NASCAR
Who Won Their Way into 2024 Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs?
Exactly half of the 10-man Truck Series Playoff field for 2024 is made up of race winners. Responsible for 13 combined victories this season, all of these drivers are aiming for a spot in the Championship 4 at Phoenix. Here’s how all of these drivers got to this point and their chances ahead at the Truck Series title.
Corey Heim – 2,041 points
Few drivers across Truck Series history have tallied a more impressive season than Corey Heim in 2024. Through 16 races, the TRICON No. 11 has five wins, 12 top-10s, and 469 laps led. If not for a Charlotte DQ, his numbers would be even more stellar. Heim was robbed of the championship a year ago, and appears well poised to battle it out again in Phoenix.
“We are such a complete race team,” Heim said. “Last year, we were just super consistent and had really good points days – didn’t make any awful mistakes. When you go into the Playoffs, especially with our situation, with all of the Playoff points that we have, as long as you don’t do anything crazy. Of course there are some variables that are out of your control, like Talladega. You can get one bad push and your day is pretty much over. You just try not to worry about that. Hoping to go out and execute as we should and as we know we are capable of. I think we will be just fine. We were able to do that last year, and I think that is the goal this year. Go off our normal routine and keep moving forward.”
“At the end of the day, I feel like the Playoff points help but if you look at the breakdown, you can truly have one bad race and you are reset back at that cutline area. It is super important for us to go out and get stage points every week with Talladega being in that Round of 8. That throws in a lot of uncertainty and unknowns, so to be able to execute leading into Talladega, the races before that, and races following that as well will be super important, and also the Round of 10. It is not a slip-and-slide for us either. We have to go out and get some more Playoff points and try to win some races to give us a bigger cushion going into that last round because there is a lot of variables that could prevent you from getting to Phoenix. As long as we go out and do what we are capable of, we will be just fine. But you are always kind of anxious to go out and do it, and you never know what could happen. Just have to do what we can during the week to prepare and go out and execute.”
Perhaps the only blemish in Heim’s season so far have been the last two races. Back-to-back mid-pack finishes have Heim entering the postseason with little momentum, despite the points lead. As stated above, Heim may have the most rounded out team in Trucks this year. Talladega shenanigans are seemingly Heim’s only obstacle between himself and a Championship 4 return. Heim should be a front running contender in each race moving forward. Expect the 11 to be number one a few more times this year.
Christian Eckes – 2,038 points
Matching and in some cases bettering Heim’s superb season has been Christian Eckes. The McAnally-Hilgemann Racing No. 19 team edged out Heim for the regular season championship. This wealth of bonus points resets Eckes to the second seed, only three points off the lead. Heim’s top-10 total is only trumped by Eckes’ 15, with only one off race from the 19. Eckes is looking ahead with a win-or-go-home mindset.
“Based off of last year, I feel like it is championship or bust,” Eckes said. “And I feel like everything we’ve done this year in preparation has kind of led towards that being the mentality. So I, I definitely feel like we’re capable of that. And that’s what we’re going to go try to achieve.”
“I’ve choked in the Round of 8 the last two years. So yeah, just execution is our biggest thing to work on. I feel like we’ve done a better job of being consistent and executing this year. So I feel like, we’re we’re more than capable to go, do we just gotta do it.”
Eckes has been the biggest thorn in Heim’s side so far in 2024, equaling his rival on a near-weekly basis. If not for a brake failure back in Atlanta, Eckes may have been perfect in top-10s. While Heim has faltered in recent weeks, Eckes has five-straight podium results. Lost in the chaos of Phoenix last year was Eckes taking the checkers as a non-contender. This past experience may pay dividends for the 19 team.
Ty Majeski – 2,023 points
Entering the postseason with maximum momentum and sky-high confidence is Ty Majeski. The ThorSport Racing short track ace won the last two races, and the Playoffs kick off at his home track. Four drivers will make up the finale round at Phoenix; Majeski has firmly established himself in the Championship 4 conversation.
“I think we’re one of those top three contenders, for sure, especially coming off of these two wins,” Majeski said. “I think we’re probably carrying the most momentum in the series right now. Maybe our valleys have been a little bit lower than the 19 and the 11, but I feel like our peaks have been similar. So as long as we can just peak at the right time and keep this momentum going, there’s no reason why we can’t be a competitor when we hopefully get to Phoenix. I feel good about where we’re at. Our team is in a really good spot. We’re working really well together right now. Obviously, coming off of two wins is a huge deal. Our 98 team always seems to peak right about playoff time, so we’re ready for another good playoff run.”
Majeski is no stranger to success on the upcoming slate of tracks. His first two career Truck victories came amidst the 2022 Playoff run, at both Bristol and Homestead. He’s also tasted victory multiple times on the Milwaukee Mile. Like with many drivers however, Talladega is the 800-pound gorilla that could derail the 98’s championship run. The prolific racer has a lot of great tracks in his windshield, and eyes a third Championship 4 berth.
Nick Sanchez – 2,018 points
The first man into the 2024 Playoffs was first-time winner Nick Sanchez. The 23-year-old took his maiden Truck Series victory in the season opener at Daytona, and won again at Charlotte. Sanchez made the 10-man cut a year ago, but says finding victory lane elevated this entire team’s expectations.
“I think we executed well enough in the regular season to make it in on points anyway,” Sanchez said. “But it was just winning [that made the difference]. And all of last year I felt like that was the one area that I lacked in. So being able to get that one in Charlotte is is good, and it was definitely great for me personally as a racecar driver. But now it’s just, you know. The more you win, the more you want to win, and the more you’re expected to win. So we need to win more.”
“I think it’s never ending battle of speed. You know, the last couple of races for us haven’t been the best speed wise even though we’ve sometimes sometimes we’ve executed on every other aspect. So for for me and my team, it’s just about getting our speed back that. It’s kind of dwindled in the last couple of races, and and if we get that back we’ll we’ll be just fine.”
As mentioned above, the regular season ended on a down note for Rev Racing. The last four races include three finishes outside of the top-10, with a mechanical DNF at Richmond. Now reset to fourth in points though, Sanchez has his eyes set forward. If they remain a constant top-five presence, team No. 2 should be able to breathe easy in the opening round.
Rajah Caruth – 2,009 points
The final first-time winner to make the 2024 Playoffs, Rajah Caruth took the checkers at Las Vegas in March. Amidst his first year with Spire Motorsports, Caruth is batting .500 with eight top-10s. The last seven starts for the No. 71 have seen four poor results however. This same span has seen a mere six laps led. Going into his first Playoffs narrowly outside the Championship 4, Caruth needs to recapture some of his early season magic.
“I think I would describe [our season] as more to be desired,” Caruth said. “I think we started the year really strong, and then kind of for that five week stretch of races think, for the most part we had good pace, outside of Wilkesboro, for a little bit but just didn’t have finishes where we I think we we deserved. Kind of Nashville on forward, I think we’ve done better. Just trying to get kind of back to how we started the year. So not where I want to be.”
“But I’m honestly just glad to be in in the Playoffs. I think we had enough points to be in it, even without the win. And I’m really proud of that, because that was one of my goals into the season. With how late my sponsorship came together with with racing for Spire and with HendrickCars.Com. I’m just excited for this opportunity, and really focused on being my best self. So hopefully, we can be one of the four in Phoenix.”
Caruth is ahead of several experienced and hungry drivers eyeing a ticket out of the opening round. Should the 71 stay clean and up front across stages and race finishes, Caruth can mount a Playoff charge. Inexperience may end up being Spire Motorsport’s detriment, however. Caruth is very much in the danger zone of being eliminated based off of one mistake or poor result.
The Truckers kick off their Playoffs with a rare Sunday showing in the Badger State. The LiUNA 175 goes green from the Milwaukee Mile at 4 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. An early ticket to the Round of 8 is up for grabs, before Bristol and Kansas in September. Which contender can start the seven-race gauntlet on the right foot, with a victory on the historic oval?
Written by Peter Stratta
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