BOWMANVILLE, Ontario – No one was even in the same zip code as Brett Moffitt on Sunday at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
The reigning NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series champion put together a dominant performance, leading a race-high 45 laps from the pole during the Chevrolet Silverado 250 to earn his second-straight victory to kickoff the Truck Series playoffs in the No. 24 GMS Racing Chevrolet Silverado.
“I just feel like everyone at GMS, all the wayback to the fab shop on up, has been doing a better job,” Moffitt said. “I’d say we’re hitting our stride at the right time. It took awhile to get here. Before it was like we were missing a little bit everywhere. Now we’re hitting on all cylinders.”
Moffitt easily won the first stage and only gave up the lead during the second stage to pit during a caution period. He returned to the front of the field for the start of the final stage, rocketing off into the lead during the restart and never looking back despite questions about his Chevrolet Silverado having enough fuel to make it to the finish.
The victory is Moffitt’s fourth the season and the 11th of his career in the Truck Series as he looks to defend his Truck Series championship from one year ago.
“Obviously we were tight on fuel there, but we had a really good Chevy Silverado,” Moffitt said. “No better place to go victory lane than at a race sponsored by Silverado. That was really cool for our partners.”
NASCAR Pinty’s Series regular and 2011 Indianapolis 500 polesitter Alex Tagliani, making a one-off start for Kyle Busch Motorsports, finished a distant second. Tagliani was more than five seconds behind Moffitt at the checkered flag.
“It was amazing to run for KBM,” Tagliani said. “We were just missing loading the front tire in the race in the fast corner. So I had to over slow the Truck down too much in the corner. That’s what made the difference between (me and) the 24 (Moffitt). Nevertheless, it was a pleasure to race for them (KBM).”
Ben Rhodes finished right behind Tagliani in third, followed by Sheldon Creed and playoff driver Austin Hill.
With one race left in the first round of the Truck Series playoffs, Moffitt is the only driver who has clinched his place in round two. Ross Chastain has a 28 point cushion over the cutoff line in second.
Things get tighter from there, with Stewart Friesen in third, six points above the cutoff line. Matt Crafton is fourth, five points ahead of the cutoff line and Hill sits fifth with four points between him and the cutoff line. Enfinger is the last driver above the cutline, two points ahead.
The two drivers who are currently on the outside looking in are Johnny Sauter, who sits two points behind Enfinger, and Tyler Ankrum, who is 14 points behind the cutoff line entering the next Truck Series race on Sept. 13 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
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