Trackin’ Trucks: Stewart Friesen Wins at ISM Raceway

Credit: Debbie Ross for Skirts and Scuffs

Stewart Friesen earned his second Gander Outdoors Truck Series victory on Friday night, holding off Brandon Jones by .860 seconds at ISM (Phoenix) Raceway.

Friesen overcame a penalty at the beginning of the race for jumping the start of the Lucas Oil 150. He led 44 of 150 laps at the one-mile track.

“It was a great race car,” Friesen said, “We were able to pass ‘em all, pass ‘em all clean,”

“Great race car, great race team. We’ll all celebrate tomorrow, and then it’s game on.”

The win at ISM earns Friesen a chance to compete for his first series championship next Friday at Homestead-Miami.

Defending champion Brett Moffitt, Matt Crafton, and Ross Chastain will join Friesen in the Championship 4.

Chandler Smith finished third, followed by Ben Rhodes and Grant Enfinger. Matt Crafton finished sixth to claim the final spot in the Championship 4, six points ahead of Austin Hill. Harrison Burton finished seventh, while Johnny Sauter, Chastain, and Moffitt rounded out the top 10.

John Hunter Nemechek finished 29th after being involved in two accidents. The first one occurred on Lap 23 and involved the No. 19 of Derek Kraus. The two were racing for position when Nemechek got underneath Kraus, sending Kraus up into the outside wall of Turn 4. Kraus ended up in 31st.

Then on Lap 100, Sam Mayer tapped Nemechek’s bumper, turning the No. 8 Chevrolet around. The 16-year-old Mayer came home 19th, finishing a race for the first time in his three GOTS starts.


A Look Ahead Into The Finale 

The Gander Outdoors Truck Series heads to Homestead-Miami Speedway on Friday, November 15th to crown a champion for the 2019 season.

Moffitt got his sixth victory of 2018 at Homestead to earn himself the championship.

Among the other championship contenders, Crafton has one win, three top fives, and 10 top-10 finishes in 18 starts, while Friesen has one top-five finish and two top 10s in three starts. Chastain has two top-10 finishes in five starts.

Who will stay out of trouble and become the new champion? Find out on Friday, November 15, 2019 at 8 p.m./ET on Fox Sports 1.