The 2017 Alpha Energy Solutions 250 was the third stock car race of the 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the 19th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, April 1, 2017, in Martinsville, Virginia at Martinsville Speedway, a permanent oval-shaped short track. The race took the 250 laps to complete. At race's end, Chase Elliott, driving for GMS Racing, would defend the field on the final restart with 12 to go to win his second career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win and his only win of the season. To fill out the podium, Johnny Sauter of GMS Racing and Christopher Bell of Kyle Busch Motorsports would finish second and third, respectively.
Background
Martinsville Speedway is a NASCAR-owned stock car racing track located in Henry County, in Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At 0.526 miles (0.847 km) in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved oval tracks in NASCAR, being built in 1947 by H. Clay Earles. It is also the only remaining race track that has been on the NASCAR circuit from its beginning in 1948.
Entry list
(R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
#DriverTeamMakeSponsor1Bryce NapierTJL MotorsportsChevroletVeterans Motorsports, ASAP Appliance Service02Austin HillYoung's MotorsportsFordVictory Wear4Christopher BellKyle Busch MotorsportsToyotaJBL5Korbin Forrister*Wauters MotorsportsToyotaAdvanced Medical Laboratories6Norm BenningNorm Benning RacingChevroletHouston Roll Pipe7Brett MoffittRed Horse RacingToyotaRed Horse Racing8John Hunter NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsChevroletD. A. B. Constructors, Inc.10Chuck Buchanan Jr.Jennifer Jo Cobb RacingFordSpring Drug12Jordan AndersonRick Ware RacingChevroletLucas Oil13Cody Coughlin (R)ThorSport RacingToyotaJEGS16Ryan TruexHattori Racing EnterprisesToyotaHarris Teeter17Timothy PetersRed Horse RacingToyotaAutos By Nelson, Harley-Davidson Thunder Road18Noah Gragson (R)Kyle Busch MotorsportsToyotaSwitch19Austin Cindric (R)Brad Keselowski RacingFordLTi Printing21Johnny SauterGMS RacingChevroletAllegiant Air22Austin Wayne SelfAM RacingToyotaGO TEXAN.23Chase Elliott (i)GMS RacingChevroletAllegiant Air24Justin Haley (R)GMS RacingChevroletAccuDoc Solutions27Ben RhodesThorSport RacingToyotaSafelite Auto Glass29Chase Briscoe (R)Brad Keselowski RacingFordCooper-Standard33Kaz Grala (R)GMS RacingChevroletKiklos44Brandon Brown (i)Martins MotorsportsChevroletMartins Motorsports45T. J. BellNiece MotorsportsChevroletAutry Grading49Wendell Chavous (R)Premium MotorsportsChevroletPremium Motorsports50Travis KvapilBeaver MotorsportsChevroletMotorsports Safety Group51Harrison BurtonKyle Busch MotorsportsToyotaDEX Imaging52Stewart Friesen (R)Halmar Friesen RacingChevroletHalmar63Kyle DonahueMB MotorsportsChevroletBlue Lives Matter66Ross Chastain (i)Bolen MotorsportsChevroletSouth Carolina Gamecocks75Caleb HolmanHenderson MotorsportsChevroletFood Country USA83Donnie LevisterCopp MotorsportsChevroletFrontline Wraps87Joe NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsChevroletNEMCO Motorsports88Matt CraftonThorSport RacingToyotaMenards, Shasta92Regan SmithRBR EnterprisesFordBTS Tire & Wheel Distributors, Advance Auto Parts98Grant Enfinger (R)ThorSport RacingToyotaJive Communications99Ty Dillon (i)MDM MotorsportsChevroletOverkill MotorsportsOfficial entry list *Withdrew.
Practice Originally, two practice sessions were scheduled to be held, both being held on Friday, March 31. However, rain would cancel the second session.
The only 55-minute practice session was held on Friday, March 31, at 1:00 PM EST. Christopher Bell of Kyle Busch Motorsports would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 20.204 and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed14Christopher BellKyle Busch MotorsportsToyota20.20493.72427Brett MoffittRed Horse RacingToyota20.26493.447318Noah Gragson (R)Kyle Busch MotorsportsToyota20.27493.400Full practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Saturday, April 1, at 12:05 PM EST. Since Martinsville Speedway is a short track, the qualifying system was a multi-car system that included three rounds. The first round was 15 minutes, where every driver would be able to set a lap within the 15 minutes. Then, the second round would consist of the fastest 24 cars in Round 1, and drivers would have 10 minutes to set a lap. Round 3 consisted of the fastest 12 drivers from Round 2, and the drivers would have 5 minutes to set a time. Whoever was fastest in Round 3 would win the pole.
Chase Elliott of GMS Racing would win the pole after advancing from both preliminary rounds and setting the fastest lap in Round 3, with a time of 19.943 and an average speed of .
Three drivers would fail to qualify: Austin Wayne Self, Norm Benning, and Chuck Buchanan Jr.
Full qualifying results Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTime (R1)Speed (R1)Time (R2)Speed (R2)Time (R3)Speed (R3)123Chase Elliott (i)GMS RacingChevrolet19.94394.951221Johnny SauterGMS RacingChevrolet19.97494.803317Timothy PetersRed Horse RacingToyota20.07494.331488Matt CraftonThorSport RacingToyota20.09994.214566Ross Chastain (i)Bolen MotorsportsChevrolet20.16893.89164Christopher BellKyle Busch MotorsportsToyota20.18293.826751Harrison BurtonKyle Busch MotorsportsToyota20.18293.826829Chase Briscoe (R)Brad Keselowski RacingFord20.19893.752918Noah Gragson (R)Kyle Busch MotorsportsToyota20.23393.5901098Grant Enfinger (R)ThorSport RacingToyota20.24493.5391133Kaz Grala (R)GMS RacingChevrolet20.25493.493128John Hunter NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsChevrolet20.26893.428Eliminated in Round 21319Austin Cindric (R)Brad Keselowski RacingFord20.19593.766——1463Kyle DonahueMB MotorsportsChevrolet20.21993.654——157Brett MoffittRed Horse RacingToyota20.22293.641——1699Ty Dillon (i)MDM MotorsportsChevrolet20.22693.622——1727Ben RhodesThorSport RacingToyota20.26593.442——1852Stewart Friesen (R)Halmar Friesen RacingChevrolet20.26693.437——1916Ryan TruexHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota20.27393.405——2092Regan SmithRBR EnterprisesFord20.27693.391——2187Joe NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsChevrolet20.39092.869——2202Austin HillYoung's MotorsportsFord20.40292.814——2344Brandon Brown (i)Martins MotorsportsChevrolet20.40292.814——2424Justin Haley (R)GMS RacingChevrolet20.35693.024————Eliminated in Round 12575Caleb HolmanHenderson MotorsportsChevrolet20.35693.024————2645T. J. BellNiece MotorsportsChevrolet20.42092.733————2713Cody Coughlin (R)ThorSport RacingToyota20.42892.696————Qualified by owner's points2850Travis KvapilBeaver MotorsportsChevrolet20.88590.668————291Bryce NapierTJL MotorsportsChevrolet21.13789.587————3083Donnie LevisterCopp MotorsportsChevrolet21.16689.464————3149Wendell Chavous (R)Premium MotorsportsChevrolet21.17489.430————3212Jordan AndersonRick Ware RacingChevrolet21.99586.092————Failed to qualify or withdrew3322Austin Wayne SelfAM RacingToyota20.48892.425————346Norm BenningNorm Benning RacingChevrolet20.93790.443————3510Chuck Buchanan Jr.Jennifer Jo Cobb RacingFord——————WD5Korbin ForristerWauters MotorsportsToyota——————Official starting lineup
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 70 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts123Chase Elliott (i)GMS RacingChevrolet0221Johnny SauterGMS RacingChevrolet9388Matt CraftonThorSport RacingToyota844Christopher BellKyle Busch MotorsportsToyota7598Grant Enfinger (R)ThorSport RacingToyota6629Chase Briscoe (R)Brad Keselowski RacingFord5717Timothy PetersRed Horse RacingToyota4818Noah Gragson (R)Kyle Busch MotorsportsToyota3999Ty Dillon (i)MDM MotorsportsChevrolet0108John Hunter NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsChevrolet1
Stage 2 Laps: 70 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts121Johnny SauterGMS RacingChevrolet10288Matt CraftonThorSport RacingToyota9329Chase Briscoe (R)Brad Keselowski RacingFord8417Timothy PetersRed Horse RacingToyota7598Grant Enfinger (R)ThorSport RacingToyota6624Justin Haley (R)GMS RacingChevrolet5751Harrison BurtonKyle Busch MotorsportsToyota4833Kaz Grala (R)GMS RacingChevrolet394Christopher BellKyle Busch MotorsportsToyota21002Austin HillYoung's MotorsportsFord1
Stage 3 Laps: 110 FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts1123Chase Elliott (i)GMS RacingChevrolet25092running02221Johnny SauterGMS RacingChevrolet25062running54364Christopher BellKyle Busch MotorsportsToyota25096running434918Noah Gragson (R)Kyle Busch MotorsportsToyota2500running3651699Ty Dillon (i)MDM MotorsportsChevrolet2500running06157Brett MoffittRed Horse RacingToyota2500running317566Ross Chastain (i)Bolen MotorsportsChevrolet2500running08317Timothy PetersRed Horse RacingToyota2500running409488Matt CraftonThorSport RacingToyota2500running45101916Ryan TruexHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota2500running2711829Chase Briscoe (R)Brad Keselowski RacingFord2500running39122092Regan SmithRBR EnterprisesFord2500running2513751Harrison BurtonKyle Busch MotorsportsToyota2500running28142202Austin HillYoung's MotorsportsFord2500running24151133Kaz Grala (R)GMS RacingChevrolet2500running25161463Kyle DonahueMB MotorsportsChevrolet2500running21171098Grant Enfinger (R)ThorSport RacingToyota2500running32182187Joe NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsChevrolet2500running19192713Cody Coughlin (R)ThorSport RacingToyota2500running18201727Ben RhodesThorSport RacingToyota2490running17211319Austin Cindric (R)Brad Keselowski RacingFord2490running16222575Caleb HolmanHenderson MotorsportsChevrolet2490running15233149Wendell Chavous (R)Premium MotorsportsChevrolet2480running14242645T. J. BellNiece MotorsportsChevrolet2470running13251852Stewart Friesen (R)Halmar Friesen RacingChevrolet2470running12262424Justin Haley (R)GMS RacingChevrolet2460running16272344Brandon Brown (i)Martins MotorsportsChevrolet2420running028128John Hunter NemechekNEMCO MotorsportsChevrolet2260running10292850Travis KvapilBeaver MotorsportsChevrolet1860engine8303083Donnie LevisterCopp MotorsportsChevrolet1000brakes7313212Jordan AndersonRick Ware RacingChevrolet240brakes632291Bryce NapierTJL MotorsportsChevrolet30parked5Failed to qualify or withdrew3322Austin Wayne SelfAM RacingToyota346Norm BenningNorm Benning RacingChevrolet3510Chuck Buchanan Jr.Jennifer Jo Cobb RacingFordWD5Korbin ForristerWauters MotorsportsToyotaOfficial race results
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Johnny Sauter 140 2 Christopher Bell 136 (-4) 3 Matt Crafton 117 (–23) 4 Timothy Peters 110 (–30) 5 Kaz Grala 103 (–37) 6 Ben Rhodes 103 (–37) 7 Chase Briscoe 93 (–47) 8 Grant Enfinger 84 (–56)Official driver's standings
Note: Only the first 8 positions are included for the driver standings.
References