Practice #1 : Milwaukee Mile

• Milwaukee Mile Speedway
• Clean Harbors 175
• Pole Winner: Grant Enfinger
• Age: 38
• Team : No. 23 - Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet
• Owner: Maurice Gallagher, Jr.
• Crew Chief: Jeff Hensley
• Grant Enfinger won the Pole Award for the Clean Harbors 175 with a lap of 29.744 seconds, 122.848 mph.
• This is his sixth pole in 168 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races.
• This is his first pole and 11th top-10 start in 2023.
• This is his first pole in one races at Milwaukee Mile Speedway.
• Nick Sanchez (second) posted his 12th top-10 start of 2023 and his first in one race at Milwaukee Mile Speedway.
• Carson Hocevar (third) posted his first top-10 start at Milwaukee Mile Speedway. It is his 12th in 18 races this season.
• Nick Sanchez (second) was the fastest qualifying rookie.

• Saturday, August 26th, 2023
• NASCAR Wire Service - Reid Spencer

Grant Enfinger proves a point with decisive NASCAR Truck Series win at Milwaukee

After Carson Hocevar crashed a two-driver party, pole winner Grant Enfinger rallied for victory in Sunday’s Clean Harbors 175 at the Milwaukee Mile and clinched a spot in the Round of 8 of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs.

Enfinger, who led 95 of 175 laps, passed Hocevar for the top spot on Lap 159 and pulled away to win his third race of the season by 1.553 seconds. Hocevar was gambling on older tires and led the field to green for the final restart on Lap 148.

The victory—the 10th of Enfinger’s career—was a point proven for the Alabama driver, whose GMS Racing truck team announced it would discontinue operations at the end of the season.

“I don’t think anybody’s going to ask if we’re going to lay down again,” Enfinger said after climbing from his No. 23 Chevrolet. “(Crew chief) Jeff Hensley’s been focused the whole year. There’s been distractions going on all year long. So if anything, this has clarity.

“None of these guys, including me, have a job next year, but I feel like we proved we deserve one.”

Fast from the outset of the first NASCAR national series race at Milwaukee since 2009, Enfinger won the first stage wire-to-wire, leading all 55 laps. After surrendering the top spot on pit road during the stage break, he passed Corey Heim for the lead on Lap 95 and went on to capture Stage 2 by 2.149 seconds.

But Enfinger lost three positions on pit road during the second stage break and had to overcome the loss of track position as well as varying strategy from Hocevar and six other non-Playoff drivers who stayed out on older tires during caution for William Sawalich’s contact with the Turn 2 wall on Lap 135.

Restarting 14th on Lap 141, Enfinger fought his way back to the front, passing Derek Kraus for second on Lap 153 and overtaking Hocevar six laps later.

“It’s kind of a bummer to run second,” said Hocevar, who has three victories to his credit this season and holds a 56-point cushion above the cut line with one race left in the Playoffs’ Round of 10. “I haven’t done this in quite a while.

“Luckily, I’ve been fortunate enough to win three races, so it’s close.”

Christian Eckes and Heim finished third and fourth, respectively, and both clinched berths in the Round of 8 on points. Matt Crafton came home fifth and moved nine points above the cutoff for the next round.

Chase Purdy ran sixth, followed by Ty Majeski, who won the Truck Series Playoff opener at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. But Majeski raced under the specter of possible NASCAR penalties this coming week.

NASCAR confiscated the right rear tire from Majeski’s No. 98 Ford and ejected crew chief Joe Shear Jr. Majeski started from the rear of the field and served a pass-through penalty after the opening lap but rallied to finish seventh. Any further penalties the team may accrue will be announced later in the week.

• Drivers Entered: 37 (1 drivers will not make the race)
• Laps Scheduled: 175
• Margin of Victory: 01.533 Seconds
• Time of Race: 2 Hours 4 Minutes 23 Seconds
• Average Speed: 85.683
• Cautions: 7 for 44 laps
• Lead Changes: 5
• Green Flag Passes: 1,191 (9.1 passes per green flag lap)

• Milwaukee Mile Speedway
• Clean Harbors 175
• Race Winner: Grant Enfinger
• Age: 38
• Team : No. 23 - Champion Power Equipment Chevrolet
• Owner: Maurice Gallagher, Jr.
• Crew Chief: Jeff Hensley
• Grant Enfinger won the Clean Harbors 175, his 10th victory in 168 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races.
• This is his third victory and 10th top-10 finish in 2023.
• This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in one race at Milwaukee Mile Speedway.
• Carson Hocevar (second) posted his first top-10 finish in one race at Milwaukee Mile Speedway. It is his 10th top-10 finish in 2023.
• Christian Eckes (third) posted his first top-10 finish in one races at Milwaukee Mile Speedway.
• Jake Garcia (ninth) was the highest finishing rookie.
• Corey Heim leads the point standings by 9 points over Christian Eckes.