Rockingham, NC-it had gone so long since Tyler Ankrum won its first NASCAR craftsman Truck Series race that the driver of No. 18 Mcanally-Hilgemann Chevrolet could not find Victory Lane after winning Black’s Tire 200 at Rockingham Speceway on Friday.
Thanks to a wonderful effort to save fuel, coasted anchor over the finish line 6,657 seconds ahead of the pole winner and runner Jake Garcia to break a 130 race dry dating until July 11, 2019.
Ankrum’s last victory was so long ago that the track that gave him his virgin victory – Kentucky Speedway – has long since fallen from the Nascar National Series schedule.
In the series’ return to “The Rock” after a 12-year absence, Ankrum had to strike back from injuries affected during an accident on lap 2, an incident that set him one lap. Ankrum regained his knee as a recipient under caution for Stage 2 break after lap 90 and began a heroic run at the front.
The trophy was not the only reward Ankrum received for the victory. He also got a check of $ 50,000 to win the last Triple Truck Challenge race.
“It’s strange – I didn’t know where Victory Lane was at,” Ankrum said after climbing from his truck. “How this day started, went down and (crew manager) land (Hillman) calls a pit call to get the track position back. …
“Just save fuel, man. I knew we were five (turns) short. I hoped I had saved enough, and we did … I only found something where I pretty much lifted 60 percent down straight, and I could work out (Matt) Crafton and a couple of other guys, and I could save that way.
“It’s just surreal. I feel this is pretty much like it went down to Kentucky 2019.”
Ankrum took the lead for good at lap 172 after Corey Heim and Gio Ruggiero came to Pit Road. The two tricon garage drivers stayed on the track under consecutive warnings early in the last stage and drove 1-2 before they needed to get to Pit Road for fuel.
Heim seemed confused by the strategy that held him on the track while other top competitors got for the fuel they hoped would carry them until the end of the race.
“I felt that if we had the track position we would have been in really good shape from the beginning,” said Heim, who started the 15th and ended eighth. “Just not a good qualified effort at my end. It was a kind of upward struggle from there all day.
“I didn’t know exactly what happened there the last 40 laps there, but we did, and it seems that some of the other guys did not run from fuel. Unhappy. Just a strange deal in the last step but must be better on my part to qualify better and have the track position.”
Although the front row of motorsports from Layne Riggs and Chandler Smith pitted after Heim’s last stop, both fuel ran and had to take their trucks to Pit Road at the closing turn.
Daniel Hemric, Rajah Caruth and Grant Enfinger favored by Ford’s gas deficiency and finished third, fourth and fifth respectively.
The problem continued to follow the reigning serial champion Ty Majeski, whose truck broke away from the inner lane in turn 1 while competing Enfinger on lap 109. Majeskis no. 98 Thorsport Ford backed into the outer wall and was eliminated from the race. Majeski finished 31st after a 13th place on Martinsville and a 33rd place result at Bristol in the previous two races.
“I can’t really blame Grant,” said Majeski. “He held me hard, obviously took the air from my right. Yes, just embarrassed, honest. These last three weeks is not the one I am as a driver. I feel so bad for everyone at Thorsport – (owner) Duke and Rhonda (Thorson) – yes, I just need to get better.”
Heim, who led a flea heap 52 laps compared to 43 for Garcia and 29 for Ankrum, has the top spot in the series’ position with 22 points over Chandler Smith and 62 points over Ankrum in the third.
Kaden HoneyCutt, Jack Wood, Heim, Connor Mosack and Gio Ruggiero finished sixth to the 10th and Friday race respectively.
The truck series will return to Action on Texas Motor Speedway for Speedycash.com 250 on May 2 (20 et, FS1, NASCAR RACING NETWORK RADIO, Siriusxm Nascar Radio).
-As Nascar Wire Service. Especially with media at field level.
