Truck Turbulence and Triumphs: Rhodes Crowned AGAIN, Eckes’ Fiery Finish”

During an eventful Friday night at Phoenix Raceway, Ben Rhodes from ThorSport Racing claimed his second series championship in the last three years, securing a toughly earned fifth-place finish in the No. 99 Ford during the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship Race. Meanwhile, McAnally Hilgemann Racing’s Christian Eckes celebrated his fourth win of the season, beating rookie teammate Jake Garcia by an excruciatingly close .421-seconds across four electrifying overtime periods.

The suspenseful climax followed twelve caution periods and 29 laps of overtime, with four championship contenders battling right till the finish. Grant Enfinger from GMS Racing Chevrolet, whom Rhodes states raced him “clean” and earned his deep “respect”, unfortunately fell short, finishing one position behind Rhodes in the standings, despite surviving close calls in overtime.

Corey Heim, the Regular Season Champion, finished 18th after experiencing contact from fellow championship contender Carson Hocevar, impacting the course of the race.

A surprisingly remorseful Hocevar apologized to Heim, admitting to making a mistake in his effort to “slow him down”. Conversely, Heim holds a sharply different perspective, expressing disappointment and dismissing his collision with Hocevar as purely coincidental.

Christian Eckes, despite tasting victory, lamented costly “stupid mistakes” that cost him his championship, showcasing the dedicated mindset of this determined 22-year-old.

For the full story and detailed race results, [Click Here]

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