The 2023 Love's RV Stop 250 was the 21st stock car race of the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the second race of the Round of 8, and the 18th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, September 30, 2023, in Lincoln, Alabama at Talladega Superspeedway, a permanent tri-oval shaped superspeedway. The race was originally scheduled to be contested over 94 laps, but was extended to 99 laps due to a NASCAR overtime finish. In a wreck-filled race with numerous cautions, Brett Moffitt, driving in a one-off race for Front Row Motorsports, would steal the win after making an aggressive move on Christian Eckes for the lead on the final lap. This was Moffitt's 13th career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win, and his first of the season. Moffitt and Nick Sanchez would dominate the majority of the race, leading 22 and 25 laps, respectively. To fill out the podium, Ben Rhodes, driving for ThorSport Racing, and Dean Thompson, driving for Tricon Garage, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
Background Talladega Superspeedway, originally known as Alabama International Motor Superspeedway (AIMS), is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base in the small city of Lincoln. The track is a tri-oval and was constructed in the 1960s by the International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France family. Talladega is most known for its steep banking and the unique location of the start/finish line that's located just past the exit to pit road. The track currently hosts the NASCAR series such as the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and the Craftsman Truck Series. Talladega is the longest NASCAR oval with a length of tri-oval like the Daytona International Speedway, which also is a tri-oval.
Entry list
(R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points. (P) denotes playoff driver.
#DriverTeamMake1David GillilandTricon GarageToyota02Garrett Smithley (i)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet2Nick Sanchez (R) (P)Rev RacingChevrolet04Cory RoperRoper RacingFord4Chase PurdyKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet5Dean ThompsonTricon GarageToyota9Colby HowardCR7 MotorsportsChevrolet10Jennifer Jo CobbJennifer Jo Cobb RacingChevrolet11Corey Heim (P)Tricon GarageToyota12Spencer BoydYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet13Hailie DeeganThorSport RacingFord15Tanner GrayTricon GarageToyota16Tyler AnkrumHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota17Taylor Gray (R)Tricon GarageToyota19Christian Eckes (P)McAnally-Hilgemann RacingChevrolet20Greg Van AlstYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet22Jason M. WhiteAM RacingFord23Grant Enfinger (P)GMS RacingChevrolet24Rajah Caruth (R)GMS RacingChevrolet25Chandler Smith (i)Rackley WARChevrolet28Bryan DauzatFDNY RacingChevrolet30Ryan VargasOn Point MotorsportsToyota32Bret Holmes (R)Bret Holmes RacingChevrolet33Keith McGeeReaume Brothers RacingFord34Brett Moffitt (i)Front Row MotorsportsFord35Jake Garcia (R)McAnally-Hilgemann RacingChevrolet38Zane Smith (P)Front Row MotorsportsFord41Bayley CurreyNiece MotorsportsChevrolet42Carson Hocevar (P)Niece MotorsportsChevrolet43Daniel Dye (R)GMS RacingChevrolet45Lawless AlanNiece MotorsportsChevrolet51Jack WoodKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet52Stewart FriesenHalmar Friesen RacingToyota56Tyler HillHill MotorsportsToyota61Jake DrewHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota75Parker Kligerman (i)Henderson MotorsportsChevrolet88Matt CraftonThorSport RacingFord95Clay GreenfieldGK RacingChevrolet98Ty Majeski (P)ThorSport RacingFord99Ben Rhodes (P)ThorSport RacingFordOfficial entry list
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Saturday, September 30, at 8:30 AM CST. Since Talladega Superspeedway is a superspeedway, the qualifying system used is a single-car, single-lap system with two rounds. In the first round, drivers have one lap to set a time. The fastest ten drivers from the first round move on to the second round. Whoever sets the fastest time in Round 2 wins the pole.
Chase Purdy, driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports, would win the pole after advancing from the preliminary round and setting the fastest time in Round 2, with a lap of 53.368, and an average speed of .
Spencer Boyd, Jennifer Jo Cobb, Keith McGee, and Clay Greenfield failed to qualify.
Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTime (R1)Speed (R1)Time (R2)Speed (R2)14Chase PurdyKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet53.584178.71053.368179.43322Nick Sanchez (R) (P)Rev RacingChevrolet53.740178.19153.653178.480335Jake Garcia (R)McAnally-Hilgemann RacingChevrolet54.031177.23254.010177.30045Dean ThompsonTricon GarageToyota54.143176.86554.049177.173598Ty Majeski (P)ThorSport RacingFord54.098177.01254.061177.133651Jack WoodKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet53.993177.35654.087177.048742Carson Hocevar (P)Niece MotorsportsChevrolet53.992177.36054.123176.930899Ben Rhodes (P)ThorSport RacingFord54.160176.80954.136176.888911Corey Heim (P)Tricon GarageToyota54.139176.87854.144176.8621061Jake DrewHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota54.174176.76454.467175.813Eliminated in Round 1111David GillilandTricon GarageToyota54.217176.624——1288Matt CraftonThorSport RacingFord54.262176.477——1375Parker Kligerman (i)Henderson MotorsportsChevrolet54.267176.461——1424Rajah Caruth (R)GMS RacingChevrolet54.290176.386——1532Bret Holmes (R)Bret Holmes RacingChevrolet54.337176.234——1619Christian Eckes (P)McAnally-Hilgemann RacingChevrolet54.355176.175——179Colby HowardCR7 MotorsportsChevrolet54.368176.133——1838Zane Smith (P)Front Row MotorsportsFord54.379176.097——1915Tanner GrayTricon GarageToyota54.418175.971——2052Stewart FriesenHalmar Friesen RacingToyota54.447175.877——2145Lawless AlanNiece MotorsportsChevrolet54.449175.871——2216Tyler AnkrumHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota54.461175.832——2313Hailie DeeganThorSport RacingFord54.490175.739——2417Taylor Gray (R)Tricon GarageToyota54.554175.532——2523Grant Enfinger (P)GMS RacingChevrolet54.634175.275——2620Greg Van AlstYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet54.635175.272——2741Bayley CurreyNiece MotorsportsChevrolet54.654175.211——2825Chandler Smith (i)Rackley WARChevrolet54.732174.962——2943Daniel Dye (R)GMS RacingChevrolet54.740174.936——3028Bryan DauzatFDNY RacingChevrolet54.803174.735——3134Brett Moffitt (i)Front Row MotorsportsFord54.863174.633——Qualified by owner's points3202Garrett Smithley (i)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet54.863174.544——3330Ryan VargasOn Point MotorsportsToyota54.877174.499——3456Tyler HillHill MotorsportsToyota54.953174.258——3504Cory RoperRoper RacingFord55.575172.308——3622Jason M. WhiteAM RacingFord55.743171.788——Failed to qualify3712Spencer BoydYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet55.230173.384——3810Jennifer Jo CobbJennifer Jo Cobb RacingChevrolet55.554172.373——3933Keith McGeeReaume Brothers RacingFord55.828171.527——4095Clay GreenfieldGK RacingChevrolet————Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 20 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts12Nick Sanchez (R) (P)Rev RacingChevrolet10242Carson Hocevar (P)Niece MotorsportsChevrolet9311Corey Heim (P)Tricon GarageToyota8498Ty Majeski (P)ThorSport RacingFord7532Bret Holmes (R)Bret Holmes RacingChevrolet669Colby HowardCR7 MotorsportsChevrolet5775Parker Kligerman (i)Henderson MotorsportsChevrolet0815Tanner GrayTricon GarageToyota391David GillilandTricon GarageToyota2105Dean ThompsonTricon GarageToyota1 Stage 2 Laps: 20 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts175Parker Kligerman (i)Henderson MotorsportsChevrolet022Nick Sanchez (R) (P)Rev RacingChevrolet9342Carson Hocevar (P)Niece MotorsportsChevrolet8498Ty Majeski (P)ThorSport RacingFord7599Ben Rhodes (P)ThorSport RacingFord6615Tanner GrayTricon GarageToyota5717Taylor Gray (R)Tricon GarageToyota4832Bret Holmes (R)Bret Holmes RacingChevrolet395Dean ThompsonTricon GarageToyota21011Corey Heim (P)Tricon GarageToyota1
Stage 3 Laps: 59 FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts13134Brett Moffitt (i)Front Row MotorsportsFord9922Running02899Ben Rhodes (P)ThorSport RacingFord990Running41345Dean ThompsonTricon GarageToyota990Running3742825Chandler Smith (i)Rackley WARChevrolet990Running05911Corey Heim (P)Tricon GarageToyota990Running4162943Daniel Dye (R)GMS RacingChevrolet990Running31722Nick Sanchez (R) (P)Rev RacingChevrolet9925Running4982313Hailie DeeganThorSport RacingFord990Running2991375Parker Kligerman (i)Henderson MotorsportsChevrolet9910Running0102145Lawless AlanNiece MotorsportsChevrolet990Running2711742Carson Hocevar (P)Niece MotorsportsChevrolet995Running43121424Rajah Caruth (R)GMS RacingChevrolet990Running25132523Grant Enfinger (P)GMS RacingChevrolet990Running2414651Jack WoodKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet990Running23153202Garrett Smithley (i)Young's MotorsportsChevrolet990Running0161532Bret Holmes (R)Bret Holmes RacingChevrolet993Running30173330Ryan VargasOn Point MotorsportsToyota990Running20182417Taylor Gray (R)Tricon GarageToyota991Running23191619Christian Eckes (P)McAnally-Hilgemann RacingChevrolet998Running18201061Jake DrewHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota980Running1721598Ty Majeski (P)ThorSport RacingFord930Accident30223504Cory RoperRoper RacingFord930DVP1523179Colby HowardCR7 MotorsportsChevrolet920Accident19241288Matt CraftonThorSport RacingFord911Accident13251915Tanner GrayTricon GarageToyota9112Accident20262620Greg Van AlstYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet910Accident11273622Jason M. WhiteAM RacingFord880Running102814Chase PurdyKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet8411Accident929335Jake Garcia (R)McAnally-Hilgemann RacingChevrolet790Running8303456Tyler HillHill MotorsportsToyota590Accident7312741Bayley CurreyNiece MotorsportsChevrolet581Accident6321838Zane Smith (P)Front Row MotorsportsFord550Running5332216Tyler AnkrumHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota500Accident4342052Stewart FriesenHalmar Friesen RacingToyota380Accident335111David GillilandTricon GarageToyota380Accident4363028Bryan DauzatFDNY RacingChevrolet50Handling1Official race results
Post-race conflict After the conclusion of the race, a post-race fight broke out near the garage area, between Rev Racing driver Nick Sanchez and ThorSport Racing driver Matt Crafton. During the late stages of the race, Sanchez would make an aggressive move on Crafton, which would ultimately trigger a 15 truck pileup on the frontstretch. While walking back to his hauler, Sanchez would be tapped on the back by Crafton, for which he would give Sanchez a sucker punch to the face when he turned around. Multiple crew members from McAnally-Hilgemann Racing and GMS Racing would jump in to break up the altercation. While Sanchez was being restrained by fellow driver Cory Roper, blood covering most of his face, he would ultimately yell "I'm going to fucking kill you at Homestead. You fucked with the wrong guy motherfucker. It's on now." On October 3, Crafton was fined $25,000 and Sanchez was fined $5,000 for their involvement in the fight. In addition, Sanchez's father, Rene, was suspended for the remainder of the season for his involvement in the altercation.
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Corey Heim 3,121 1 2 Carson Hocevar 3,111 (-10) 1 3 Christian Eckes 3,097 (-24) 3 4 Nick Sanchez 3,091 (-30) 1 5 Grant Enfinger 3,088 (-33) 6 Ben Rhodes 3,086 (-35) 1 7 Ty Majeski 3,072 (-49) 3 8 Zane Smith 3,055 (-66) 1 9 Matt Crafton 2,103 (-1,018) 1 10 Matt DiBenedetto 2,102 (-1,019)Official driver's standings
Note: Only the first 10 positions are included for the driver standings.
References