Kyle Busch was already the winningest driver in Craftsman Truck Series history, but he added another trophy to his case Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, as he took the checkered flag first in the Fr8 208. Busch was able to fend off Stewart Friesen in a photo finish for his 67th career series win, extending his record. This win was also the eighth in Busch’s career at Atlanta.
Busch started 9th in his No. 7 Chevrolet and led 80 laps, the most of any driver.
“Awesome run for this Spire Chevrolet and everybody at Gainbridge”, Busch said in his post-race interview. “Brian Pattie, all the guys and girls do a great job at Spire for building us some really good trucks to come out here with”.
Talking with Kyle Busch after his 8th NASCAR Truck Series Atlanta victory. #NASCARonFS1 pic.twitter.com/3SUW66Wwm4
— Josh Sims (@JoshRSims) February 22, 2025
Stewart Friesen finished second to Busch in his No. 52 Toyota. This is Friesen’s best career finish on a drafting track and his first top five finish since Charlotte last season.
Tyler Ankrum finished third in his No. 18 Chevrolet. This is Ankrum’s second straight top ten finish at the track. Bayley Currey finished in fourth, right behind Ankrum in another photo finish. Currey, who was originally supposed to be in the No. 41 entry for Niece Motorsports in this race before sliding over to the No. 44 with Christian Rose’s sponsorship issues, tied his best career finish, which he also accomplished in the 2023 race at Atlanta.
Chandler Smith completed the top five in his No. 38 Ford. This is Smith’s second career top five at Atlanta.
Kaden Honeycutt, Ben Rhodes, Ty Majeski, Jake Garcia, and Grant Enfinger rounded out the top ten. For Garcia, his ninth place finish marks his first top ten finish since Charlotte last year.
RELATED: Fr8 208 at Atlanta Results
Rookie Connor Mosack and Grant Enfinger led the field to green. The race quickly turned into the McAnally Hilgemann Racing show, as Enfinger faded to sixth and Mosack’s teammates Tyler Ankrum, Daniel Hemric, and Jack Wood ascended into the top five. MHR held onto the top four positions for roughly 20 laps, until Enfinger and Layne Riggs broke through on the bottom to battle for the stage lead. Mosack led the first 29 laps, the first laps led of his Truck Series career, before teammate Jack Wood made a pass on the outside on the last lap of stage one to steal the stage victory.
Layne Riggs, who made a three-wide pass for the lead coming to the last lap of the stage, was penalized for doing so as his truck dipped beneath the double-white line on the frontstretch. Things quickly went from bad to worse for Riggs, as the No. 34 experienced electrical issues during the stage caution and lost multiple laps to the leaders.
After a split pit strategy during the stage yellow, Daytona winner Corey Heim and Kyle Busch led the field to begin stage two. A few laps later, Matt Crafton got into the outside wall, leaving his No. 88 Ford with considerable right side damage. Crafton did not receive the benefit of a caution and lost multiple laps while his crew made repairs. Busch, the defending race winner at Atlanta, ascended to the lead not long after, with defending champion Ty Majeski moving up to second.
With two laps remaining in stage two, Heim ran out of fuel while running inside top five, as he did not pit at the conclusion of stage one. Busch was able to fend off Majeski and a hard charging Michael McDowell to take the stage two victory. Heim was not able to make it around to his pit stall and lost four laps while being pushed back to his crew to get refueled.
Daniel Hemric, who had a speeding penalty at the end of stage one, and Rajah Caruth paced the field to begin the race’s final stage. Hemric was quickly taken three wide and shuffled out, leaving Caruth and Enfinger to battle for the lead. A lap later, stage one winner Jack Wood got into the outside wall and was forced to pit under green. Further jostling at the front allowed Busch to retake the top spot.
The first on-track incident occurred shortly after, with Caruth spinning out out of turn four, collecting teammate Andres Perez de Lara, Hemric, and William Sawalich. Caruth and Sawalich retired from the race due to the damage their trucks sustained, while Perez lost multiple laps making repairs. Hemric was able to stay on the lead lap despite being collected.
VIDEO: Rajah Caruth’s Atlanta Race Ends Early After Turn Four Crash
Busch and Enfinger paced the field back to the green flag with 50 laps remaining. Busch continued to pace the field until 30 laps remaining, when the caution flew again for an incident involving polesitter Connor Mosack and Frankie Muniz. The two were racing three wide with Daniel Hemric out of turn two when the No. 19 washed up the track, forcing Muniz into Mosack and the outside wall. Mosack was able to bring his truck to pit road, while Muniz spun while attempting to do so, triggering the caution.
Mosack was able to remain on the lead lap, but Muniz’s damage left him unable to continue, leaving him with a DNF.
The race went back green with 23 laps remaining, with Busch and Gio Ruggiero at the front of the field. Busch maintained the race lead until 17 laps remaining, when Grant Enfinger briefly got the top spot before it was taken by Luke Fenhaus, making his drafting track debut.
Fenhaus also did not stay in the lead for long, as Busch grabbed it back two laps later. Daniel Hemric was able to make his way back to the front despite his damage, but was shuffled out again with five laps remaining and handed the lead back to Busch.
Coming out of turn four on the final lap, it appeared as though Stewart Friesen was going to steal the win away from Busch, but he was able to side draft his way past the No. 52 to beat Friesen to the line in a photo finish.
Right to the line for the win! pic.twitter.com/MraNxCERXm
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) February 22, 2025
Leaving Atlanta, Grant Enfinger has a one point advantage over Ty Majeski for the Truck Series points lead. The next Craftsman Truck Series race is scheduled for Friday, March 14, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and will be broadcast by FS1.
