Photo courtesy of Meg Oliphant | Getty Images
A rally and win for one and more heartbreak for the other.
John Hunter Nemechek grabbed the checkered flag Friday evening at Kansas Speedway after leading 88 of the 134 laps and sweeping both stages.
“I knew we were fast,” Nemechek said after the race. “I didn’t know if we were going to be good enough to catch him, but I knew that we were fast. I’m proud of all my guys at KBM, they’ve been working their butts off. I feel like we’re finally peaking at the right time so that’s good for us. I thought I lost us the race there for a couple laps as I got us in dirty air and thought that I screwed myself.”
While it was a dominant performance from the driver of the No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports driver, he needed to make a final lap pass on Carson Hocevar.
Hocevar, after a ‘Hail Mary’ from his crew chief to switch to an alternate strategy in an attempt to make the Round of 8, led the final laps of the race after staying out and stretching his fuel run. It nearly paid off for the No. 42 Niece Motorsports driver but like in races previous, luck was not on Hocevar’s side and Nemechek was able to pass Hocevar into Turn 1 on the bell lap.
All the #NASCARPlayoffs drama in the last lap at @kansasspeedway! pic.twitter.com/UmK1687b09
— NASCAR Camping World Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) September 10, 2022
Hocevar settled for a runner-up finish after coasting down the frontstretch and missed advancing by just three points.
“I don’t know how you’re supposed to handle these [situations],” Hocevar said to Fox Sports after the race. “I should be used to this. I feel like a bridesmaid at my own wedding.”
This is the second year in a row Hocevar has been eliminated in the Round of 10.
Joining Nemechek in the Round of 8 are Zane Smith, Grant Enfinger, Chandler Smith, Ty Majeski, Christian Eckes, Ben Rhodes and Stewart Friesen.
Matt Crafton was eliminated alongside Hocevar after finishing 15th.
Ryan Preece, Zane Smith and Enfinger made up the top five while Chandler Smith, Corey Heim, Majeski, Colby Howard and Eckes rounded out the top 10.
The Round of 8 in the 2022 Camping World Truck Series playoffs begins next Thursday at Bristol Motor Speedway for the UNOH 200 (9 p.m. ET, FS1, PRN).
NOTE: Post-race inspection in the Camping World Truck Series is complete. There were no issues, confirming Nemechek as the winner.
Official race results:
Official playoff standings (via Racing Insights):
