Nick Sanchez took the green flag for the NextEra Energy 250 at Daytona, marking the start of the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
The race would quickly fall to yellow as a popup rain shower came, not even three minutes after the green flag waved.
After multiple rain cautions we would see a long green flag stint, bringing the field to the end of stage one. Christian Eckes would win stage one, holding off Matt Crafton and Matt DiBendetto.
Just nine laps into stage two would feature a wreck with a big effect on multiple trucks. In just a span of 15 seconds we would see six trucks collide coming out of the tri oval, the incident started after Clay Greenfield got loose going three-wide. The red flag would occur for track cleanup along with rain coming back.
The big one would strike on the final lap of stage two as Tyler Ankrum took the stage-ended checkered flag along with the yellow flag. Stewart Friesen was spun by Ben Rhodes, who pushed too hard, spinning the No.52 into the wall, collecting multiple other drivers.
Going green for the final 50 laps would feature steady racing until the sixth caution would fly with 42 to go. Rajah Caruth got loose in turns 3 and 4, collecting Grant Enfinger, Daniel Dye and Matt DeBenedetto. At this point the race has not seemed to get into a consistent rhythm due to rain, stages ending and driver error.
With 27 laps to go the red flag would come out again as heavy rain fell on the track. With the race being official past its halfway point of 50 laps. Heavy rain only lasted several minutes, Turing into a mist as drivers and teams waited on if the race would be called. After an hour of a red flag stoppage we would see the trucks take on the track, only to go back on pit road with rain falling again during the yellow flag laps.
NASCAR would call the race and with that it would be Zane Smith and Front Row Motorsports who are victorious as the clock closed in on midnight. This marks back-to-back wins for Smith at the Daytona opener. Smith wheeled his No.38 into the lead moments prior to the red flag.
TOP 5
1: Zane Smith
2: Tanner Gray
3: Christian Eckes
4: Colby Howard
5th: Grant Enfinger
Smith will be back behind the drivers seat on Sunday with FRM in the Daytona 500.
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