NASCAR Camping World Truck Series: Creed in Control After Truck Series' Playoff Opener

Photo Credit: Jeff Curry/Getty Images

Leading 142 laps of the total 163-lap distance of the Toyota 200 presented by CK Power at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, Sheldon Creed scored an important victory in what is the first event in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ 10-race, three-round playoff.

Sheldon Creed and Zane Smith swapped the lead through the middle of the race before the #2 Liftkits4less.com Chevrolet Silverado of Creed took firm control of the Friday night event on lap 50. In an overtime finish at the 1.25-mile oval, Creed fended off the charge from the #88 Toyota of Matt Crafton to cross the line in first by a 0.292-second margin. Smith would have to park his #21 Chevrolet after 99 laps due to a rear gear failure.

An event slowed by eight cautions, one of the more unusual breaks in the racing action was a power outage at World Wide Technology Raceway that resulted in a 48-minute red flag. Another major caution occurred during the final stage of the Friday night truck race. The #4 Mobil 1-sponsored Toyota Tundra driven by John Hunter Nemechek suffered a brief engine power loss ahead of large contingent of trucks leading to a multiple vehicle crash. Among the nine vehicles in total involved in the lap 114 accident were playoff contenders Austin Hill and Todd Gilliland. Nemechek would finish the race in 22^nd place.

Toyota 200 presented by CK Power truck competition ended with the top-four finishers being playoff contending drivers with Sheldon Creed, Matt Crafton, Ben Rhodes and Stewart Friesen crossing the line in that order. Johnny Sauter claimed that the final top-five spot finishing just ahead of the #23 Chevrolet of Chase Purdy who achieved a career-best race result in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Rookie of the year candidates Hailie Deegan and Carson Hocevar finished 7^th and 8^th ahead of Austin Wayne Self and Jack Wood who rounded out the top 10.