| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 23 of 23 of the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | |||
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| Date | November 3–4, 2023 | ||
| Official name | 29th Annual Craftsman 150 | ||
| Location | Phoenix Raceway, Avondale, Arizona | ||
| Course |
Permanent racing facility 1 mi (1.6 km) | ||
| Distance | 179 laps, 179 mi (288 km) | ||
| Scheduled Distance | 150 laps, 150 mi (241 km) | ||
| Average speed | 72.797 mph (117.155 km/h) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Tricon Garage | ||
| Time | 26.344 | ||
| Most laps led | |||
| Driver | Ty Majeski | ThorSport Racing | |
| Laps | 48 | ||
| Winner | |||
| No. 19 | Christian Eckes | McAnally-Hilgemann Racing | |
| Television in the United States | |||
| Network | FS1 | ||
| Announcers | Jamie Little, Phil Parsons, and Michael Waltrip | ||
| Radio in the United States | |||
| Radio | MRN | ||
The 2023 Craftsman 150 was the 23rd and final stock car race of the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the Championship 4 race, and the 29th iteration of the event. The first stages of the race were held on Friday, November 3, 2023, and the final stages were held on Saturday, November 4. The race was held in Avondale, Arizona at Phoenix Raceway, a 1 mile (1.6 km) permanent tri-oval shaped racetrack. The race was originally scheduled to be contested over 150 laps, but was extended to 179 laps, due to numerous NASCAR overtime restarts. In one of the wildest and wreck-filled Truck Series races in history, Christian Eckes, driving for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, would survive four overtime restart attempts, and held off the field to earn his fifth career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win, and his fourth of the season.[1] Championship driver Corey Heim would dominate the early stages of the race, leading 47 laps until getting spun by Carson Hocevar with 30 laps to go.[2] To fill out the podium, Jake Garcia, driving for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, and Chase Purdy, driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
Meanwhile, ThorSport Racing driver Ben Rhodes, who finished in fifth, would claim the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship, finishing in just one position ahead of Grant Enfinger. He would become the fifth driver to win repeat championships in the Truck Series.[3]
The race would be heavily criticized by the fans and drivers, specifically the final 50 laps. Fans had noted that drivers had no respect on the track, which contributed to the amount of wrecks and overtime restarts in the final laps. They would also criticize the way NASCAR had handled the event, as the race would end up finishing around 1 AM EST, one of the latest that a NASCAR race has finished. With a race time of 2 hours, 27 minutes, and 32 seconds, it is also one of the longest Truck Series races in history.[4] Corey Heim would be deducted 25 points (drivers only) and fined $12,500 for the title deciding collision against Carson Hocevar during the race.[5]
- ^ "Christian Eckes wins thrilling CRAFTSMAN Truck race at Phoenix, Ben Rhodes banks second career championship". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. November 4, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
- ^ Bowles, Tom (November 4, 2023). "Carson Hocevar, Corey Heim & a Grudge Match That Ruined the NASCAR Truck Championship". Frontstretch. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
- ^ Srigley, Joseph (November 4, 2023). "Christian Eckes Wins Phoenix in Quadruple Overtime; Ben Rhodes Captures Second Title". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
- ^ Christie, Toby (November 4, 2023). "CHRISTIE: Spastic NASCAR Truck Series Championship Race Embarrassing to Industry". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
- ^ Taranto, Steven (November 8, 2023). "NASCAR penalizes Corey Heim for intentionally wrecking Carson Hocevar in Truck Series Championship Race". CBS Sports. CBS. Retrieved November 12, 2023.