Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Pocono wasn’t a normal one, even though Kyle Busch cruised to his second win of the season at the super speedway. The race was lacking in truck series regulars, giving Busch an even easier path to victory lane.
Kyle Busch holds off Erik Jones, takes Pocono truck race
Noah Gragson, who sits third in the playoff grid, was not cleared by doctors to compete in the race due to stomach sickness. Gragson was even shown on a broadcast and appeared to be passing out trying to make it to qualifying for Saturday afternoon’s race.
Yeah, he definitely doesn't feel good. Feel better soon, Noah. pic.twitter.com/qPF2Stvtu0
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) July 28, 2018
Erik Jones stepped into race Gragson’s No. 18 truck and would finish second to Busch, his cup series teammate. Along with Gragson, Brett Moffitt, the second-place holder in the playoff grid, was forced to start at the rear of the field due to an engine change.
Moffitt would battle his way up into the lead pack of cars and run as high as P8, before putting the car in the pits due to a vibration. Moffitt finished the race in P26. Busch took the lead in Saturday’s race during stage 3, and would have to hold off a battling Jones to earn the victory.
With this win, Busch ties Ron Hornaday Jr. for the most truck series wins in the tour’s history, winning his 51st race.
With three races to go before the playoffs are set to get underway, Matt Crafton, Stewart Friesen, and Grant Enfinger remain in the playoffs without wins. It appears as though that those three will make the eight-driver playoff field, so long as a surprise winner doesn’t happen in the next two races.
NASCAR Camping World Trucks Playoff Grid
2 races to go before the Playoffs
1. Johnny Sauter (4 wins)
2. Brett Moffitt (3 wins)
3. Noah Gragson (1 win)
4. Ben Rhodes (1 win)
5. Justin Haley (1 win)
6. Grant Enfinger +133
7. Stewart Friesen +124
8. Matt Crafton +94
Playoff Cutoff
9. Myatt Snider -94 371
10. Cody Caughlin -109
11. Dalton Sargeant -114
12. Todd Gilliland -137
MAIN PHOTO:
Embed from Getty Images
