Zane Smith had to win to make it into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ Championship 4, and he did just that in the United Rentals 200 at Martinsville Speedway Oct. 30.
The No. 38 of Todd Gilliland was the dominant truck, winning the first two stages and battling at the end between Smith and Stewart Friesen, who also had to win to make it. A three-wide battle in overtime took out Gilliland, and Smith clinched the win at the white flag as the caution flew, after Gilliland was wrecked in front of the field.
“I did not want Todd in front of me, I got shoved from being by the 16 so it wasn’t all me,” Smith said post-race. “I’m looking for a job; right now I have nothing. I haven’t been able to sleep right since last year, and I’ll do whatever it takes to win the damn thing.”
We have no words!@ZaneSmith77 | #Championship4 pic.twitter.com/gtq1jfUYjJ
— NASCAR Camping World Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 30, 2021
Following the race-ending melee, Austin Hill finished in second place, Tanner Gray placed third, while Chandler Smith and Matt Crafton rounded out the top five.
Parker Kligerman, Ben Rhodes, Taylor Gray, Sheldon Creed and Timmy Hill rounded out the top 10.
Rhodes, Crafton, John Hunter Nemechek and Zane Smith will battle for the championship next week at Phoenix Raceway.
Chandler Smith, Creed, Friesen and Carson Hocevar, meanwhile, were eliminated from playoff contention.
Gilliland, after winning the first two stages and battling for the lead in the waning laps, was relegated to 25th after his race-ending crash.
In all, a record number of cautions in a Truck playoff race — 14 — flew on the day. While many were for single-truck spins, a major pile-up on the frontstretch led to many damaged trucks after going green toward the end of stage two.
Big problems on the frontstretch take us to caution in the #UnitedRentals200! pic.twitter.com/LHoyubmRqE
— NASCAR Camping World Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 30, 2021
One of the biggest moments of the race occurred on lap 132, when championship contender Nemechek made contact with Austin Wayne Self, who wasn’t happy and then hooked him into the wall in the next turn. In a post-wreck interview following his trip to the infield care center, Nemechek said Self “shouldn’t be out here.”
Unbelievable!
Did we just see @JHNemechek's championship dreams vanish? pic.twitter.com/t67FVXHDOi
— NASCAR Camping World Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 30, 2021
Another massive pile-up happened a few laps later, collecting many drivers, including playoff contender Creed.
How in the world did @Matt_Crafton keep his truck rolling and his #NASCARPlayoffs alive? pic.twitter.com/HxStTsdvd3
— NASCAR Camping World Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 30, 2021
Truck Martinsville Results
The Truck Series runs its final event of 2021 Friday, Nov. 5, at Phoenix. The race is scheduled for an 8 p.m. ET start time on FOX Sports 1.
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