MARTINSVILLE, VA.: It was easily could be described as one of the most physical NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) races of the 2021 season, but four drivers still found themselves eliminated from next weekend’s Championship 4 at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway following the United Rentals 200.
Following Talladega, Chandler Smith, Carson Hocevar and Zane Smith found themselves in must-win positions in the penultimate race of the season, but a stunning finish at Martinsville on Saturday afternoon surged Zane Smith to the Championship 4 and left defending Truck Series champion Sheldon Creed left fighting for just a win, rather than a win and back-to-back Truck Series titles.
In truth, all four of the eliminated drivers had speed and strong trucks on Saturday but circumstances eventually put their nail in their championship coffin after the 21st race of the season.
Chandler Smith – the Bristol Truck Series winner finished fourth and was the leading Kyle Busch Motorsports truck on Saturday. Smith was quiet in his first Martinsville start – but didn’t have enough to make the championship 4 in his first full season of competition.
Creed took ninth at the checkered flag – rebounding from massive contact with the wall on the next to last caution and escaping the chaos of the last lap pileup.
Zane Smith’s first victory of the season knocked Creed out the Championship 4 in what could easily be his final Truck Series race ever on Nov. 5. Creed will graduate to the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2022 driving for Richard Childress Racing.
Hocevar driving for Niece Motorsports rebounded to 12th after being penalized late in the race for jumping the restart against Zane Smith.
Luckily for Hocevar he did not have to make his stop under green with a caution waving a lap later which allowed him to serve his penalty on the restart. A late-race charge and dodging the drama put forth a commendable comeback.
Friesen could smell victory on Saturday but contact into Todd Gilliland sent the Front Row Motorsports around at the start-finish line. Less than five second later, Friesen found himself spun around after trying to crowd Zane Smith for the lead and eventual win.
Friesen finished 17th and will likely bid for another Truck Series title in 2022.
He wasn’t surprised about all the contact.
“I mean it always is every time we are here,” said Friesen. “It’s bumper cars and that leads to cautions. It starts from the top down and that’s all you can do. You get leaned on and you lean on somebody back.
“I didn’t mean to wreck everyone at the end. I was just trying to lean back and protect my turf. It is what it is. It sucks that we didn’t make it farther to battle in Phoenix.
“Big thanks to Toyota and Halmar. We will be back here next year. Just crappy way to short track race, that’s all it is.”
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
