Brett Moffitt may not have a race win in the 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series season, yet, but he has made Stage Wins a common occurrence. In Sunday’s South Carolina Education Lottery 200, Moffitt held off Austin Hill on the final lap to score his fifth Stage Win of the year.
Moffitt’s five Stage Wins ranks him the top among drivers vying for Truck Series points in 2020.
Hill, the point leader, made one move to the inside of Moffitt in turns three and four as a last ditch effort to win the Stage, but settled for second.
Sheldon Creed, who started first, finished third in Stage 1, while Ben Rhodes and David Ragan capped of the top-five finishers.
Ragan, who started dead-last in 34th, moved inside the top-20 by the competition yellow on lap 20. Under this caution, Ragan took just two tires to gain track position.
Matt Crafton, Tyler Ankrum, Raphael Lessard, Christian Eckes and Zane Smith rounded out the top-10 finishers.
Greg Biffle, who is making his first Truck Series start of the season, was 18th in Stage 1 in the No. 24 GMS Racing truck, and Trevor Bayne, who is making his first NASCAR National Series start in two years finished the Stage in 32nd, two laps off the pace.
Bayne had to make an unscheduled pit stop for what was believed as a flat tire, but it appears more mechanical issues may be happening on the No. 40 Niece Motorsports truck.
Stage and Playoff Points Awarded in Stage 1:
| Finish | Driver | Stage Points | Playoff Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brett Moffitt | 10 | 1 |
| 2 | Austin Hill | 9 | 0 |
| 3 | Sheldon Creed | 8 | 0 |
| 4 | Ben Rhodes | 7 | 0 |
| 5 | David Ragan | 6 | 0 |
| 6 | Matt Crafton | 5 | 0 |
| 7 | Tyler Ankrum | 4 | 0 |
| 8 | Raphael Lessard | 3 | 0 |
| 9 | Christian Eckes | 2 | 0 |
| 10 | Zane Smith | 1 | 0 |
