Sanchez wins, Gray flips in wreck-marred Daytona NASCAR Truck opener

Sanchez, making his 24th career start, led the way at the start of overtime and got a big jump on the rest of the field, which proved beneficial.

Behind him, Rajah Caruth got up into Jack Wood, who then hit Taylor Gray. Gray’s No. 17 truck turned sharply sideways and was then lifted off the track, flipped on top of two other trucks, before landing upright on its wheels.

NASCAR quickly displayed the race-record 12th caution of the night, which froze the field and locked in Sanchez’s first career win.

“Pretty surreal, especially with how the race started.” Sanchez said. “Just a big thanks to my team for sticking with me all last year. We were winless. It hurt. We should have won but we redeemed ourselves in the first race possible.”

Corey Heim was credited with second place, Caruth third, Spencer Boyd fourth and Bret Holmes rounded out the top five.

The win is Sanchez’s first in NASCAR competition. He also owns four wins in the ARCA Menards Series.

Stage 1
Johnny Sauter held off Ty Majeski by 0.149 seconds in a one-lap dash to the finish to take the Stage 1 win.

Eckes got into Matt Crafton on the backstretch on lap 6 which triggered what turned out to be a 14-truck wreck and took out several contenders including Ty Dillon and Jake Garcia.

Stage 2
Tyler Ankrum was declared the winner of Stage 2 when NASCAR was forced to throw a caution with two of 20 laps for light rain in the area.

Christian Eckes ended up second, Crafton third, Daniel Dye fourth and Ben Rhodes rounded out the top five.

Stage 3
Following a seven-minute red flag for a rain delay and the break between Stages 2 and 3, Holmes led the way when the race returned to green with 56 laps remaining.

A wreck by Keith McGee quickly put the race back under caution. Holmes led Sauter on the restart on lap 48.

Battling for the lead with Sauter, both Holmes and Bayley Currey spun in Turn 4 on lap 47 to bring out the sixth caution of the race.

Most of the field hit pit road – several for just fuel – as Grant Enfinger took over the race lead when the race resumed with 39 laps remaining. Sanchez powered to the lead on the restart.

On Lap 73, Rhodes began to drop back quickly in the middle lane with a tire going down and collected Tanner Gray and Toni Breidinger in the process.

Corey LaJoie had inherited the lead before the caution and led the way on the restart with 23 laps to go.

With just over 20 laps remaining, LaJoie got into the rear of Eckes and turned him, which triggered a multi-truck accident that also collected Stefan Parsons and Sauter. Sanchez led Taylor Gray and LaJoie on the restart on lap 16 to go.

A three-truck accident involving Mason Massey, Toni Breidinger and Dean Thompson set up another restart with nine laps remaining and Sanchez still in command.

A four-truck accident involving Ankrum, Chase Purdy, Timmy Hill and Eckes brought out a record-tying 11th caution that sent the race into overtime. Sanchez led Caruth, Taylor Gray, Jack Wood and LaJoie.

Cla
Driver
#
 
Manufacturer
Laps
Time
Interval
Pits
Points

1

N. SANCHEZRev Racing

2
 
Chevrolet
101

2:33’08.402

 
9
 

2

R. CARUTHSpire Motorsports

71
 
Chevrolet
101

+0.086

2:33’08.488

0.086
12
 

3

C. HEIMTRICON Garage

11
 
Toyota
101

+1.587

2:33’09.989

1.501
9
 

4

B. HOLMESBret Holmes Racing

32
 
Chevrolet
101

+5.441

2:33’13.843

0.887
8
 

5
S. BOYDFreedom Racing Enterprises
76
 
Chevrolet
101

+4.554

2:33’12.956

2.967
7
 

6

S. PARSONSHenderson Motorsports

75
 
Chevrolet
101

+6.189

2:33’14.591

0.748
9
 

7
M. CRAFTONThorSport Racing
88
 
Ford
101

+13.392

2:33’21.794

3.197
16
 

8
T. HILLHill Motorsports
56
 
Toyota
101

+10.195

2:33’18.597

4.006
14
 

9
B. DAUZATFDNY Racing
28
 
Chevrolet
101

+14.144

2:33’22.546

0.752
7
 

10
C. ECKESMcAnally Hilgemann Racing
19
 
Chevrolet
101

+17.117

2:33’25.519

2.973
12
 

11
T. ANKRUMMcAnally Hilgemann Racing
18
 
Chevrolet
101

+19.010

2:33’27.412

1.893
8
 

12
J. WHITEReaume Brothers Racing
22
 
Ford
101

+26.745

2:33’35.147

0.917
11
 

13
B. CURREYNiece Motorsports
41
 
Chevrolet
101

+25.828

2:33’34.230

6.818
19
 

14
S. FRIESENHalmar Friesen Racing
52
 
Toyota
101

+27.694

2:33’36.096

0.949
23
 

15
T. MAJESKIThorSport Racing
98
 
Ford
101

+43.518

2:33’51.920

15.824
6
 

16
T. GRAYTRICON Garage
15
 
Toyota
101

+1’14.031

2:34’22.433

30.513
17
 

17
G. ENFINGERCR7 Motorsports
9
 
Chevrolet
101

+1’16.172

2:34’24.574

2.141
8
 

18

J. WOODMcAnally Hilgemann Racing

91
 
Chevrolet
101

+1’46.213

2:34’54.615

30.041
9
 

19

T. GRAYTRICON Garage

17
 
Toyota
100

+1 Lap

2:32’12.828

1 Lap
7
 

20
C. LAJOIESpire Motorsports
7
 
Chevrolet
100

+1 Lap

2:32’13.042

0.214
7
 

21

D. DYEMcAnally Hilgemann Racing

43
 
Chevrolet
100

+1 Lap

2:32’13.123

0.081
6
 

22

C. ROPERRoper Racing

04
 
Chevrolet
100

+1 Lap

2:32’13.471

0.348
9
 

23

C. ROHRBAUGHCR7 Motorsports

97
 
Chevrolet
100

+1 Lap

2:32’13.519

0.048
8
 

24

D. THOMPSONTRICON Garage

5
 
Toyota
100

+1 Lap

2:32’13.641

0.122
11
 

25

M. MASSEYYoung’s Motorsports

02
 
Chevrolet
100

+1 Lap

2:33’54.162

1’40.521
11
 

26
M. MILLSNiece Motorsports
42
 
Chevrolet
99

+2 Laps

2:33’54.461

1 Lap
18
 

27

T. BREIDINGERTRICON Garage

1
 
Toyota
97

+4 Laps

2:31’24.249

2 Laps
14
 

28
C. PURDYSpire Motorsports
77
 
Chevrolet
93

+8 Laps

2:18’59.844

4 Laps
9
 

29
J. SAUTERNiece Motorsports
45
 
Chevrolet
79

+22 Laps

1:56’41.785

14 Laps
8
 

30
B. RHODESThorSport Racing
99
 
Ford
71

+30 Laps

1:45’46.048

8 Laps
8
 

31

K. MCGEEReaume Brothers Racing

27
 
Ford
44

+57 Laps

1:13’26.470

27 Laps
11
 

32

A. LAWLESSReaume Brothers Racing

33
 
Ford
27

+74 Laps

42’06.250

17 Laps
8
 

33

L. RIGGSFront Row Motorsports

38
 
Ford
13

+88 Laps

19’55.458

14 Laps
7
 

34

J. GARCIAThorSport Racing

13
 
Ford
6

+95 Laps

6’08.137

7 Laps
3
 

35
T. DILLONRackley W.A.R.
25
 
Chevrolet
5

+96 Laps

4’08.968

1 Lap
2
 

36
T. MOFFITTFaction Motorsports
46
 
Chevrolet
5

+96 Laps

4’09.543

0.575
2