Kaz Grala Takes First Trucks Win in Daytona Wreck Fest
By Alex Herbst
In one of the wildest Truck Series races in recent memory, Kaz Grala navigated through a last lap wreck to come out on top in Daytona.
The 2017 NASCAR season has arrived and the first series to get their regular season started is the Camping World Truck Series. The trucks and Daytona have a wild past, with crazy wrecks, flipping vehicles, and surprise winners. That wild streak came back in earnest in 2017, with rookie Kaz Grala taking his first win in the series.
Grala, racing for GMS Racing, won the pole for the 250-mile event earlier on Friday, leading into the first race under NASCAR’s new segment style. And the new format delivered early, as the action was fast and furious throughout the opening 20 laps, including two big incidents. The first big crash came on Lap 2, involving close to a dozen trucks. Then, another crash on Lap 20 claimed the two leaders of the race at the time, Brett Moffitt and Christopher Bell.
Things began to calm down by the second segment of the night, with mostly green flag racing from there. Johnny Sauter, the 2016 winner of the race, led at the end of stages one and two, earning extra points along with those in the top ten at both junctures.
In the closing laps, an intense battle was brewing between GMS Racing and ThorSport Racing. Things would end badly on the final lap, however, as Ben Rhodes got pushed wide by Grant Enfinger, spinning in front of the field and collecting almost half the trucks remaining. By some miracle, Kaz Grala squeezed through the carnage and came to the head of the pack as the caution flag waved. He would seal his first Truck Series win at Daytona, becoming the youngest winner at the track in any of the top three touring series.
Following Grala across the line was Austin Wayne Self in second and Chase Briscoe in third. Both registered their best career finishes in the series. John Hunter Nemechek and his father Joe rounded out the top five.
Here are the full results from the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona:
- Kaz Grala, Chevrolet, GMS Racing
- Austin Wayne Self, Toyota, AM Racing
- Chase Briscoe, Ford, Brad Keselowski Racing
- John Hunter Nemechek, Chevrolet, NEMCO Motorsports
- Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet, NEMCO Motorsports
- Regan Smith, Ford, Ricky Benton Racing
- Scott Lagasse Jr., Chevrolet, GMS Racing
- Christopher Bell, Toyota, Kyle Busch Motorsports
- JJ Yeley, Toyota, AM Racing
- Myatt Snider, Toyota, Kyle Busch Motorsports
- Cody Coughlin, Toyota, ThorSport Racing
- Ben Rhodes, Toyota, ThorSport Racing
- Spencer Gallagher, Chevrolet, GMS Racing
- Matt Crafton, Toyota, ThorSport Racing
- Johnny Sauter, Chevrolet, GMS Racing
- Grant Enfinger, Toyota, ThorSport Racing
- Timothy Peters, Toyota, Red Horse Racing
- Todd Peck, Chevrolet, Copp Motorsports
- Wendell Chavous, Chevrolet, Premium Motorsports
- Korbin Forrister, Toyota, Wauters Motorsports
- Bobby Gerhart, Chevrolet, MB Motorsports
- Brett Moffitt, Toyota, Red Horse Racing
- Tyler Young, Chevrolet, Young’s Motorsports
- Travis Kvapil, Chevrolet, Beaver Motorsports
- Terry Jones, Ford, Rette Jones Racing
- Noah Gragson, Toyota, Kyle Busch Motorsports
- Austin Cindric, Ford, Brad Keselowski Racing
- Ryan Truex, Toyota, Hattori Racing Enterprises
- Clay Greenfield, Chevrolet, CGR Racing
- Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, Bolen Motorsports
- Stewart Friesen, Chevrolet, Halmar Racing
- Tommy Joe Martins, Chevrolet, MDM Motorsports
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The next race for the Camping World Truck Series will be from one state north in Georgia as the tough truckers take on the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Coverage of the Active Pest Control 200 can be seen Saturday, March 4 at 4:30 pm eastern on FS1.