NCTS Race Recap: DQS Solutions & Staffing 250

The DQS Solutions & Staffing 250 at Michigan International Speedway had everything you could ask for in a truck race: speed and close action. To start it off, Ty Majeski and Christopher Bell brought the field to green. Chandler Smith and Layne Riggs started on the second row. Dawson Sutton started in the Lucky 13 spot. Kaden Honeycutt took the green in 17th, while Corey Heim was back in 23rd. The race length was 125 laps, with the first two stages being 30 laps, and the final stage being 65 laps.

C-Bell and Hurricane

Majeski got off the line quicker, but Bell fought back and took the lead out of turn one. Majeski stayed with it and drove underneath Bell on the front stretch to take the lead. Bell fell to third after Riggs and Carson Hocevar passed him. Hocevar made his way into the runner-up spot, while Riggs fell outside of the top five.

Daniel Hemric hit the wall on the opening lap and had to pit.

Hocevar pulled up alongside Majeski to challenge for the lead, but Bell pulled up behind the leader to keep him out front.

Tanner Gray slowed on the track with damage to his left front.

Bell and Hocevar cleared Majeskit to take the top two spots. Hocevar quickly drove underneath Bell to take the lead.

The first caution came out when Frankie Muniz got loose underneath Spencer Davis and Kris Wright. They all spun around but were able to keep it off the wall.

Hocevar and Majeski restarted from the front row. Bell pushed Hocevar out front and into the lead. Immediately, Majeski fell outside the top ten and even hit the wall.

Sutton fell out of the top twenty.

Bell hounded Hocevar for the lead. They pulled away from Smith, in third, by over a second. Bell used a run on the front stretch to drive underneath and around Hocevar to take the lead with five to go in the stage. Bell went on to win stage one of the DQS Solutions & Staffing 250. Hocevar, Honeycutt, Smith, and Riggs rounded out the top five.

Sweep Sweep

Hocevar and Bell got the stage restarted from the front row. While Hocevar took the lead out of turn two, Bell drove to the inside into turn three to take the lead. Hocevar did the same to retake the lead into turn one.

Corey Heim split the front-runners to get into second and began to push the pace. Bell, Heim, and Hocevar pulled away from Honeycutt by over a second.

On lap 41, Sutton had to pit and ultimately retire his truck.

Layne Riggs made an unscheduled pit stop on lap 49 with a flat left front tire. He had trouble getting out of his stall, which slowed him down even more.

Heim continued to push Bell for the lead. They pulled away from Hocevar. Bell went on to keep the lead and win stage two of the DQS Solutions & Staffing 250! Heim, Hocevar, Honeycutt, and Smith finished the stage in the top five.

Cautions Begin

Hocevar and Grant Enfinger restarted the race on the front row. Hocevar took the lead out of turn two. Honeycutt got around Enfinger to take the runner-up spot.

Cleetus McFarland brought out the fourth caution after spinning around by himself.

Hocevar and Enfinger, again, brought the field back to green. Honeycutt pushed Hocevar back out to the lead. Enfinger did fight, but could not hold them back. Bell was able to pass his way to third before the fifth caution came out.

Stewart Friesen was running 22nd when he got turned around on the back stretch.

Bell joined Hocevar to restart out front. Honeycutt pushed Hocevar, but Bell fought them off to retake the lead out of turn two.

Hocevar drove to the rear bumper and then underneath Bell to take the lead back with 44 to go in the race.

Heim got around Ben Rhodes to take fourth. He then got around Christian Eckes to move into the top three. He quickly got around Hocevar to begin his challenge for the lead.

The sixth caution came out when Majeski got turned around and backed into the wall out of turn two. Tanner Gray moved up the track and into Majeski, which is what started the incident.

Heim Time

Daniel Dye and Jake Garcia brought the green flag back out. Hocevar quickly jumped to the outside and took the lead out of turn two. Smith and Honeycutt also got around them.

The seventh caution came out when Cole Butcher got a flat left front. That sent him up the track and into Spencer Boyd, taking them both out of the race.

Hocevar and Honeycutt got the race back underway with 26 to go. Riggs and Smith stayed on the leader’s rear bumpers. Smith and Hocevar would take the top two spots, while Honeycutt settled in third. Heim peeked underneath Honeycutt but stayed in fourth.

Heim finally took his shot to get around Honeycutt after a huge run on the front stretch.

The top five pulled away from Corey Lajoie by over two seconds.

Honeycutt pushed Heim all the way down the front stretch. Heim used the push to pass Hocevar and Smith in turns one and two and take the lead. Honeycutt was able to get around Smith for third.

Corey Lajoie had to pit for a flat right rear tire.

Honeycutt got around Hocevar to take the runner-up spot with six to go.

Heim and Honeycutt pulled away from Hocevar by over half a second.

Heim took the white flag and then the checkered flag to win the DQS Solutions & Staffing 250! Honeycutt had a chance at the end, but Heim was able to block well enough to hold onto the lead. Hocevar, Riggs, and Smith completed the top five.

Marvin’s Minute:

Kaden Honeycutt has the speed and shows it time and time again. The only thing standing in his way is the fifth-winningest NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver of all time. Heim knows how to drive the trucks and continues to dominate the field.

With that, Honeycutt was upset after the race. He knows he has the talent and can win. He will figure it out and get into victory lane more frequently. Honeycutt has the fastest truck and enough skill to win the championship. The series will take a week off, then head to Naval Base Coronado!