Ty Majeski returns to Richmond and wins the Truck Series for the second year in a row
A faulty pit strategy, a pit road penalty and a late-race caution period while in the lead could not stop Ty Majeski from scoring two consecutive victories in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Majeski earned his second win of the 2024 Truck Series season at the Clean Harbors 250 at Richmond Raceway on Saturday, Aug. 10, defending the lead on the final two restarts of the race. It is the fifth win of Majeski’s Truck Series career.
“We’ve had great ThorSport trucks here at Richmond the last two years, found different ways to get rid of them and tonight we tried it again – another mistake,” Majeski said. “We really need to get this stuff in order before the playoffs, but I’m so proud of these guys behind me.”
Regular season champion Christian Eckes crossed the finish line in second place, just 0.936 seconds behind Majeski. Taylor Gray, driving a strong No. 17 TRICON Garage Toyota Tundra, was able to fight his way back to the front in the closing laps to finish third. Grant Enfinger and Layne Riggs rounded out the top five.
Tyler Ankrum, Ben Rhodes, Daniel Dye, Ty Dillon and Connor Hall, who made his Truck Series debut for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, rounded out the top 10.
Majeski dominated the race at the start, but he and his team decided to stay out for Matt Mills during the first caution period at the end of Stage 1. Majeski immediately dropped to the back of the field at the end of Stage 1.
To make matters worse, Majeski received a penalty for failing to control his tyres during the yellow period of the first stage, forcing him to restart from 22nd place.
He only managed to finish 13th by the end of Stage 2, but several cautions in Stage 3 allowed Majeski to move up, and a strong truck helped him close the gap to Corey Heim and Enfinger in the long run.
A caution for Kaden Honeycutt, who spun, allowed Majeski to take the lead. However, Majeski was waiting for another restart after Chase Purdy collided with Bret Holmes, causing his Spire Motorsports teammate to crash.
He managed to keep three hungry riders, Eckes, Riggs and Enfinger, behind him and take the win.
Dye arrived in Richmond five points behind Tanner Gray for the final playoff spot. With a total of 13 stage points and Tanner Gray’s difficulties, Dye was able to fight his way to the final transfer spot and make it to the playoffs despite setbacks in the final pit stops.
“It feels really good,” Dye said to Front line. “Team (No.) 43 has worked hard all year. I’m just happy for us and our partners, my family and friends who have stood by me and tried to help me. I’ve really changed my approach recently and become a different person, a different athlete. That’s been a big change. It’s been a very pleasant change. I had one top-10 finish this year and I don’t know how many we’ve had this year, five I think, and one playoff spot. So it’s really nice, we just have to keep going.”
Enfinger led the most laps of the race, leading 94 of 250 laps, but the numerous cautions in the third stage allowed competitors like Majeski, Riggs and Eckes to close the gap and pass Enfinger, costing him his first win of the season.
The Round of 10 of the Truck Series playoffs begins at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 25 at the Milwaukee Mile Speedway. FOX Sports 1 will televise the race.
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