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Race report

Justin Haley snags CTMP win as teammates collide at the finish

Justin Haley emerged victorious after a wild last-lap where Kyle Busch Motorsports teammates Noah Gragson and Todd Gilliland collided.

Justin Haley, GMS Racing, Chevrolet Silverado Fraternal Order Of Eagles takes the checkered flag

Justin Haley, GMS Racing, Chevrolet Silverado Fraternal Order Of Eagles takes the checkered flag

Gavin Baker / Motorsport Images

Race winner Justin Haley, GMS Racing, Chevrolet Silverado Fraternal Order Of Eagles
Justin Haley, GMS Racing, Chevrolet Silverado Fraternal Order Of Eagles
Race winner Justin Haley, GMS Racing, Chevrolet Silverado Fraternal Order Of Eagles
Todd Gilliland, Kyle Busch Motorsports, Toyota Tundra Frontline
Noah Gragson, Kyle Busch Motorsports, Toyota Tundra Safelite AutoGlass
Todd Gilliland, Kyle Busch Motorsports, Toyota Tundra Frontline
Noah Gragson, Kyle Busch Motorsports, Toyota Tundra Safelite AutoGlass

After a late-race caution for Austin Wayne Self, the Camping World Truck Series race from Canadian Tire Motorsports Park was pushed into overtime. On the two-lap shootout, Todd Gilliland got away as he searched for his maiden win.

In hot pursuit was Noah Gragson, who got to him just before the final set of corners. As they cut around to the final turn, Gragson dove to the inside of his teammate, sending both of them spinning in a flurry of smoke.

Several trucks collided behind them as the field raced by and it was Justin Haley who made it back to the line first to claim the victory.

John Hunter Nemechek finished second with Brett Moffitt third.

It was a massive win for Haley, who takes over the championship lead after what was the first race of the CWTS Playoffs. He now leads Johnny Sauter by 35 points and has an automatic pass into Round, courtesy of the win.

"That was amazing," said Haley. "I knew going in there, Noah was going to do something not the smartest."

Ben Rhodes and Grant Enfinger find themselves in the bottom two positions in the standings (which are eliminated at the conclusion of Round 1).

 

Gilliland, who ultimately finished 11th, was fuming after the race. "Should have never let him get to me," he said. "Should have just given him the inside and maybe let him wreck himself -- I don't know. He's done that to me in five or six road courses and it sucks.

"I’d go fight him right now but I can’t."

Gragson was confronted by both Gilliland's father and his crew chief after the race, and he took full responsibility for the incident. He finished ninth.

"That was on me," he admitted. "I apologize to Todd, I apologize to the No. 4 team, I apologize to everyone at Kyle Busch Motorsports, but we're in the playoffs and I'm trying to get a win.

"Just unfortunate, that was on me. Just trying to get a little too much trying to win."

Stage 1

Rhodes led the field to the green flag to commence the 64-lap race and held serve for in the opening laps. Stewart Friesen was the first title contender to find trouble, spinning on the third lap.

On Lap 7, Gragson took the lead for the first time and led for the remainder of the stage. Back in the pack, Sauter got into Myatt Snider and sent him spinning.

Gilliland and Alex Tagliani were among those who chose to short-pit before the end of the stage, but it was Gragson with the max bonus points for winning Stage 1.

Rhodes was second, Haley third, Nemechek fourth and Matt Crafton fifth. Moffitt, Sauter, Timothy Peters, Grant Enfinger and D.J. Kennington rounded out the top-ten.

Stage 2

Peters actually opted to stay out and inherited the lead for the start of the second stage, but it wasn't long before he was overtaken by both Gragson and Haley.

Halfway through the stage, the caution flew when Max Tullman stopped off to the side of the course. Cody Coughlin, Peters Sauter and Enfinger all decided to pit during the yellow, but Enfinger was penalized for taking his gas can with him when he left the pit lane, as it was still attached.

The restart came with six laps remaining in the stage and Gragson would once again soundly take the stage win. He was followed by Moffitt, Haley, Nemechek, Crafton, Friesen, Sauter, Peters, Enfinger and Sauter.

Cla # Driver 4506 Laps Time Laps Led
1 24 United States Justin Haley  Chevrolet 65   2
2 8 United States John Hunter Nemechek  Chevrolet 65 2.223  
3 16 United States Brett Moffitt  Toyota 65 3.118  
4 25 United States Timothy Peters  Chevrolet 65 4.053 2
5 88 United States Matt Crafton  Ford 65 4.371  
6 21 United States Johnny Sauter  Chevrolet 65 4.746 9
7 52 United States Stewart Friesen  Chevrolet 65 5.200  
8 02 United States Austin Hill  Chevrolet 65 6.891  
9 18 United States Noah Gragson  Toyota 65 8.365 35
10 12 Canada Alex Tagliani  Chevrolet 65 9.604  
11 4 United States Todd Gilliland  Toyota 65 9.925 11
12 49 Canada D.J. Kennington  Chevrolet 65 9.941  
13 51 United States Harrison Burton  Toyota 65 12.060  
14 41 United States Ben Rhodes  Ford 65 12.097 6
15 2 United States Cody Coughlin  Chevrolet 65 12.621  
16 3 United States Jordan Anderson  Chevrolet 65 13.166  
17 98 United States Grant Enfinger  Ford 65 13.849  
18 45 United States Justin Fontaine  Chevrolet 65 17.903  
19 13 United States Myatt Snider  Ford 65 17.987  
20 6 United States Norm Benning  Chevrolet 65 22.704  
21 22 United States Austin Wayne Self  Chevrolet 65 1'09.816  
22 54 Bo Lemastus  Toyota 64 7.830  
23 33 Jason White  Chevrolet 63 2 laps  
24 15 Wendell Chavous  Chevrolet 63 2 laps  
25 34 United States Jesse Iwuji  Chevrolet 63 2 laps  
26   Germany Justin Kunz  Chevrolet 62 3 laps  
27 97 Roger Reuse  Chevrolet 35 30 laps  
28 50 United States Ray Ciccarelli  Chevrolet 34 31 laps  
29 10 United States Jennifer Jo Cobb  Chevrolet 32 33 laps  
30 20 Max Tullman  Chevrolet 29 36 laps  
31 74 United States Mike Harmon  Chevrolet 7 58 laps  
32 87 United States Joe Nemechek  Chevrolet 2 63 laps  

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