In what has continued to be a wild season for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and for Brett Moffitt, and Hattori Racing, it continued to get even wilder as they were able to secure win number three of the season at Chicagoland Speedway after John Hunter Nemechek, who led five times for 64 laps, ran out of gas on the final lap on the backstretch.
As Stage 1 began, Noah Gragson led Lap 1, but Dalton Sargeant took the lead and led for a while until Gragson took back the lead with 10 to go. However, Nemechek would win the first stage.
One caution slowed the pace as Bo LeMastus spun on the fronstretch on Lap 21.
When Stage 2 began on Lap 41, Gragson took the lead on the restart, but another caution was flown once more on Lap 51 for Ross Chastain, who had a right front tire go down. Another caution was displayed once more on Lap 59 when Sargeant spun out on the backstretch after slight contact from Stewart Friesen. Gragson went to on win Stage 2 after having a dominant truck.
The final stage began on Lap 77.
The race lead was swapped multiple times between Nemechek and Moffitt as they battled it out until a late race caution came with 30 to go for Friesen and Jordan Anderson, who made contact in Turn 1. Friesen suffered the most damage from the incident.
After the restart with 24 to go, Nemechek had the lead and Moffitt started to close in with 15 to go.
It seemed Nemechek would get win number two of the year and his second at Chicagoland but the No. 8 Chevy ran out of gas after taking the white flag and Moffitt was right there to go past him for the race win.
It was Moffitt’s third race win of the year and his first at Chicago.
“I got a good run off (Turn) 4 there,” Moffitt said. “We took the white and I was kind of committed to what Noah did to me back in Iowa, and then about halfway up the hill, something happened to him (Nemechek). Something blew up or out of fuel and my crew said to take it easy. That’s a great way to drive easy through (Turns) 3 and 4. I just can’t thank everyone enough on this team and FR8 Auctions for coming on board, that even got us here this week.”
“Tuesday, we didn’t know,” he said. “They really extended a hand and helped us out when we needed it the most and that goes deeply appreciated.”
There were six cautions for 29 laps, along with six different leaders for 17 lead changes.
