John Hunter Nemechek, on fresher tires, passed Carson Hocevar just after the white flag and won Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoff race at Kansas Speedway.
After the race’s only round of green flag pits stops, Nemechek chased down Hocevar over the final 26 laps when the Niece Motorsports stayed out of the pits in an effort to win and advance in the playoffs.
For Nemechek, who led a race-high 89 laps and swept every stage, it’s his second win of the season.
“I can’t thank (the team) enough for the truck they gave me tonight,” Nemechek told Fox Sports 1. “It was absolutely on rails. … We came in here really good points wise. It played out in our favor to go some more playoff points going into the next round. Puts us in a good spot, we have some momentum on our side going into Bristol.
“I think this one is even sweeter. It’s been a really tough week on myself mentally, emotionally in things you can’t control. But it feels good to cap it off here with a win.”
Right after Nemechek passed him in Turn 1, Hocevar’s No. 42 truck ran out of gas. Hocevar was able to limp to the checkered flag and finish second. However, it wasn’t enough for Hocevar to advance. Matt Crafton was also eliminated.
Advancing to the Round of 8 is Nemechek, Chandler Smith, Grant Enfinger, Zane Smith, Ty Majeski, Stewart Friesen, Ben Rhodes and Christian Eckes.
Hocevar’s strategic bid to win ended with his seventh top five of the season and his third runner-up finish.
“I don’t know how you’re supposed to handle these,” Hocevar said. “As many times as I’ve come close, I should be used to this. I’m going to be a bridesmaid at my own wedding. … Into (Turn) 3 coming to the white flag it started sputtering. So I knew it was game over.”
The top five was completed by Ryan Preece, Zane Smith and Enfinger.
Preece has finished in the top three in four of his eight series starts this year.
Nemechek, the pole-sitter, held the lead in the opening laps until Majeski caught and passed him on Lap 8 as they raced into Turn 1.
Majeski would build up a one-second lead by Lap 15, but within five laps Nemechek was back side-by-side with Majeski before taking the lead into Turn 3.
Nemechek would race out to a 1.9-second lead by the end of the stage, claiming the stage win over Majeski, Eckes, Heim and Zane Smith, who had started ninth.
In the race off pit road, Nemechek was the first to get to the exit.
Hocevar had a slow stop after he overshot his box and had to back up. He returned to the track in 16th.
When the race went back green on 38, Nemechek retained the lead as Eckes moved into second with a pass of Majeski. Not long after the restart, Nemechek reported a possible loose wheel. On Lap 43, Zane Smith got by Majeski for third. Smith would then take second place on Lap 49.
The race’s first caution flag for cause came with four laps left in Stage 2 when the No. 44 of Bayley Currey got loose and slid down to the Turn 1 apron. That resulted in the stage ending under yellow as Nemechek swept the first two stages.
Nemechek won the race off pit road over Preece and Heim.
The race resumed on Lap 65, only for it to be slowed within a half a lap for a spin by Kaden Honeycutt on the backstretch. The green returned on Lap 70 with 65 to go as Zane Smith jumped into second around Heim and Preece. Four laps later, the fourth caution for cause was caused by Brett Moffitt’s No. 22 truck catching fire on the frontstretch as the engine expired. Moffitt was able to exit the truck once the fire died down.
Nemechek again held serve on the ensuing restart with 53 laps to go as Heim reclaimed second, though Smith would retake the spot by 48 laps to go.
With 31 laps to go the only green flag pit stops of the race began when Nemechek hit pit road.
Hocevar would stay out and take the lead. With 26 laps to go he had a 18-second lead over Nemechek in eighth.
By 22 to go, Nemechek was 15 seconds back in fifth. At 20 to go, the deficit was less than 13 seconds with Nemechek in fourth. Nemechek was third, 10 seconds back with 16 to go. With 10 laps to go, Nemechek was 5 seconds back.