Ross Chastain wins the 2022 Truck Series "North Carolina Education Lottery" 200 at Charlotte

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     Ross Chastain snuck his way into victory lane again this season after winning the NASCAR Truck Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday, May 27th. Scoring his 4th career win in a stock truck, all of which came with Niece Motorsports.

When he climbed out of his No. 41 Chevrolet Silverado on the frontstretch, however, Chastain could talk only of teammate Carson Hocevar, who dominated the event, only to see it slip away after a devastating late caution. 

“I hate it so much for Carson,” said Chastain. “I didn’t give him the push he needed to win (on the first attempt at overtime)… Man, I’m so proud of Carson Hocevar.

“I’ll say that over and over. That guy’s a future star. He’s such a goofy kid, but I love him. He learns so quick.”

Hocevar, who lost the lead four laps short of the finish and ran second at Bristol’s Dirt Race back in April, learned a painful lesson at Charlotte Motor Speedway after leading a race-high 57 laps. He held an decent advantage that had stabilized at slightly more than six-seconds when Jesse Little’s truck broke loose over the bumps in Turn 3 and carried Tyler Ankrum's truck into the outside wall.

The 19-year-old Hocevar chose the inside lane for the final restart, and Ryan Preece, in the outside lane, nosed ahead past the start/finish line when Chastain spun his tires and failed to provide Hocevar with a push. Running beside Preece on lap-136 in the first attempt at overtime, Hocevar lost control and slid up the track into Preece’s No. 17 Ford F-150, damaging both vehicles.

“A dumbass move by myself,” acknowledged Hocevar, who climbed from his No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado after the race and sat on the pavement, his head between his hands. “It sucks. I mean I tried really hard. I tried too hard.

“I didn’t get a good restart. I tried too hard, tried to wash (Preece) up and just crashed myself. I feel like just crying.”

Preece finished 11th after pitting with a flat tire, thanks to the wreck. He didn’t mince words on pit lane.

“Don’t wreck the guy on the outside of you trying to win your first race,” Preece said pointedly at Hocevar. “Don’t do it." Ultimately, Hocevar came home 16th, the last driver on the lead lap.

Here are the complete race results from Charlotte Motor Speedway:

NASCAR.com