Enfinger scores first NASCAR win of the season at the Heart of America 200

Grant Enfinger crosses the finish line to win Saturday’s Heart of America 200 Craftsman Series truck race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, KS. Photo by David Barks

Craftsman Truck Series reaches midpoint of the 2023 season at Kansas Speedway

KANSAS CITY, KS – Grant Enfinger made it a night to remember.

The 38-year-old racer from Fairhope, Ala., picked up his first win of the year, and eighth overall, with a dominant performance at Saturday’s Heart of America 200 Craftsman Series truck race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, KS.

“Kansas has been a good track for us but we haven’t had a truck like this for a long time,” said Enfinger. “It was lights out. We had a great Chevrolet Silverado tonight.”

Grant Enfinger celebrates in the winner’s circle after Saturday’s Heart of America 200 Craftsman Series truck race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, KS. Photo by David Barks

Enfinger led 65 of the race’s 134 laps over the speedway’s mile-and-a-half oval, taking the lead for good on lap 103 when he moved from third to first place with a daring pass of both Corey Heim and Zane Smith.

“I knew there was the potential to get both of them on Turn 1 and that was all we needed,” said Enfinger. “We passed a lot of good trucks tonight. We started 11th but were on the offensive all night.”

He wasn’t 11th for long.

Despite a bit of contact with Smith on the first lap, Enfinger moved into fifth place before Lap 1 was done.

He stayed with the leaders the rest of the way, finishing fourth in Stage 1 behind Kyle Busch, Ben Rhodes, and Smith.

Enfinger took the lead for the first time on lap 39, passing Busch but fell back to fifth after the race’s third of seven cautions.

Enfinger finished second to Ty Majeski in Stage 2 but regained the lead at the start of Stage 3, holding the lead until the restart after the sixth caution.

Christian Eckes (19) leads the field including Chase Purdy (4), Kyle Busch (51), and Ben Rhodes at the Start of Saturday’s Heart of America 200 Craftsman Series truck race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, KS. Photo by David Barks

From there, he stayed on the heels of Heim and Smith until he took the lead for good with the double pass on lap 103, steadily increasing his lead to the checkered flag.

Heim finished second, 4.358 seconds back, with Smith third.

“I think that last caution hurt us,” said Smith. “If we didn’t have that last caution, we would have been all right but we definitely took a step in the right direction.”

Rounding out the top ten were Stewart Friesen, Cup Series racer Ross Chastain, Truck rookie Nick Sanchez, Cup racer Busch, Truck Series rookies Jake Garcia and Taylor Gray, and Tyler Ankrum.

“After we took the white flag), I think that was the only lap we were in the top five all night,´ said Chastain.

Californians Matt Crafton and Hailie Deegan finished 11th and 125h, respectively.

Making her national series debut, Hillsborough, Calif.’s, Toni Breidinger, finished 15th.

“It was definitely a huge night for us,” said Enfinger. “From the drop of the green flag, I thought we had a string truck. I definitely thought we were the truck to beat tonight but I said a lot of prayers not to get a caution at the end.”

NASCAR wraps up its Kansas weekend Sunday with the Advent Health 400 Cup Series race.

Kyle Busch (51) takes the lead early in Saturday’s Heart of America 200 Craftsman Series truck race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, KS. Trailing Busch are Chase Purdy (4), Grant Enfinger (23), Zane Smith (38), Ty Majeski (98), Jake Garcia (35), Nick Sanchez (2), and Rajah Caruth (24). Photo by David Barks
Like our stories? Share them online.
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email