Intense Michigan Truck Race Ends with Stewart Friesen’s Triple OT Victory

Stewart Friesen snapped a three-year winless drought in dramatic fashion, taking the checkered flag after triple overtime in the NASCAR Truck Series race at Michigan International Speedway. The Canadian driver started the final five-lap dash in 19th place, not expected to be a factor for the win.

A debris caution reset the field, and immediate chaos erupted up front, with Gio Ruggiero spinning and collecting Ross Chastain among others. Multiple contenders were eliminated as trucks slipped, slid, and tangled through the closing laps.

Corey LaJoie, fresh off signing a deal to run nine of the season’s last 13 races for Spire Motorsport, suddenly found himself leading the pack. LaJoie was only a corner away from seeing the white flag when Daniel Hemric, caught by a cut tire, hit the outside wall and brought out another caution.

The race went into double overtime, and this time Grant Enfinger managed to edge ahead, but a crash involving three trucks on the backstretch ended his hopes too. Carson Hocevar, pushing forward on new tires, was also taken out of contention after a restart violation.

During the third and final overtime attempt, drivers finally avoided further incidents. Friesen made a bold inside move heading into Turn 3, passing Enfinger and taking control.

He would not be challenged on the final lap, securing the fourth victory of his Truck Series career. Friesen thanked his sponsors and celebrated the mixed crowd of Canadian and American fans, saying, “Everybody is having a good time together and that’s what it is all about, baby. Yeah!”

Enfinger crossed the line in second, with pole sitter Luke Fenhaus placing third. Ben Rhodes and LaJoie completed the top five.

The rest of the top ten featured Matt Crafton, Jake Garcia, Chandler Smith, Andres Perez, and Layne Riggs. Actor-turned-racer Frankie Muniz also managed to steer clear of most of the wrecks, finishing 14th — his best result since Daytona earlier in the season.

The opening stage of the race ran incident-free, with Corey Heim sweeping both Stage 1 and Stage 2 thanks to help in the draft from Hocevar. No caution flags flew through the first 70 laps, but that streak ended abruptly as the final segment began.

Jack Wood’s spin triggered the first caution, quickly followed by a crash involving Rajah Caruth. Several competitors opted to pit just outside the fuel window, betting on more yellow flags, which soon arrived.

A restart crash involving Morgen Baird and Nathan Byrd damaged the SAFER Barrier, forcing a red flag as crews made repairs to the wall. Once the race resumed, Heim, Chastain, and several frontrunners had to slice through traffic.

The fight up front became heated, with Chastain and Hocevar making contact. Chastain saved his truck, but Hocevar was forced to pit with a flat tire.

Layne Riggs brought out another debris caution, creating the sprint to the finish that saw all the late accidents and set the stage for Friesen’s unlikely surge from deep in the pack.

After a rough and wild night in Michigan, the Truck Series now looks ahead to its next event. The enduring memory will be Stewart Friesen’s grit in surviving the chaos and finally returning to victory lane.