NASCAR
Who Make up the Remaining Spots in the 2023 Truck Series Playoffs?
Six drivers won their way into the 2023 Truck Series Playoffs. That left four openings for some hungry, talented drivers to fill up the spots. One of the fastest trucks all year, a rookie, an underdog and a multi-time champion make up these final four berths. Can any of these teams find magic at the right time and contend against the favorites for the championship?
Ty Majeski – 2,014 points
A Championship 4 contender from last year, Ty Majeski has firmly placed his name among 2023 contenders. The Thorsport driver has 11 top-10s with 256 laps led, both stats are second only to Corey Heim. Majeski truly has done everything but win this season. No win was closer for Majeski than Richmond two weeks ago. The No. 66 Ford led a whopping 168 or 250 laps, only to be passed on fresh tires late. Being so dominant at Richmond could prove well for Majeski in upcoming short track races.
“I feel good about (the Playoffs),” Majeski said. “We have fast trucks, and I’m really looking forward to IRP and my home track in Milwaukee. Lot of good things are on the horizon, we can make another good run at it.”
“We want to compete for championships. We feel like we have the people around us to do it, the equipment do it. I feel like now I have the experience to just do the little things better. We want to come out of Phoenix a champion.”
Unlike his Playoff competitors, Ty Majeski will not be lacking any on-track time. Alongside running for the Truck Series title, the Wisconsin native will be racing a late model in the ASA Stars National Tour. By pure coincidence and luck, both schedules allow for this crossover. One of the most renowned short track racers in America today, Majeski believes competing simultaneously in both disciplines will only help him.
Also winless coming into last year’s postseason, Majeski ended the Playoffs with two victories. The 66 was unbelievably fast in Richmond, being nearly in its own zip code. If Thorsport brings a truck half that good to Playoff races, Majeski will have ample opportunities at checkered flags.
Nick Sanchez – 2,005 points
Newcomer Nick Sanchez has already completed one major goal for 2023, winning Rookie of the Year. The 22-year-old is the top rookie in the Trucks, being the only one to make the 10-man Playoffs. The defending ARCA champion is in uncharted waters, trying to navigate his first ever Playoffs with Rev Racing. Even with so little experience, Sanchez believes taking each race as its own hurdle will help this team move onward.
“(Richmond was) overall a great step forward for our 2023 short track program. I sucked at Martinsville and North Wilkesboro, to come home P8, leave and know what I need to work on for Milwaukee and IRP is huge. Those are the next two races, so I think (Richmond) will help us a good bit to get ready. I think points racing is out of play now, now we can just race the other drivers and focus on wins.”
“I think my expectations (for the Playoffs) is just to compete for wins and ultimately get to Phoenix,” said Sanchez. “But I feel like I want to treat every race as its own season. Not really worry about points too much, not really worry about the end goal of Phoenix, but live in the moment. At this point, we really just want to compete for wins.”
Even with the race-by-race mindset, inexperience may still be Nick Sanchez’s detriment. Starting as the eighth seed, any mistake could cost the 2 team dearly. Top-10s in five of the last six races are a good sign for Sanchez. Much like Majeski last year, his first career win may come in the Playoffs.
Matt DiBenedetto – 2,002 points
Making a first Truck Series Playoff appearance for himself and his team is Matt DiBenedetto. Year two in the Rackley WAR No. 25 Chevrolet has seen major improvements for Matty D, with nine top-10s. A lackluster Richmond result ended a six-race top-10 run for the 25. The Rackley group was on the outside looking in for the Playoffs last year. DiBenedetto gave his entire team credit for this impressive year-over-year turnaround.
“It’s so rewarding for the whole team, and we are so proud to have made it (to the Playoffs),” said DiBenedetto. “Because it has taken everybody. To think this team has made the Playoffs in just its third year is so amazing. And Rackley Roofing should be so proud, it’s taken the whole village but we’re here.”
“Us as a team, I know we have grown a lot, overcome a lot and turned a lot of heads, especially in this latter part of this year showing our progress and our strength as a team and our consistency. But truly I believe we can make it to the Final Four. I really do. I know a lot of circumstances need to fall our way, and there are a lot of fast trucks we are up against, but everybody has seen the growth and progress of our team and everything Rackley and this group has poured in and Chevrolet and how serious everyone has taken this. And I am really proud of that.”
“When you look at where we were last year compared to now it’s rewarding. I’m so proud of our team, and these guys at Rackley and Chevrolet, this whole team, put in so much effort. My crew chief Chad Kendrick and all his guys work their tails off. I’m just so proud of the consistency, the effort from everyone. We had some stuff to overcome early in the season, failures and little bumps in the road. We just climbed our way up into the Playoffs the hard way. We’re hitting our stride at the right time going into the Playoffs. We have some good tracks ahead of us too.”
DiBenedetto is the lone trucker with any past Cup Series Playoff experience. This could be a far greater benefit than meets the eye. DiBenedetto has time racing in some of the most pressure-filled scenarios possible in NASCAR. Only being three points below the cut line, the next round is very attainable for the 25.
Matt Crafton – 2,002 points
The only driver to make every Truck Series Playoffs is three-time champion Matt Crafton. The Thorsport 88 was the last one to make 2023’s postseason, eking out a top-10 at Richmond. Seventh two weeks ago was only Crafton’s sixth top-10 of the year. The veteran has confidence in the 88 crew though to battle forward.
“We got a good group of guys now,” Crafton said. “I got a crew chief that actually lives in-house, up in Ohio. The last five years I haven’t really had that, where the crew chief is in-house, ever since Junior (Joyner) left in 2018. The other crew chiefs commuted back and forth from North Carolina. I’m ecstatic to have Jeriod (Prince, crew chief). He’s done a really good job.”
“We stunk at Pocono, but that’s probably partly on me because I hate the place. We stunk in Nashville but that’s on me too, I’ll take all that on the chin. But I feel that we’re a lot better off than we were last year going into the Playoffs. We got some new trucks built, and we keep getting better.”
“I’m really looking forward to the rest of the races. We go to a lot of racetracks where you actually have to use two feet, not just run around wide open. The 88’s been good whenever we have tire falloff and get to actually drive them.”
“It’s always good to have won championships and won races before. It’s definitely a different pressure when you are racing for a championship. There is a lot on your shoulders and a lot on your mind each and every week.”
Entering the Playoffs as the 10th and final seed, Crafton must already fight from a points hole. Only three points out of the top eight though gives the 88 a great shot at advancing onward. Riding a 74-race losing streak, a win would do wonders for this Thorsport team.
While these drivers do represent the bottom half of the Truck Series Playoff grid, do not count any of them out yet. Only three points separates 10th from eighth in points, virtually no gap at all over the course of three races. These four drivers all have excellent chances ahead at finding victory lane. Friday night at IRP is sure to be a dogfight among all Playoff teams.
Written by Peter Stratta
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