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The Camping World Truck Series drivers are back in action with a playoff race at Darlington on Sunday, Sept. 5. Sheldon Creed is fresh off a win and has a secure spot in the next round while several other drivers have to fight to avoid the first round of cuts. John Hunter Nemechek, in particular, will have to rebound from an issue-filled race at Gateway Motorsports Park.
The points leader entered the first playoff race on Aug. 20 as one of the favorites to win. However, he struggled with multiple issues early. The No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota Tundra had to go behind the wall with 31 laps remaining to replace a brake rotor. He also suffered damage to the rear of the truck at the start of the final stage after losing power and taking a hit from behind.
While Nemechek finished five laps behind the field at Gateway Motorsports Park, he maintained his hold on the points lead. Now he will head to Darlington, a track where he previously finished eighth on May 7. Creed actually won the Throwback Weekend race while playoff drivers Ben Rhodes, Carson Hocevar, and Matt Crafton finished in the top five.
A Wreck Disrupted Nemechek at Darlington
The last time Nemechek competed at Darlington Raceway, he made it appear that he would win yet again. He led 65 of the 147 laps at the 1.36-mile oval and locked up the Stage 2 win. However, an on-track incident hurt his chances of another victory.
The final stage featured multiple incidents, including the “big one” that involved more than 10 trucks. The wreck began when both Corey Heim and Nemechek turned due to Austin Hill and Stewart Friesen pushing behind them on the restart. They collided with each other and then hit the wall while drivers behind them wrecked.
Several playoff hopefuls were able to slip past the wreckage, but others came to a stop behind a wall of damaged trucks. The caution flag immediately flew while the cleanup began. The race eventually restarted, leading to Creed and Rhodes battling over the final laps for the win and the $50,000 bonus.
The Darlington Race Will Affect Rookie of the Year
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GettyTruck Series playoff drivers pose with the championship trophy.
The driver of the No. 4 KBM Toyota Tundra will be one of the big storylines entering the second playoff race of 2021, but so will the two men competing for Rookie of the Year. Niece Motorsports driver Carson Hocevar and KBM’s Chandler Smith are the only two rookies to reach the playoffs, automatically making them the top options for the prestigious award.
Hocevar currently has the lead after finishing eighth at Gateway Motorsports Park. He now has 2,031 points. Smith, who finished 28th in the first playoff race, sits 21 points behind his peer with 2,010 points.
The race at Darlington will potentially play a significant role in the battle for Rookie of the Year based on the outcome of the Throwback Weekend race. Hocevar locked up third overall and 42 points while Smith ended his day early.
NASCAR officials “parked” the rookie after he drove too fast past the safety vehicles following a wreck in the final stage. Smith ended the day in 27th with only 11 points to his name. Though he earned points during the first two stages.
The two rookies will continue their battle on Sunday, Sept. 5, with the second race of the NASCAR Truck Series playoffs. The race will take place at Darlington Raceway at 1:30 p.m. ET and will air on FS1.
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