With three NASCAR Truck Series Championship 4 spots available during Friday night’s Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 200 at Martinsville Speedway, Christian Eckes and Ty Majeski put themselves in prime position to advance.
Both Eckes (plus-38 points) and Majeski (+22) rank as the No. 3 and 4 playoff drivers. Second-ranked Corey Heim sits 48 points above the elimination line and qualified P7 Friday. Grant Enfinger, who captured back-to-back events, remains the lone qualified driver for the final four race at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 8.
During Friday’s qualifying session, Eckes executed a hot lap of 96.83 mph, earning his third pole position this season. Majeski (96.803 mph) will begin on the outside of the front row.
Eckes also paced the field during the morning practice, with Majeski close behind. Eckes turned his best 0.526-mile lap in 20.14 seconds, edging Majeski (20.152 seconds).
Returning to competition, Matt Mills told NASCAR.com that he was “feeling a lot better each day.”
Mills’ machine caught fire after hitting the wall last Saturday’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway and he spent two nights in a Florida hospital. He qualified P21 Friday.
It's great to see you back at the race track, @mattmillsracing. pic.twitter.com/GHTRYjJvRy
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) November 1, 2024
NASCAR Truck Series Suspends Driver Conner Jones
Scrutinized driver Conner Jones finds additional trouble from his actions at Homestead-Miami.
Series officials reviewed last Saturday’s fiery accident Jones caused and issued a one-race suspension to the driver of the No. 66 Ford. On Lap 75, Jones tapped Mills’ machine, which hit the Turn 3 wall and caught fire. Mills was hospitalized for two nights before being released.
Jones, 18, initially served a two-lap penalty for over-aggressive driving. On Wednesday, industry officials announced Jones, a rookie of the year candidate despite a part-time schedule, will be forced out of Saturday’s Round of 8 finale.
Jones, who has a history of creating on-track issues on the ARCA Menards Series and zMAX CARS Tour, also unloaded a profanity-laced tirade on the team radio after last Saturday’s run-in.
Former long-time team driver Johnny Sauter is scheduled to replace Jones for Friday’s qualifying session and Saturday’s event. Sauter initially signed on with Hattori Racing Enterprises to run at Martinsville but, Landen Lewis was recruited to pilot the No. 16 Toyota. Lewis will make his season debut.
Conner Jones was asked if he had a minute.
“Not right now.”#NASCAR pic.twitter.com/33Tnj2QYuM
— Daniel McFadin (@danielmcfadin) October 26, 2024
Starting Lineup for NASCAR Truck Series’ Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 200
Here is a look at the lineup for Friday’s NASCAR Truck Series’ Zip Buy Now, Pay Later 200 at Martinsville Speedway:
Starting Position, Driver, Car No., Team
- 1, Christian Eckes, 19, McAnally Hilgemann Racing
- 2, Ty Majeski, 98, ThorSport Racing
- 3, Taylor Gray, 17, TRICON Garage
- 4, Nick Sanchez, 2, Rev Racing
- 5, Layne Riggs, 38, Front Row Motorsports
- 6, Ben Rhodes, 99, ThorSport Racing
- 7, Corey Heim, 11, TRICON Garage
- 8, Chase Purdy, 77, Spire Motorsports
- 9, Kaden Honeycutt, 45, Niece Motorsports
- 10, Jack Wood, 91, McAnally Hilgemann Racing
- 11, Rajah Caruth, 71, Spire Motorsports
- 12, William Sawalich, 1, TRICON Garage
- 13, Johnny Sauter, 66, ThorSport Racing
- 14, Laden Lewis, 16, Hattori Racing Enterprises
- 15, Tanner Gray, 15, TRICON Garage
- 16, Matt Crafton, 88, ThorSport Racing
- 17, Dean Thompson, 5, TRICON Garage
- 18, Daniel Dye, 43, McAnally Hilgemann Racing
- 19, Timmy Hill, 56, Hill Motorsports
- 20, Stewart Friesen, 52, Halmar Friesen Racing
- 21, Matt Mills, 42, Niece Motorsports
- 22, Matthew Gould, 44, Niece Motorsports
- 23, Tyler Ankrum, 18, McAnally Hilgemann Racing
- 24, Dawson Sutton, 25, Niece Motorsports
- 25, Bayley Currey, 41, Niece Motorsports
- 26, Jake Garcia, 13, ThorSport Racing
- 27, Connor Zilisch, 7, Spire Motorsports
- 28, Brett Moffitt, 4, Hettinger Racing
- 29, Dylan Lupton, 82, Young’s Motorsports
- 30, Lawless Alan, 33, Reaume Brothers Racing
- 31, Corey Day, 81, McAnally Hilgemann Racing
- 32, Spencer Boyd, 76, Freedom Racing Enterprises
- 33, Grant Enfinger, 9, CR7 Motorsports
- 34, Norm Benning, 6, Norm Benning Racing
- 35, Clayton Green, 22, Reaume Brothers Racing
- 36, Justin S Carroll, 90, Terry Carroll Motorsports
Now, it all comes down to @MartinsvilleSwy. #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/z2a6xYAHz5
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 26, 2024
