The 2023 Craftsman 150 was the 23rd and final stock car race of the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the Championship 4 race, and the 29th iteration of the event. The first stages of the race were held on Friday, November 3, 2023, and the final stages were held on Saturday, November 4. The race was held in Avondale, Arizona at Phoenix Raceway, a permanent tri-oval shaped racetrack. The race was originally scheduled to be contested over 150 laps, but was extended to 179 laps, due to numerous NASCAR overtime restarts.
In one of the wildest and wreck-filled Truck Series races in history, Christian Eckes, driving for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, would survive four overtime restart attempts, and held off the field to earn his fifth career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win, and his fourth of the season. Championship contender Corey Heim would dominate the early stages of the race, leading 47 laps until getting spun by Carson Hocevar with 30 laps to go. To fill out the podium, Jake Garcia, driving for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, and Chase Purdy, driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
Meanwhile, ThorSport Racing driver Ben Rhodes, who finished in fifth, would claim the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship, finishing in just one position ahead of Grant Enfinger. He would become the fifth driver to win repeat championships in the Truck Series, also winning in 2021.
The race would be heavily criticized by the fans and drivers, specifically the final 50 laps. Fans had noted that drivers had no respect on the track, which contributed to the amount of wrecks and overtime restarts in the final laps. They would also criticize the way NASCAR had handled the event, as the race would end up finishing around 1 AM EST, one of the latest that a NASCAR race has finished. With a race time of 2 hours, 27 minutes, and 32 seconds, it is also one of the longest Truck Series races in history. Corey Heim would be deducted 25 points (drivers only) and fined $12,500 for the title deciding collision against Carson Hocevar during the race.
Background Phoenix Raceway is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. It is named after the nearby metropolitan area of Phoenix. The motorsport track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the IndyCar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series. The raceway is currently owned and operated by International Speedway Corporation.
The raceway was originally constructed with a road course that ran both inside and outside of the main tri-oval. In 1991 the track was reconfigured with the current interior layout. PIR has an estimated grandstand seating capacity of around 67,000. Lights were installed around the track in 2004 following the addition of a second annual NASCAR race weekend.
Phoenix Raceway is home to two annual NASCAR race weekends, one of 13 facilities on the NASCAR schedule to host more than one race weekend a year. The track is both the first and last stop in the western United States, as well as the fourth and the last track on the schedule.
Championship drivers
Corey Heim advanced after winning at Bristol. Carson Hocevar advanced after winning at Homestead–Miami. Grant Enfinger advanced by virtue of points. Ben Rhodes advanced by virtue of points.
Entry list
(R) denotes rookie driver. (CC) denotes championship contender.
#DriverTeamMake1Jesse LoveTricon GarageToyota02Kaden HoneycuttYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet2Nick Sanchez (R)Rev RacingChevrolet04Spencer DavisRoper RacingChevrolet4Chase PurdyKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet5Dean ThompsonTricon GarageToyota7Marco AndrettiSpire MotorsportsChevrolet9Colby HowardCR7 MotorsportsChevrolet11Corey Heim (CC)Tricon GarageToyota12Spencer BoydYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet13Hailie DeeganThorSport RacingFord15Tanner GrayTricon GarageToyota16Tyler AnkrumHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota17Taylor Gray (R)Tricon GarageToyota19Christian EckesMcAnally-Hilgemann RacingChevrolet20Nick LeitzYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet22Christian RoseAM RacingFord23Grant Enfinger (CC)GMS RacingChevrolet24Rajah Caruth (R)GMS RacingChevrolet25Stefan ParsonsRackley WARChevrolet30Chris HackerOn Point MotorsportsToyota33Keith McGeeReaume Brothers RacingFord35Jake Garcia (R)McAnally-Hilgemann RacingChevrolet38Zane SmithFront Row MotorsportsFord41Bayley CurreyNiece MotorsportsChevrolet42Carson Hocevar (CC)Niece MotorsportsChevrolet43Daniel Dye (R)GMS RacingChevrolet45Lawless AlanNiece MotorsportsChevrolet51Jack WoodKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet52Stewart FriesenHalmar Friesen RacingToyota56Tyler HillHill MotorsportsToyota61Jake DrewHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota66Conner JonesThorSport RacingFord75Sean HingoraniHenderson MotorsportsChevrolet77Derek KrausSpire MotorsportsChevrolet88Matt CraftonThorSport RacingFord98Ty MajeskiThorSport RacingFord99Ben Rhodes (CC)ThorSport RacingFordOfficial entry list
Practice The first and only practice session was held on Thursday, November 2, at 5:00 PM MST, and would last for 50 minutes. Nick Sanchez, driving for Rev Racing, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 26.678, and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed12Nick Sanchez (R)Rev RacingChevrolet26.678134.943211Corey Heim (CC)Tricon GarageToyota26.757134.544398Ty MajeskiThorSport RacingFord26.803134.313Full practice results
Qualifying Qualifying was held on Friday, November 3, at 3:05 PM MST. Since Phoenix Raceway is a mile oval, the qualifying system used is a single-car, one-lap system with only one round. In that round, whoever sets the fastest time will win the pole. Corey Heim, driving for Tricon Garage, would score the pole for the race, with a lap of 26.344, and an average speed of . Pos.#DriverTeamMakeTimeSpeed111Corey Heim (CC)Tricon GarageToyota26.344136.654298Ty MajeskiThorSport RacingFord26.360136.57132Nick Sanchez (R)Rev RacingChevrolet26.390136.415438Zane SmithFront Row MotorsportsFord26.432136.19954Chase PurdyKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet26.484135.931699Ben Rhodes (CC)ThorSport RacingFord26.505135.823751Jack WoodKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet26.542135.634819Christian EckesMcAnally-Hilgemann RacingChevrolet26.548135.603924Rajah Caruth (R)GMS RacingChevrolet26.550135.593101Jesse LoveTricon GarageToyota26.558135.5521141Bayley CurreyNiece MotorsportsChevrolet26.605135.3131217Taylor Gray (R)Tricon GarageToyota26.607135.3031342Carson Hocevar (CC)Niece MotorsportsChevrolet26.631135.1811435Jake Garcia (R)McAnally-Hilgemann RacingChevrolet26.650135.084155Dean ThompsonTricon GarageToyota26.728134.6901677Derek KrausSpire MotorsportsChevrolet26.762134.5191723Grant Enfinger (CC)GMS RacingChevrolet26.764134.5091861Jake DrewHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota26.787134.3941916Tyler AnkrumHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota26.790134.3782052Stewart FriesenHalmar Friesen RacingToyota26.802134.3182175Sean HingoraniHenderson MotorsportsChevrolet26.807134.2932243Daniel Dye (R)GMS RacingChevrolet26.813134.2632313Hailie DeeganThorSport RacingFord26.869133.9832425Stefan ParsonsRackley WARChevrolet26.871133.9732515Tanner GrayTricon GarageToyota26.897133.844269Colby HowardCR7 MotorsportsChevrolet26.900133.8292702Kaden HoneycuttYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet26.934133.6602888Matt CraftonThorSport RacingFord26.938133.6402966Conner JonesThorSport RacingFord27.057133.0523030Chris HackerOn Point MotorsportsToyota27.158132.5583145Lawless AlanNiece MotorsportsChevrolet27.178132.460Qualified by owner's points3222Christian RoseAM RacingFord27.231132.202337Marco AndrettiSpire MotorsportsChevrolet27.323131.7573404Spencer DavisRoper RacingChevrolet27.474131.0333520Nick LeitzYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet27.627130.3073656Tyler HillHill MotorsportsToyota27.707129.931Failed to qualify3712Spencer BoydYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet27.735129.8003833Keith McGeeReaume Brothers RacingFord27.947128.815Official qualifying resultsOfficial starting lineup
Race results Stage 1 Laps: 45 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts198Ty MajeskiThorSport RacingFord10211Corey Heim (CC)Tricon GarageToyota9338Zane SmithFront Row MotorsportsFord8499Ben Rhodes (CC)ThorSport RacingFord752Nick Sanchez (R)Rev RacingChevrolet664Chase PurdyKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet5719Christian EckesMcAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet4842Carson Hocevar (CC)Niece MotorsportsChevrolet3923Grant Enfinger (CC)GMS RacingChevrolet21017Taylor Gray (R)Tricon GarageToyota1 Stage 2 Laps: 45 Pos.#DriverTeamMakePts111Corey Heim (CC)Tricon GarageToyota10238Zane SmithFront Row MotorsportsFord9398Ty MajeskiThorSport RacingFord8419Christian EckesMcAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet7517Taylor Gray (R)Tricon GarageToyota6699Ben Rhodes (CC)ThorSport RacingFord574Chase PurdyKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet4823Grant Enfinger (CC)GMS RacingChevrolet3935Jake Garcia (R)McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet21042Carson Hocevar (CC)Niece MotorsportsChevrolet1
Stage 3 Laps: 89 FinSt#DriverTeamMakeLapsLedStatusPts1819Christian EckesMcAnally-Hilgemann RacingChevrolet17936Running5121435Jake Garcia (R)McAnally-Hilgemann RacingChevrolet1790Running37354Chase PurdyKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet1798Running434101Jesse LoveTricon GarageToyota1790Running335699Ben Rhodes (CC)ThorSport RacingFord1790Running3261723Grant Enfinger (CC)GMS RacingChevrolet1790Running317155Dean ThompsonTricon GarageToyota1790Running3082702Kaden HoneycuttYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet1790Running2992515Tanner GrayTricon GarageToyota1790Running281032Nick Sanchez (R)Rev RacingChevrolet1795Running33112888Matt CraftonThorSport RacingFord1790Running2612924Rajah Caruth (R)GMS RacingChevrolet1790Running25133145Lawless AlanNiece MotorsportsChevrolet1790Running2414298Ty MajeskiThorSport RacingFord17948Running41152313Hailie DeeganThorSport RacingFord1790Running22163222Christian RoseAM RacingFord1790Running21173404Spencer DavisRoper RacingChevrolet1790Running2018111Corey Heim (CC)Tricon GarageToyota17947Running19193520Nick LeitzYoung's MotorsportsChevrolet1790Running18203656Tyler HillHill MotorsportsToyota1790Running1721269Colby HowardCR7 MotorsportsChevrolet1790Running16221916Tyler AnkrumHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota1780Running15231217Taylor Gray (R)Tricon GarageToyota1770Running21242052Stewart FriesenHalmar Friesen RacingToyota1750Running1325438Zane SmithFront Row MotorsportsFord17235Accident29262175Sean HingoraniHenderson MotorsportsChevrolet1670Accident1127751Jack WoodKyle Busch MotorsportsChevrolet1620Accident10281677Derek KrausSpire MotorsportsChevrolet1560Accident9291342Carson Hocevar (CC)Niece MotorsportsChevrolet1460Accident8302425Stefan ParsonsRackley WARChevrolet1280Accident7311141Bayley CurreyNiece MotorsportsChevrolet1280Accident6322243Daniel Dye (R)GMS RacingChevrolet1280Accident5331861Jake DrewHattori Racing EnterprisesToyota1000Accident4342966Conner JonesThorSport RacingFord1000Accident335337Marco AndrettiSpire MotorsportsChevrolet540Accident2363030Chris HackerOn Point MotorsportsToyota530Accident1Official race results
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 2 1 Ben Rhodes 4,032 2 2 Grant Enfinger 4,031 (-1) 1 3 Carson Hocevar 4,008 (-24) 3 4 Corey Heim 3,994 (-38) 5 Christian Eckes 2,319 (-1,713) 6 Nick Sanchez 2,258 (-1,774) 7 Zane Smith 2,194 (-1,838) 8 Ty Majeski 2,185 (-1,847) 9 Matt Crafton 2,167 (-1,865) 10 Matt DiBenedetto 2,102 (-1,930)Official driver's standings
Note: Only the first 10 positions are included for the driver standings.
References