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| Sean Gardner/Getty Images |
Zane Smith, 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion runner-up, has started off the 2022 season strong by winning the kickoff race for the NASCAR Truck Series, the "NextEra Energy" 250 at Daytona International Speedway. 23-year-old Smith now has a total of 4 Truck Series victories, and two championship runner-up finishes.
The race started off with the pole position winner, No. 66 driver Ty Majeski, leading the first 18 laps of the race, and three more later on, giving him a total of 21 laps led. The lead was then given to the No. 4 of John Hunter Nemechek, who led for 50 of 106 laps, and also won both Stage 1 and 2 of the race. There was a total of 18 lead changes between 9 drivers, and seven cautions in the event. Other drivers to lead laps during the race were: Ben Rhodes, who led 6 laps, Christian Eckes led 9 laps, Austin Hill led one lap, Stewart Friesen led 2 laps, Derek Kraus lap one lap, Tyler Ankrum led 4 laps, and Colby Howard led 9 laps.
No. 99 driver and defending NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion Ben Rhodes was just short of winning the event, which would have given him two consecutive "NextEra Energy" 250 victories. Rhodes led six laps in the race but fell back when Parker Kligerman gave Zane Smith a push to the lead; as a result, he finished second. Another driver who had a run to the front and came just short was Parker Kligerman; He started the race in 31st position but drove through the field to give Zane Smith a push to secure the lead, and the victory, in the final restart, and finished fifth.
There were two significant crashes in the late stages of the race, the first one happening with two laps to go. The crash, involving 17 different drivers, happened a mere few yards away from the line, where the white flag was waving. Drivers involved in the crash were: Grant Enfinger, Hailie Deegan, John Hunter Nemechek, Chandler Smith, Riley Herbst, Tyler Ankrum and Matt Crafton, among others. The wreck triggered overtime, where the second wreck happened, but that time, the leader, Zane Smith, had already crossed the line and taken the white flag, and was declared the winner of the 2022 "NextEra Energy" 250 at Daytona International Speedway.
Below are the complete results of the "NextEra Energy" 250 at Daytona International Speedway:
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| NASCAR.com |
The NASCAR Truck Series will be taking a break next week but will resume their schedule with the "Victoria's Voice Foundation" 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Live television coverage of the race will begin at 9:00 PM EST on FOX Sports 1.
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