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Jim Utter

Enfinger uses three-wide pass to take Kansas Truck win

Enfinger, whose No. 23 GMS Racing Chevrolet was clearly the best of the field, took the lead for the final time on lap 103 of 134 by passing both Corey Heim and Zane Smith as those two raced side-by-side.

From there, the race – who had been plagued by several wrecks early – remained green and Enfinger took the checkered flag 4.358 seconds ahead of Heim to earn the win.

The victory is Enfinger’s first of the 2023 season and eighth of his career. All eight of his wins have come at different tracks.

“Kansas has been a good track for us but we haven’t had a dominant truck like this in a long time,” said Enfinger, who claimed a playoff berth with his win. “It’s been a difficult year-and-a-half.

“I know we came up with a win last year but overall the season was a little sluggish. The first seven races this year were a little sluggish. I was disappointed in our execution. The biggest thing is these guys just brought me an unbelievable (truck).”

Asked about his pass on both Heim and Smith to take the lead for the final time, he said, “They helped me out there. They were side drafting each other a little bit there. But at the end of the day what made that pass possible was we had the fastest truck out here.”

Reigning series champion Zane Smith ended up third, Stewart Friesen fourth and Ross Chastain rounded out the top five.

Completing the top-10 were Nick Sanchez, Kyle Busch, Jake Garcia, Taylor Gray and Tyler Ankrum.

Stage 1

Busch, on fresher tires, passed leader Zane Smith on the final of 30 laps to take the Stage 1 win.

Smith had inherited the lead when others, including Busch, elected to pit on lap 25. The resumed with two laps to go.

Ben Rhodes ended up second, Smith third, Enfinger fourth and Chase Purdy rounded out the top five.

Stage 2

Ty Majeski got around Heim with three of 30 laps remaining and held off Enfinger to claim the Stage 2 win, his first stage victory of the 2023 season.

Heim finished third, Rajah Caruth fourth and Zane Smith rounded out the top five.

Stage 3

Most of the lead-lap trucks pit during the break between Stages 2 and 3, with Enfinger leading the way on the restart on lap 68.

Majeski and Caruth wrecked on the frontstretch while battling for position in the top five on lap 73 which placed the race under its fifth caution.

As the race restarted on lap 79, a multi-truck wreck erupted on the frontstretch which collected Matt DiBenedetto, Christian Eckes, Carson Hocevar, Purdy and Dean Thompson.

Enfinger remained the leader as the race returned to green on lap 82.

All the lead-lap trucks pit under a caution on lap 94 with Zane Smith first off pit road. Tanner Gray stayed on the track and inherited the lead.

Enfinger and Heim did battle for the lead late in the race and he cleared both Zane Smith and Heim in one pass on lap 103 to reclaim the top spot.

With 10 laps to go, Enfinger had built almost a 2-second lead over Heim as Zane Smith had moved into third.

Cla # Driver Manufacturer Laps Time Gap Interval Laps Led
1 23 United States Grant Enfinger Chevrolet 134 1:59'24.214     65
2 11 Corey Heim Toyota 134 1:59'28.572 4.358 4.358 13
3 38 Zane Smith Ford 134 1:59'29.643 5.429 1.071 6
4 52 United States Stewart Friesen Toyota 134 1:59'30.923 6.709 1.280 1
5 41 United States Ross Chastain Chevrolet 134 1:59'36.747 12.533 5.824  
6 2 Nicholas Sanchez Chevrolet 134 1:59'37.142 12.928 0.395  
7 51 United States Kyle Busch Chevrolet 134 1:59'38.884 14.670 1.742 11
8 35 Jake Garcia Chevrolet 134 1:59'43.091 18.877 4.207  
9 17 Taylor Gray Toyota 134 1:59'46.610 22.396 3.519  
10 16 United States Tyler Ankrum Toyota 134 1:59'46.841 22.627 0.231  
11 88 United States Matt Crafton Ford 134 1:59'48.029 23.815 1.188  
12 13 United States Hailie Deegan Ford 134 1:59'54.084 29.870 6.055  
13 43 Daniel Dye Chevrolet 133 1:59'25.494 1 Lap 1 Lap  
14 32 Bret Holmes Chevrolet 133 1:59'28.536 1 Lap 3.042  
15 1 Toni Breidinger Toyota 133 1:59'33.341 1 Lap 4.805  
16 99 United States Ben Rhodes Ford 133 1:59'34.321 1 Lap 0.980 17
17 45 Alan Lawless Chevrolet 133 1:59'34.605 1 Lap 0.284  
18 15 United States Tanner Gray Toyota 133 1:59'39.090 1 Lap 4.485 3
19 04 United States Johnny Sauter Ford 133 1:59'40.283 1 Lap 1.193  
20 46 United States Brennan Poole Toyota 133 1:59'41.889 1 Lap 1.606  
21 20 Nick Leitz Chevrolet 133 1:59'48.370 1 Lap 6.481  
22 56 Tyler Hill Toyota 132 1:59'30.104 2 Laps 1 Lap  
23 90 Justin S Toyota 132 1:59'40.744 2 Laps 10.640  
24 22 United States Josh Reaume Ford 132 1:59'41.149 2 Laps 0.405  
25 98 United States Ty Majeski Ford 131 1:59'24.958 3 Laps 1 Lap 12
26 12 United States Spencer Boyd Chevrolet 131 1:59'34.344 3 Laps 9.386  
27 33 Mason Maggio Ford 131 1:59'41.370 3 Laps 7.026  
28 02 United States Kris Wright Chevrolet 91 1:29'34.700 43 Laps 40 Laps  
29 25 United States Matt DiBenedetto Chevrolet 81 1:24'04.350 53 Laps 10 Laps  
30 19 United States Christian Eckes Chevrolet 78 1:15'00.342 56 Laps 3 Laps 6
31 42 Carson Hocevar Chevrolet 78 1:15'00.358 56 Laps 0.016  
32 5 Dean Thompson Toyota 78 1:15'00.457 56 Laps 0.099  
33 4 United States Chase Purdy Chevrolet 78 1:15'03.091 56 Laps 2.634  
34 24 Rajah Caruth Chevrolet 72 1:05'43.741 62 Laps 6 Laps  
35 9 Colby Howard Chevrolet 55 49'32.365 79 Laps 17 Laps  
36 47 United States Tim Viens Ford 2 1'50.886 132 Laps 53 Laps  
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