   0       0       0       0
68) Clay Greenfield           0       -5      0       -426   0       0       0       0
69) Ryan Huff                  0       -5      0       -426   0       0       0       0
-Ldr/-Nxt = Points behind Leader/Next higher,