The 2023 Buckle Up South Carolina 200 was the 9th stock car race of the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the eleventh Truck Series race at Darlington. The race was held on Friday, May 12, 2023, in Darlington, South Carolina at Darlington Raceway, a permanent egg-shaped racetrack. The race was increased from 147 to 158 laps, due to several NASCAR overtime attempts. Christian Eckes, driving for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, would capture the win after leading when the final caution came out on the last lap. This was Eckes' third career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win, and his second of the season. Eckes and pole-sitter Corey Heim had dominated the entire race, leading 82 and 66 laps, respectively. To fill out the podium, Stewart Friesen, driving for Halmar Friesen Racing, and Tanner Gray, driving for Tricon Garage, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
Background Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed "The Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition." It is of a unique, somewhat egg-shaped design, an oval with the ends of very different configurations, a condition which supposedly arose from the proximity of one end of the track to a minnow pond the owner refused to relocate. This situation makes it very challenging for the crews to set up their cars' handling in a way that is effective at both ends.
Entry list
(R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
#DriverTeamMakeSponsor or throwback1Bubba Wallace (i)Tricon GarageToyotaAnnie Bosko02Kris WrightYoung's MotorsportsChevroletWrightCars.com - Juan Pablo Montoya's 2007 No. 42 Texaco/Havoline paint scheme2Nick Sanchez (R)Rev RacingChevroletGainbridge - Mario Andretti's 1967 Daytona 500 winning paint scheme04Johnny SauterRoper RacingFordRoper Racing, Carquest - Jason Leffler's 2003 No. 2 Team ASE/Hulk paint scheme4Chase PurdyKyle Busch MotorsportsChevroletBama Buggies5Dean ThompsonTricon GarageToyotaThompson Pipe Group - Germán Quiroga's 2013 No. 77 Net 10 Wireless paint scheme7Corey LaJoie (i)Spire MotorsportsChevroletSchluter Systems9Colby HowardCR7 MotorsportsChevroletGrant County Mulch11Corey HeimTricon GarageToyotaSafelite - Timothy Peters' 2014 No. 17 Red Horse Racing paint scheme12Spencer BoydYoung's MotorsportsChevroletSad Daddy Hunting Blinds13Hailie DeeganThorSport RacingFordFord Performance15Tanner GrayTricon GarageToyotaBlack's Tire Service16Tyler AnkrumHattori Racing EnterprisesToyotaLiUNA!17Taylor Gray (R)Tricon GarageToyotaDead On Tools - Todd Bodine's 2012 No. 11 Toyota Endeavour paint scheme19Christian EckesMcAnally-Hilgemann RacingChevroletGates Hydraulics - Hershel McGriff's 1950 Southern 500 paint scheme20Kaden HoneycuttYoung's MotorsportsChevroletYoung's Motorsports23Grant EnfingerGMS RacingChevroletChampion Power Equipment24Rajah Caruth (R)GMS RacingChevroletWendell Scott Foundation - Wendell Scott's 1973 Winston 500 paint scheme25Matt DiBenedettoRackley WARChevroletRackley Roofing30Ryan VargasOn Point MotorsportsToyotaKSDT CPA - Sean Woodside's 2000 No. 31 Brevak Racing paint scheme32Bret Holmes (R)Bret Holmes RacingChevroletBret Holmes Racing33Josh ReaumeReaume Brothers RacingFordColonial Countertops, Motorsports Safety Group - Ken Block's No. 43 Gymkhana paint scheme35Jake Garcia (R)McAnally-Hilgemann RacingChevroletCrown Fiber - Buckshot Jones' 1999 No. 00 Crown Fiber paint scheme38Zane SmithFront Row MotorsportsFordrtatel.com41Ross Chastain (i)Niece MotorsportsChevroletWorldwide Express - Lee Petty's 1964 No. 41 Petty Enterprises paint scheme42Carson HocevarNiece MotorsportsChevroletWorldwide Express, UPS - Dale Jarrett's 2001 No. 88 UPS "We Want To Race The Truck" paint scheme43Daniel Dye (R)GMS RacingChevroletRace to Stop Suicide - Richard Petty's 1976 No. 43 STP paint scheme45Lawless AlanNiece MotorsportsChevroletAUTOParkIt.com - Adam Petty's 1999 No. 45 Spree paint scheme46Brennan Poole (i)G2G RacingToyotaG2G Racing47Dawson Cram (i)G2G RacingToyotaG2G Racing51William Byron (i)Kyle Busch MotorsportsChevroletHendrickCars.com 52Stewart FriesenHalmar Friesen RacingToyotaHalmar International - Tribute to dirt modified legend Ivan Little56Timmy HillHill MotorsportsToyotaUNITS Storage - Ted Musgrave's 2003 No. 1 Mopar paint scheme75Parker Kligerman (i)Henderson MotorsportsChevroletHäagen-Dazs88Matt CraftonThorSport RacingFordIdeal Door, Menards98Ty MajeskiThorSport RacingFordTenda, Curb Records99Ben RhodesThorSport RacingFordFarm PaintOfficial entry list
Practice The first and only practice session was held on Friday, May 12, at 3:05 PM EST, and would last for 20 minutes. Nick Sanchez, driving for Rev Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 29.301, and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed12Nick Sanchez (R)Rev RacingChevrolet29.301167.830288Matt CraftonThorSport RacingFord29.612166.068342Carson HocevarNiece MotorsportsChevrolet29.711165.514Full practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Saturday, May 12, at 3:35 PM EST. Since Darlington Raceway is an intermediate racetrack, the qualifying system used is a single-car, single-lap system with only one round. In that round, whoever sets the fastest time will win the pole. Corey Heim, driving for Tricon Garage, would score the pole for the race, with a lap of 29.263, and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed111Corey HeimTricon GarageToyota29.263168.048223Grant EnfingerGMS RacingChevrolet29.322167.71032Nick Sanchez (R)Rev RacingChevrolet29.328167.676419Christian EckesMcAnally-Hilgemann RacingChevrolet29.412167.197535Jake Garcia (R)McAnally-Hilgemann RacingChevrolet29.428167.106652Stewart FriesenHalmar Friesen RacingToyota29.483166.794725Matt DiBenedettoRackley WARChevrolet29.485166.783851William Byron (i)Kyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet29.497166.715998Ty MajeskiThorSport RacingFord29.524166.563104Chase PurdyKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet29.553166.3991115Tanner GrayTricon GarageToyota29.591166.1861217Taylor Gray (R)Tricon GarageToyota29.622166.0121324Rajah Caruth (R)GMS RacingChevrolet29.635165.9391499Ben RhodesThorSport RacingFord29.640165.911151Bubba Wallace (i)Tricon GarageToyota29.653165.8381641Ross Chastain (i)Niece MotorsportsChevrolet29.730165.4091716Tyler AnkrumHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota29.767165.2031842Carson HocevarNiece MotorsportsChevrolet29.815164.9371988Matt CraftonThorSport RacingFord29.826164.8762043Daniel Dye (R)GMS RacingChevrolet29.860164.6892175Parker Kligerman (i)Henderson MotorsportsChevrolet30.004163.8982238Zane SmithFront Row MotorsportsFord30.023163.7942356Timmy HillHill MotorsportsToyota30.055163.6202420Kaden HoneycuttYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet30.072163.528255Dean ThompsonTricon GarageToyota30.148163.1152613Hailie DeeganThorSport RacingFord30.255162.5382704Johnny SauterRoper RacingFord30.322162.1792846Brennan Poole (i)G2G RacingToyota30.337162.099297Corey LaJoie (i)Spire MotorsportsChevrolet30.405161.7373045Lawless AlanNiece MotorsportsChevrolet30.466161.4133147Dawson Cram (i)G2G RacingToyota30.632160.538Qualified by owner's points3230Ryan VargasOn Point MotorsportsToyota30.853159.3883312Spencer BoydYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet30.907159.1103432Bret Holmes (R)Bret Holmes RacingChevrolet31.325156.9863502Kris WrightYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet32.001153.670369Colby HowardCR7 MotorsportsChevrolet––Failed to qualify3733Josh ReaumeReaume Brothers RacingFord31.639155.428Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 45 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts119Christian EckesMcAnally-Hilgemann RacingChevrolet10211Corey HeimTricon GarageToyota9325Matt DiBenedettoRackley WARChevrolet8451William Byron (i)Kyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet0523Grant EnfingerGMS RacingChevrolet6642Carson HocevarNiece MotorsportsChevrolet5752Stewart FriesenHalmar Friesen RacingToyota481Bubba Wallace (i)Tricon GarageToyota092Nick Sanchez (R)Rev RacingChevrolet2104Chase PurdyKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet1 Stage 2 Laps: 45 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts151William Byron (i)Kyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet0211Corey HeimTricon GarageToyota9319Christian EckesMcAnally-Hilgemann RacingChevrolet8442Carson HocevarNiece MotorsportsChevrolet751Bubba Wallace (i)Tricon GarageToyota0635Jake Garcia (R)McAnally-Hilgemann RacingChevrolet5752Stewart FriesenHalmar Friesen RacingToyota4823Grant EnfingerGMS RacingChevrolet3956Timmy HillHill MotorsportsToyota21017Taylor Gray (R)Tricon GarageToyota1
Stage 3 Laps: 68 FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts1419Christian EckesMcAnally-Hilgemann RacingChevrolet15882Running582652Stewart FriesenHalmar Friesen RacingToyota1580Running4331115Tanner GrayTricon GarageToyota1580Running344851William Byron (i)Kyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet1587Running051842Carson HocevarNiece MotorsportsChevrolet1580Running4461324Rajah Caruth (R)GMS RacingChevrolet1580Running317151Bubba Wallace (i)Tricon GarageToyota1580Running08111Corey HeimTricon GarageToyota15866Running479255Dean ThompsonTricon GarageToyota1580Running28102420Kaden HoneycuttYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet1580Running271132Nick Sanchez (R)Rev RacingChevrolet1580Running28121988Matt CraftonThorSport RacingFord1580Running25131641Ross Chastain (i)Niece MotorsportsChevrolet1580Running014223Grant EnfingerGMS RacingChevrolet1580Running32151716Tyler AnkrumHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota1580Running2216297Corey LaJoie (i)Spire MotorsportsChevrolet1580Running017369Colby HowardCR7 MotorsportsChevrolet1580Running20181499Ben RhodesThorSport RacingFord1580Running19192043Daniel Dye (R)GMS RacingChevrolet1580Running18202613Hailie DeeganThorSport RacingFord1582Running17211217Taylor Gray (R)Tricon GarageToyota1581Running17222238Zane SmithFront Row MotorsportsFord1580Running15233432Bret Holmes (R)Bret Holmes RacingChevrolet1580Running14242356Timmy HillHill MotorsportsToyota1570Running1525725Matt DiBenedettoRackley WARChevrolet1570Running2026535Jake Garcia (R)McAnally-Hilgemann RacingChevrolet1570Running16273230Ryan VargasOn Point MotorsportsToyota1560Running10282704Johnny SauterRoper RacingFord1560Running9293502Kris WrightYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet1550Running8303045Lawless AlanNiece MotorsportsChevrolet1260Accident731998Ty MajeskiThorSport RacingFord1230Running632104Chase PurdyKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet1000Accident6333312Spencer BoydYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet780Fuel Pump4342175Parker Kligerman (i)Henderson MotorsportsChevrolet480Oil Leak0353147Dawson Cram (i)G2G RacingToyota360Mechanical0362846Brennan Poole (i)G2G RacingToyota200Engine0Official race results
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Zane Smith 338 2 Ty Majeski 329 (-9) 1 3 Corey Heim 323 (-15) 1 4 Ben Rhodes 301 (-37) 1 5 Christian Eckes 299 (-39) 1 6 Grant Enfinger 299 (-39) 7 Matt Crafton 260 (-78) 8 Tanner Gray 254 (-84) 9 Nick Sanchez 233 (-105) 2 10 Stewart Friesen 227 (-111)Official driver's standings
Note: Only the first 10 positions are included for the driver standings.
References