The 2023 Fr8 208 was the 3rd stock car race of the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the 15th iteration of the event. The race was held on Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Hampton, Georgia, at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a 1.54 miles (2.48 km) permanent tri-oval shaped superspeedway. The race was increased from 135 laps to 137 laps, due to a NASCAR overtime finish. Christian Eckes, driving for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, would take the win after making a pass on Nick Sanchez for the lead on the final lap. This was Eckes' second career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win, and his first of the season.[1] This was also the first win for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing in the truck series. To fill out the podium, Sanchez, driving for Rev Racing, and John Hunter Nemechek, driving for Tricon Garage, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

2023 Fr8 208
Race details
Race 3 of 23 of the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Date March 18, 2023
Official name 15th Annual Fr8 208
Location Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, Georgia
Course Permanent racing facility
1.54 mi (2.48 km)
Distance 137 laps, 210 mi (337 km)
Scheduled Distance 135 laps, 207 mi (334 km)
Average speed 92.344 mph (148.613 km/h)
Pole position
Driver Front Row Motorsports
Grid positions set by competition-based formula
Most laps led
Driver John Hunter Nemechek Tricon Garage
Laps 53
Winner
No. 19 Christian Eckes McAnally-Hilgemann Racing
Television in the United States
Network FS1
Announcers Jamie Little, Phil Parsons, and Michael Waltrip
Radio in the United States
Radio MRN

Background

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Atlanta Motor Speedway is a 1.54-mile race track in Hampton, Georgia, United States, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It has annually hosted NASCAR Cup Series stock car races since its inauguration in 1960.

The venue was bought by Speedway Motorsports in 1990. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track. In 1997, to standardize the track with Speedway Motorsports' other two intermediate ovals, the entire track was almost completely rebuilt. The frontstretch and backstretch were swapped, and the configuration of the track was changed from oval to quad-oval, with a new official length of 1.54-mile (2.48 km) where before it was 1.522-mile (2.449 km). The project made the track one of the fastest on the NASCAR circuit. In July 2021 NASCAR announced that the track would be reprofiled for the 2022 season to have 28 degrees of banking and would be narrowed from 55 to 40 feet which the track claims will turn racing at the track similar to restrictor plate superspeedways. Despite the reprofiling being criticized by drivers, construction began in August 2021 and wrapped up in December 2021.[2][3] The track has seating capacity of 71,000 to 125,000 people depending on the tracks configuration.

Entry list

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  • (R) denotes rookie driver.
  • (i) denotes driver who is ineligible for series driver points.
# Driver Team Make Sponsor
1 Layne Riggs Tricon Garage Toyota Infinity Communications Group
02 Kris Wright Young's Motorsports Chevrolet FNB Corporation
2 Nick Sanchez (R) Rev Racing Chevrolet Gainbridge
04 Kaden Honeycutt Roper Racing Ford Carquest
4 Chase Purdy Kyle Busch Motorsports Chevrolet Bama Buggies
5 Dean Thompson Tricon Garage Toyota Thompson Pipe Group
9 Colby Howard CR7 Motorsports Chevrolet Grant County Mulch
11 Corey Heim Tricon Garage Toyota Safelite
12 Spencer Boyd Young's Motorsports Chevrolet Off the Grid
13 Hailie Deegan ThorSport Racing Ford AdventHealth
15 Tanner Gray Tricon Garage Toyota Dead On Tools
16 Tyler Ankrum Hattori Racing Enterprises Toyota LiUNA!
17 John Hunter Nemechek (i) Tricon Garage Toyota Berry's Manufacturing
19 Christian Eckes McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet NAPA Auto Care
20 Mason Maggio Young's Motorsports Chevrolet HMY Yachts
22 Josh Reaume AM Racing Ford JAG Metals
23 Grant Enfinger GMS Racing Chevrolet Champion Power Equipment
24 Rajah Caruth (R) GMS Racing Chevrolet Wendell Scott Foundation
25 Matt DiBenedetto Rackley WAR Chevrolet Rackley Roofing
30 Ryan Vargas On Point Motorsports Toyota Leargas Security
32 Bret Holmes (R) Bret Holmes Racing Chevrolet Pate Holdings
33 Mason Massey Reaume Brothers Racing Ford Wespro JCB
34 Keith McGee (i) Reaume Brothers Racing Ford Reaume Brothers Racing
35 Jake Garcia (R) McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet Quanta Services
38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford Fr8Auctions
41 Bayley Currey (i) Niece Motorsports Chevrolet Unishippers
42 Carson Hocevar Niece Motorsports Chevrolet Worldwide Express
43 Daniel Dye (R) GMS Racing Chevrolet Heise LED Lighting Systems
45 Lawless Alan Niece Motorsports Chevrolet AutoChargIt.com
46 Akinori Ogata G2G Racing Toyota Kyowa, Eidemiller Precision
51 Jack Wood Kyle Busch Motorsports Chevrolet Logitech
52 Stewart Friesen Halmar Friesen Racing Toyota Halmar International
56 Timmy Hill Hill Motorsports Toyota UNITS Storage
88 Matt Crafton ThorSport Racing Ford Great Lakes Flooring, Menards
98 Ty Majeski ThorSport Racing Ford Curb Records
99 Ben Rhodes ThorSport Racing Ford Farm Paint
Official entry list

Starting lineup

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Qualifying was scheduled to be held on Friday, March 17, at 3:00 PM EST, but was cancelled due to constant rain showers.[4] The starting lineup was determined by a performance-based metric system. As a result, Zane Smith, driving for Front Row Motorsports, earned the pole.[5]

Pos. # Driver Team Make
1 38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford
2 98 Ty Majeski ThorSport Racing Ford
3 99 Ben Rhodes ThorSport Racing Ford
4 19 Christian Eckes McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet
5 42 Carson Hocevar Niece Motorsports Chevrolet
6 11 Corey Heim Tricon Garage Toyota
7 23 Grant Enfinger GMS Racing Chevrolet
8 88 Matt Crafton ThorSport Racing Ford
9 4 Chase Purdy Kyle Busch Motorsports Chevrolet
10 25 Matt DiBenedetto Rackley WAR Chevrolet
11 15 Tanner Gray Tricon Garage Toyota
12 35 Jake Garcia (R) McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet
13 16 Tyler Ankrum Hattori Racing Enterprises Toyota
14 52 Stewart Friesen Halmar Friesen Racing Toyota
15 9 Colby Howard CR7 Motorsports Chevrolet
16 5 Dean Thompson Tricon Garage Toyota
17 51 Jack Wood Kyle Busch Motorsports Chevrolet
18 56 Timmy Hill Hill Motorsports Toyota
19 43 Daniel Dye (R) GMS Racing Chevrolet
20 2 Nick Sanchez (R) Rev Racing Chevrolet
21 45 Lawless Alan Niece Motorsports Chevrolet
22 24 Rajah Caruth (R) GMS Racing Chevrolet
23 1 Layne Riggs Tricon Garage Toyota
24 17 John Hunter Nemechek (i) Tricon Garage Toyota
25 02 Kris Wright Young's Motorsports Chevrolet
26 33 Mason Massey Reaume Brothers Racing Ford
27 12 Spencer Boyd Young's Motorsports Chevrolet
28 22 Josh Reaume AM Racing Ford
29 04 Kaden Honeycutt Roper Racing Ford
30 41 Bayley Currey (i) Niece Motorsports Chevrolet
31 20 Mason Maggio Young's Motorsports Chevrolet
Qualified by owner's points
32 13 Hailie Deegan ThorSport Racing Ford
33 32 Bret Holmes (R) Bret Holmes Racing Chevrolet
34 46 Akinori Ogata G2G Racing Toyota
35 30 Ryan Vargas On Point Motorsports Toyota
36 34 Keith McGee (i) Reaume Brothers Racing Ford
Official starting lineup

Race results

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Stage 1 Laps: 45

Pos. # Driver Team Make Pts
1 19 Christian Eckes McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet 10
2 38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford 9
3 23 Grant Enfinger GMS Racing Chevrolet 8
4 88 Matt Crafton ThorSport Racing Ford 7
5 25 Matt DiBenedetto Rackley WAR Chevrolet 6
6 98 Ty Majeski ThorSport Racing Ford 5
7 52 Stewart Friesen Halmar Friesen Racing Toyota 4
8 99 Ben Rhodes ThorSport Racing Ford 3
9 4 Chase Purdy Kyle Busch Motorsports Chevrolet 2
10 35 Jake Garcia (R) McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet 1

Stage 2 Laps: 45

Pos. # Driver Team Make Pts
1 88 Matt Crafton ThorSport Racing Ford 10
2 98 Ty Majeski ThorSport Racing Ford 9
3 17 John Hunter Nemechek (i) Tricon Garage Toyota 0
4 99 Ben Rhodes ThorSport Racing Ford 7
5 11 Corey Heim Tricon Garage Toyota 6
6 38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford 5
7 16 Tyler Ankrum Hattori Racing Enterprises Toyota 4
8 23 Grant Enfinger GMS Racing Chevrolet 3
9 52 Stewart Friesen Halmar Friesen Racing Toyota 2
10 2 Nick Sanchez (R) Rev Racing Chevrolet 1

Stage 3 Laps: 47

Fin[6] St # Driver Team Make Laps Led Status Pts
1 4 19 Christian Eckes McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet 137 35 Running 50
2 20 2 Nick Sanchez (R) Rev Racing Chevrolet 137 11 Running 36
3 24 17 John Hunter Nemechek (i) Tricon Garage Toyota 137 53 Running 0
4 30 41 Bayley Currey (i) Niece Motorsports Chevrolet 137 0 Running 0
5 3 99 Ben Rhodes ThorSport Racing Ford 137 3 Running 42
6 10 25 Matt DiBenedetto Rackley WAR Chevrolet 137 0 Running 37
7 9 4 Chase Purdy Kyle Busch Motorsports Chevrolet 137 0 Running 32
8 18 56 Timmy Hill Hill Motorsports Toyota 137 2 Running 29
9 8 88 Matt Crafton ThorSport Racing Ford 137 29 Running 45
10 17 51 Jack Wood Kyle Busch Motorsports Chevrolet 137 2 Running 27
11 2 98 Ty Majeski ThorSport Racing Ford 137 0 Running 40
12 32 13 Hailie Deegan ThorSport Racing Ford 137 0 Running 25
13 33 32 Bret Holmes (R) Bret Holmes Racing Chevrolet 137 0 Running 24
14 35 30 Ryan Vargas On Point Motorsports Toyota 137 0 Running 23
15 25 02 Kris Wright Young's Motorsports Chevrolet 137 1 Running 22
16 19 43 Daniel Dye (R) GMS Racing Chevrolet 137 0 Running 21
17 34 46 Akinori Ogata G2G Racing Toyota 137 0 Running 20
18 12 35 Jake Garcia (R) McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet 137 0 Running 20
19 7 23 Grant Enfinger GMS Racing Chevrolet 137 0 Running 29
20 1 38 Zane Smith Front Row Motorsports Ford 137 0 Running 31
21 27 12 Spencer Boyd Young's Motorsports Chevrolet 137 0 Running 16
22 14 52 Stewart Friesen Halmar Friesen Racing Toyota 137 0 Running 21
23 28 22 Josh Reaume AM Racing Ford 137 0 Running 14
24 11 15 Tanner Gray Tricon Garage Toyota 137 0 Running 13
25 22 24 Rajah Caruth (R) GMS Racing Chevrolet 137 0 Running 12
26 13 16 Tyler Ankrum Hattori Racing Enterprises Toyota 136 0 Running 15
27 15 9 Colby Howard CR7 Motorsports Chevrolet 134 0 Track Bar 10
28 23 1 Layne Riggs Tricon Garage Toyota 134 0 Running 9
29 26 33 Mason Massey Reaume Brothers Racing Ford 134 0 Running 8
30 16 5 Dean Thompson Tricon Garage Toyota 131 0 Running 7
31 5 42 Carson Hocevar Niece Motorsports Chevrolet 127 0 Accident 6
32 21 45 Lawless Alan Niece Motorsports Chevrolet 126 0 Accident 5
33 29 04 Kaden Honeycutt Roper Racing Ford 123 1 Running 4
34 6 11 Corey Heim Tricon Garage Toyota 83 0 Accident 9
35 31 20 Mason Maggio Young's Motorsports Chevrolet 52 0 Accident 2
36 36 34 Keith McGee (i) Reaume Brothers Racing Ford 7 0 Transmission 0
Official race results

Standings after the race

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References

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  1. ^ Skala, Chris (March 18, 2023). "Christian Eckes Prevails at Atlanta for First Truck Series Win Since 2021". Frontstretch. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  2. ^ "Atlanta Motor Speedway to re-profile track in 2022 and drivers are expressing frustration with the changes". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 2021-09-06.
  3. ^ "Atlanta Motor Speedway track reprofile begins | NASCAR". Official Site Of NASCAR. Retrieved 2021-09-06.
  4. ^ "2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Atlanta Race Page". Jayski's NASCAR Silly Season Site. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  5. ^ Watson, Wyatt (March 17, 2023). "Truck Qualifying Rained Out; Zane Smith Receives Pole at Atlanta". Frontstretch. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  6. ^ "2023 Fr8 208 - Racing Reference". Racing-Reference.info. Retrieved March 18, 2023.


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