The 2023 XPEL 225 was the 4th stock car race of the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the 3rd iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, March 25, 2023, in Austin, Texas, at Circuit of the Americas, a permanent asphalt road course. The race took the scheduled 42 laps to complete. Zane Smith, driving for Front Row Motorsports, would hold off the field in the final 10 laps, and earned his 9th career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win, along with his second of the season. Smith would also dominate a portion of the race, leading 16 laps. To fill out the podium, Kyle Busch, driving for his own team, Kyle Busch Motorsports, and Ty Majeski, driving for ThorSport Racing, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
Background Circuit of the Americas (COTA) is a grade 1 FIA-specification motorsports facility located within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Austin, Texas. It features a road racing circuit. The facility is home to the Formula One United States Grand Prix, and the Motorcycle Grand Prix of the Americas, a round of the FIM Road Racing World Championship. It previously hosted the Supercars Championship, the FIA World Endurance Championship, the IMSA SportsCar Championship, and IndyCar Series.
Entry list
(R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
#DriverTeamMake1Kaz Grala (i)Tricon GarageToyota02Kris WrightYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet2Nick Sanchez (R)Rev RacingChevrolet04Kaden HoneycuttRoper RacingFord4Chase PurdyKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet5Dean ThompsonTricon GarageToyota7Alex Bowman (i)Spire MotorsportsChevrolet8Samuel LeComteNEMCO MotorsportsChevrolet9Colby HowardCR7 MotorsportsChevrolet11Corey HeimTricon GarageToyota12Spencer BoydYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet13Hailie DeeganThorSport RacingFord15Tanner GrayTricon GarageToyota16Tyler AnkrumHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota17Taylor Gray (R)Tricon GarageToyota19Christian EckesMcAnally–Hilgemann RacingChevrolet20Ed JonesYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet22Logan BeardenAM RacingFord23Grant EnfingerGMS RacingChevrolet24Rajah Caruth (R)GMS RacingChevrolet25Matt DiBenedettoRackley W.A.R.Chevrolet30Colin GarrettOn Point MotorsportsToyota32Bret Holmes (R)Bret Holmes RacingChevrolet33Mason MasseyReaume Brothers RacingFord34Mason FilippiReaume Brothers RacingFord35Jake Garcia (R)McAnally–Hilgemann RacingChevrolet38Zane SmithFront Row MotorsportsFord41Ross Chastain (i)Niece MotorsportsChevrolet42Carson HocevarNiece MotorsportsChevrolet43Daniel Dye (R)GMS RacingChevrolet45Lawless AlanNiece MotorsportsChevrolet46Dale QuarterleyG2G RacingToyota51Kyle Busch (i)Kyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet52Stewart FriesenHalmar Friesen RacingToyota56Timmy HillHill MotorsportsToyota75Parker Kligerman (i)Henderson MotorsportsChevrolet88Matt CraftonThorSport RacingFord98Ty MajeskiThorSport RacingFord99Ben RhodesThorSport RacingFordOfficial entry list
Notes
Practice The first and only practice session was held on Friday, March 24, at 3:30 PM CST, and last for 20 minutes. Kyle Busch, driving for his own team, Kyle Busch Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 2:15.582, and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed151Kyle Busch (i)Kyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet2:15.58290.543241Ross Chastain (i)Niece MotorsportsChevrolet2:16.00990.259399Ben RhodesThorSport RacingFord2:16.45889.962Full practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, March 24, at 4:00 PM CST. Since Circuit of the Americas is a road course, the qualifying system is a two group system, with two rounds. Drivers will be separated into two groups, Group A and Group B. Each driver will have multiple laps to set a time. The fastest 5 drivers from each group will advance to the final round. The fastest driver to set a time in that round will win the pole.
Under a 2021 rule change, the timing line in road course qualifying is ''not'' the start-finish line. Instead, the timing line for qualifying will be set at the exit of Istanbul 8. Ross Chastain, driving for Niece Motorsports, would win the pole after advancing from the preliminary round and setting the fastest lap in Round 2, with a lap of 2:13.613, and an average speed of .
Three drivers would fail to qualify: Samuel LeComte, Alex Bowman, and Mason Massey.
Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTime ()Speed ()Time ()Speed ()141Ross Chastain (i)Niece MotorsportsChevrolet2:13.97691.6282:13.61391.877251Kyle Busch (i)Kyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet2:14.52091.2582:14.17891.490398Ty MajeskiThorSport RacingFord2:14.73991.1092:14.56891.22542Nick Sanchez (R)Rev RacingChevrolet2:15.20490.7962:14.91290.993519Christian EckesMcAnally–Hilgemann RacingChevrolet2:14.41691.3282:14.99590.937642Carson HocevarNiece MotorsportsChevrolet2:15.28490.7422:15.15090.832738Zane SmithFront Row MotorsportsFord2:15.43490.6422:15.70690.460823Grant EnfingerGMS RacingChevrolet2:15.24290.7712:15.85290.363915Tanner GrayTricon GarageToyota2:16.32590.0502:16.42389.985101Kaz Grala (i)Tricon GarageToyota2:15.48790.6062:16.51589.924Eliminated from Round 11111Corey HeimTricon GarageToyota2:15.99890.266——1216Tyler AnkrumHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota2:16.21090.126——1399Ben RhodesThorSport RacingFord2:16.28590.076——1422Logan BeardenAM RacingFord2:16.41189.993——1552Stewart FriesenHalmar Friesen RacingToyota2:16.47189.953——1613Hailie DeeganThorSport RacingFord2:16.51689.924——1775Parker Kligerman (i)Henderson MotorsportsChevrolet2:16.53789.910——1845Lawless AlanNiece MotorsportsChevrolet2:16.55989.895——1917Taylor Gray (R)Tricon GarageToyota2:16.75589.766——2024Rajah Caruth (R)GMS RacingChevrolet2:16.82689.720——214Chase PurdyKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet2:17.39289.350——225Dean ThompsonTricon GarageToyota2:17.52989.261——2320Ed JonesYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet2:17.84489.057——2404Kaden HoneycuttRoper RacingFord2:18.15788.855——2530Colin GarrettOn Point MotorsportsToyota2:18.92588.364——2612Stefan Parsons (i)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet2:18.94688.351——279Colby HowardCR7 MotorsportsChevrolet2:19.09788.255——2825Matt DiBenedettoRackley W.A.R.Chevrolet2:19.26188.151——2956Timmy HillHill MotorsportsToyota2:19.55187.968——3034Mason FilippiReaume Brothers RacingFord2:19.95687.713——3132Bret Holmes (R)Bret Holmes RacingChevrolet2:20.14787.594——Qualified by owner's points3235Jake Garcia (R)McAnally–Hilgemann RacingChevrolet2:20.22787.544——3346Dale QuarterleyG2G RacingToyota2:20.63087.293——3488Matt CraftonThorSport RacingFord————3502Kris WrightYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet————3643Daniel Dye (R)GMS RacingChevrolet————Failed to qualify378Samuel LeComteNEMCO MotorsportsChevrolet2:22.84385.941——387Alex Bowman (i)Spire MotorsportsChevrolet2:54.53470.336——3933Mason MasseyReaume Brothers RacingFord————Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 12 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts119Christian EckesMcAnally–Hilgemann RacingChevrolet10298Ty MajeskiThorSport RacingFord9311Corey HeimTricon GarageToyota841Kaz Grala (i)Tricon GarageToyota0551Kyle Busch (i)Kyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet0641Ross Chastain (i)Niece MotorsportsChevrolet0716Tyler AnkrumHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota4838Zane SmithFront Row MotorsportsFord3999Ben RhodesThorSport RacingFord21025Matt DiBenedettoRackley W.A.R.Chevrolet1 Stage 2 Laps: 14 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts151Kyle Busch (i)Kyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet0238Zane SmithFront Row MotorsportsFord9345Lawless AlanNiece MotorsportsChevrolet8452Stewart FriesenHalmar Friesen RacingToyota7575Parker Kligerman (i)Henderson MotorsportsChevrolet0613Hailie DeeganThorSport RacingFord5741Ross Chastain (i)Niece MotorsportsChevrolet0804Kaden HoneycuttRoper RacingFord4999Ben RhodesThorSport RacingFord2102Nick Sanchez (R)Rev RacingChevrolet1
Stage 3 Laps: 16 FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts1738Zane SmithFront Row MotorsportsFord4216Running522251Kyle Busch (i)Kyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet4212Running03398Ty MajeskiThorSport RacingFord421Running4341216Tyler AnkrumHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota420Running375141Ross Chastain (i)Niece MotorsportsChevrolet4210Running061111Corey HeimTricon GarageToyota420Running39742Nick Sanchez (R)Rev RacingChevrolet420Running318915Tanner GrayTricon GarageToyota420Running299101Kaz Grala (i)Tricon GarageToyota420Running0101399Ben RhodesThorSport RacingFord420Running31111917Taylor Gray (R)Tricon GarageToyota420Running2612823Grant EnfingerGMS RacingChevrolet420Running25132024Rajah Caruth (R)GMS RacingChevrolet420Running24141552Stewart FriesenHalmar Friesen RacingToyota420Running30152404Kaden HoneycuttRoper RacingFord420Running25161613Hailie DeeganThorSport RacingFord420Running26171845Lawless AlanNiece MotorsportsChevrolet420Running28183643Daniel Dye (R)GMS RacingChevrolet420Running19193235Jake Garcia (R)McAnally–Hilgemann RacingChevrolet420Running18202530Colin GarrettOn Point MotorsportsToyota420Running17213502Kris WrightYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet420Running16221422Logan BeardenAM RacingFord420Running15233132Bret Holmes (R)Bret Holmes RacingChevrolet420Running1424279Colby HowardCR7 MotorsportsChevrolet420Running13252956Timmy HillHill MotorsportsToyota420Running12263034Mason FilippiReaume Brothers RacingFord420Running1127214Chase PurdyKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet420Running10283346Dale QuarterleyG2G RacingToyota420Running9292825Matt DiBenedettoRackley W.A.R.Chevrolet410Running930519Christian EckesMcAnally–Hilgemann RacingChevrolet313Suspension17311775Parker Kligerman (i)Henderson MotorsportsChevrolet260Electrical12322612Spencer BoydYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet120Electrical5333488Matt CraftonThorSport RacingFord110Accident434642Carson HocevarNiece MotorsportsChevrolet80Axle335225Dean ThompsonTricon GarageToyota40Accident2362320Ed JonesYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet00Suspension1Official race results
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 4 1 Zane Smith 168 1 2 Ty Majeski 166 (-2) 1 3 Ben Rhodes 150 (-18) 4 4 Christian Eckes 148 (-20) 1 5 Grant Enfinger 131 (-37) 4 6 Matt Crafton 130 (-38) 4 7 Tyler Ankrum 114 (-54) 1 8 Matt DiBenedetto 112 (-56) 3 9 Corey Heim 110 (-58) 10 Tanner Gray 107 (-61)Official driver's standings
Note: Only the first 10 positions are included for the driver standings.
References