The three main series of the NASCAR organization present this weekend at Phoenix Raceway (Arizona) the final event of their 2024 season. The Cup race will take place on Sunday and that of the Xfinity series tomorrow, Saturday. Tonight, it was the Craftsman Truck Series drivers who were in action. At the end of a rather dull race, lasting 1 hour and 45 minutes (6 neutralizations took place, and a brief red flag period), Ty Majeski held off Grant Enfinger, Corey Heim and Christian Eckes to win his first championship NASCAR Craftsman Truck.
The championship victory comes in Majeski's second appearance in the championship final, in what is only his third full season in the Truck Series. This also marks the sixth Truck Series title for the ThorSport Racing team, the most for any organization in this series. ThorSport Racing is entering Fords this year.
Majeski established himself late as a 2024 championship contender, winning back-to-back races at Indianapolis Raceway Park and Richmond Raceway to close the regular season. The Seymour, Wis., native went winless in the series playoffs, advancing on points scored in successive rounds to tonight's Phoenix finale, buoyed by second-place finishes at Milwaukee and Homestead.
Ty Majeski completely dominated this final round, 150 laps long and monotonous during the first two segments, with only one neutralization each time, dominated by Majeski and Crey Heim (Toyota/Tricon Garage). Throughout the race, these were the only two drivers who seemed in position to take victory and the title. In the end, while the last 30 laps were run under green flags, Majeski managed to give himself a comfortable lead over the rest of the field, finally winning by almost 4 seconds over Heim.
Another candidate for the title, Christian Eckes (Chevrolet/McAnally-Hilgemann Racing) finished 3rd, 6.520 seconds behind the winner. Always at the forefront this season, Eckes never seemed able to fight for victory tonight. He finished ahead of Nick Sanchez and Grant Enfinger, who was the 4th driver to be able to challenge for the title but never managed to lead a single lap.
Taylor Gray, Kaden Honeycutt, Connor Mosak, Ben Rhodes and Layne Riggs round out the top 10 round. Canadian Stewart Friesen finished 18th with his Toyota/Halmar racing. He was among the top 5 during the first stage, before losing several places at the end of the race.
As for Ty Majeski, a first-time series champion, he made his Craftsman Truck debut in 2019, driving for Niece Motorsports in Phoenix for one race, before joining the team for 15 starts the following season. In 2021, he took on a part-time role with ThorSport Racing, scoring two Top 10 finishes in four races. He has been called up to drive full-time starting in the 2022 season, driving from the No.98 Ford for ThorSport.
ThorSport Racing also became the first team in Truck Series history to capture multiple consecutive drivers' championships, after Ben Rhodes was crowned last year and Matt Crafton won back-to-back titles in 2013-14. Majeski thus adds to the history of the team owned by Duke and Rhonda Thorson, founded in 1996 and based in Sandusky, Ohio, this 2024 title.
Majeski's now seven victories in the series have all been achieved with ThorSport, as well as 44 Top 10 finishes in 72 races contested. For the complete standings for this Friday's race, click here.
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