Stewart Friesen poses with the trophy after winning Thursday night’s NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series Eldora Dirt Derby at Eldora Speedway. Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images
First at last.
Canadian Stewart Friesen held off Sheldon Creed by .728-seconds in the Eldora Dirt Derby at Eldora Speedway to earn his first career NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series victory Thursday night.
It was a typical Eldora night of close racing, hot tempers, and high drama on the Rossburg, Ohio half-mile. Friesen took the lead on lap 95 of the 150-lap race and held off the field despite multiple caution periods and restarts – before prevailing in a two-lap shootout to the checkered flag.
Championship points leader Grant Enfinger finished third, followed by dirt track ace Mike Marlar and Todd Gilliland. Defending Eldora winner Chase Briscoe, who led a race best 94 laps, finished seventh. Briscoe and Friesen were the only two race leaders.
“Oh man, thank you to all the race fans that stuck with us,” Friesen said in Victory Lane. “Today, this is the day. This is the week. Thanks to everybody. This is meant to be. We needed to get it done on the dirt. Thanks to everyone. What a special event.”
Stewart Friesen leads a pack of trucks during Thursday night’s NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series Eldora Dirt Derby at Eldora Speedway. Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images
The race certainly had its share of excitement.
Briscoe, last week’s NASCAR Xfinity Series winner at Iowa, won both the first and second stages and was caught up in multiple incidents on the night. However, he managed to keep his truck racing to take a hard-earned top-10 finish.
For many of the usual frontrunners, the unique Eldora challenge presented new obstacles. It was the dirt debut for several fulltime drivers, including three-race winner Ross Chastain, who ran impressively among the top five early in the race, spun out on his own after the Stage 2 restart but rallied to a 12th-place finish.
Sunoco Rookie Harrison Burton, who was making his Eldora debut, dealt with over-heating during the brief break following the opening stage. He was running eighth when he spun and brought out the fourth caution flag of the night and then was collected in another multi-truck accident. He eventually had to retire his No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota and suffer a 31st-place finish in the 32-truck field.
The field does a four-wide salute prior to the start of Thursday night’s NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series Eldora Dirt Derby at Eldora Speedway. Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images
As for Friesen, who had been a symbol of “coming so close” to victory, this was finally his career highlight night. He has six runner-up finishes in the last three seasons – including two earlier this year. A last place finish last weekend at Pocono Raceway had really put him in championship peril – dropping him to last among the current eight eligible drivers. Instead, with Thursday’s win, he has an automatic berth to contend for the title.
The series moves to Michigan International Speedway for the regular season finale next Saturday.
NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series
Eldora Speedway – Rossburg, OH
Eldora Dirt Derby – August 1, 2019
1. (4) Stewart Friesen, Chevrolet, 150.
2. (10) Sheldon Creed #, Chevrolet, 150.
3. (15) Grant Enfinger, Ford, 150.
4. (23) Mike Marlar, Toyota, 150.
5. (8) Todd Gilliland, Toyota, 150.
6. (17) Christian Eckes, Toyota, 150.
7. (1) Chase Briscoe(i), Ford, 150.
8. (7) Tyler Dippel #, Chevrolet, 150.
9. (26) Tyler Ankrum #, Toyota, 150.
10. (2) Matt Crafton, Ford, 150.
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12. (12) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 150.
13. (32) Austin Wayne Self, Chevrolet, 150.
14. (9) Ben Rhodes, Ford, 150.
15. (24) Mark Smith, Chevrolet, 150.
16. (25) Tim Ward, Toyota, 150.
17. (30) Darwin Peters, Jr., Chevrolet, 150.
18. (5) Kyle Strickler, Toyota, 149.
19. (29) Jennifer Jo Cobb, Chevrolet, 149.
20. (21) Jeffrey Abbey, Chevrolet, 147.
21. (6) Johnny Sauter, Ford, 145.
22. (27) Norm Benning, Chevrolet, 145.
23. (28) Mason Massey IV, Chevrolet, 144.
24. (22) Landon Huffman, Chevrolet, 144.
25. (13) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 143.
26. (18) Jake Griffin, Chevrolet, 143.
27. (16) Colt Gilliam, Chevrolet, 143.
28. (20) Gus Dean #, Chevrolet, 142.
29. (3) Brett Moffitt, Chevrolet, 141.
30. (31) Devin Dodson, Chevrolet, 141.
31. (11) Harrison Burton #, Toyota, 127.
32. (19) Austin Hill, Toyota, Accident, 79.
Average Speed of Race Winner: 41.247 mph.
Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 49 Mins, 6 Secs. Margin of Victory: .728 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 12 for 67 laps.
Lead Changes: 1 among 2 drivers.
Lap Leaders: C. Briscoe(i) 1-93;S. Friesen 94-150.
Leaders Summary: (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led) Chase Briscoe(i) 1 time for 93 laps; Stewart Friesen 1 time for 57 laps.
Stage #1 Top Ten: 27,4,24,2,88,52,99,3,45,54
Stage #2 Top Ten: 27,52,88,54,98,45,4,33,02,99
Top 10 in Points: 1. Grant Enfinger – 622; 2. Matt Crafton – 570; 3. Stewart Friesen – 567 (1 Win); 4. Brett Moffitt – 564 (2 Wins); 5. Ben Rhodes – 507; 6. Harrison Burton – 506; 7. Todd Gilliland – 473; 8. Sheldon Creed – 450; 9. Austin Hill – 431 (1 Win); 10. Johnny Sauter – 418 (1 Win).
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