• Friday’s NORTH CAROLINA EDUCATION LOTTERY 200, Charlotte
WINNER: ROSS CHASTAIN
When fate dealt Carson Hocevar another heartache Friday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Niece Motorsport teammate Ross Chastain took full advantage—with a serendipitous push from Grant Enfinger.
On the final lap of the second overtime in the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 Truck Series contest, Chastain raced side-by-side on the backstretch with John Hunter Nemechek, before the timely push from Enfinger propelled him forward and enabled him to clear Nemechek’s No. 4 Toyota.
Chastain crossed the finish line .102 seconds ahead of Enfinger, with Nemechek running third, .413 seconds behind the race winner.
When he climbed out of his No. 41 Chevrolet on the frontstretch, however, Chastain could talk only of Hocevar, who dominated the event, only to see it slip away after a devastating late caution.
“I hate it so much for Carson,” said Chastain, who won for the first time this season, the first time at Charlotte and the fourth time in his career. “I didn’t give him the push he needed to win (on the first attempt at overtime)… Man, I’m so proud of Carson Hocevar.
“I’ll say that over and over. That guy’s a future star.”