Alabama driver has NASCAR trucks championship snatched away

In a thrilling turn of events at the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship, Grant Enfinger’s title hopes were dashed when Corey Heim’s Toyota collided with Carson Hocevar’s Chevrolet.

Enfinger, Heim, Hocevar, and Ben Rhodes were the Championship 4 drivers vying for the 2023 series title at Phoenix Raceway with the best finish determining the champion.

With just three laps to go, Enfinger held a solid third place position with a comfortable lead over Rhodes.

However, Heim’s intentional collision with Hocevar changed the game, severely impacting Heim’s chances of winning the championship.

Heim denied intentionally wrecking Hocevar, but his comments over the radio suggested otherwise. When questioned about the incident, Heim responded, “The only person who really knows is me, so that’s all that really matters.”

In contrast, Hocevar accepted responsibility for his actions, saying, “I deserved that and a little bit more.”

Unfortunately, Enfinger, who had been leading the race, was an innocent victim in this clash.

Expressing his disappointment, Enfinger lamented, “It’s a shame to have a championship come down to that.”

The race restarted, nullifying Enfinger’s advantage over Rhodes. They both lined up side-by-side for the final green-white-checkered finish.

Enfinger’s damaged car caused him to fall back, and he had to make a pit stop for new tires and repair work.

During the second restart, Rhodes seemed to be in control of the championship. However, a misjudged shift by Zane Smith caused a pile-up, damaging Rhodes’ car.

The third restart was also marred by a crash and was called off.

For the fourth restart, Rhodes had a better position while Enfinger started further behind. Despite starting in 14th place, Enfinger made an impressive comeback, passing eight trucks in just two laps. Rhodes, on the other hand, was overtaken by one truck.

Ultimately, Rhodes secured the championship with a fifth-place finish, while Christian Eckes won the race.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.