After battling onerous side-by-side for practically two laps, Majeski handed chief Christian Eckes on lap 145 of 200 to take the lead for the primary time within the race. He led the ultimate 55 laps and cruised to a 4.129-second win over Eckes to earn his first win of the 2024 season.
A 12 months in the past, Majeski led 179 of 200 laps in his dominating win on the brief observe. This time, Majeski as soon as once more had a aggressive truck however was penalized for a restart violation in Stage 2. He was operating third by the point the ultimate stage started.
The win is the fourth of Majeski’s profession. Earlier within the race, he had already clinched a spot within the playoffs based mostly on factors.
“This was enormous,” Majeski mentioned. “Clearly, I made slightly little bit of a mistake. It was in all probability an in depth name on that restart. I needed to pony up and get it again. If you make a mistake as a driver, you drive slightly bit tougher to make up for it.
“It’s been an up and down 12 months. We’ve had the velocity to win, simply haven’t been in a position to it collectively. So happy with this group.”
After the race Corey Heim and Eckes engaged in a heated dialogue on pit street over an incident on the observe earlier within the race that left Heim with a flat tire.
Watch: Corey Heim will get a flat tire, bumps Eckes
Grant Enfinger completed, Tyler Ankrum fourth and Layne Riggs accomplished the highest 5. Each Enfinger and Ankrum clinched spots within the playoffs based mostly on factors.
Finishing the highest 10 have been Sammy Smith, Luke Fenhaus, Rajah Caruth, Dean Thompson and Nick Sanchez.
Stage 1
Eckes handed Enfinger with 4 laps remaining and held him off by 0.526 seconds to take the Stage 1 win. Heim was third, Ankrum fourth and Caruth was fifth.
Stage 2
Eckes beat Heim – who battled again from a flat tire – by 2.175 seconds to take the Stage 2 win, his series-leading seventh of the 2024 season. Majeski was third, Matt Crafton fourth and Ankrum fifth.
On lap 86, Heim fell off the tempo with a flat tire and shortly after he slowed IndyCar veteran Conor Daly additionally had a tire go down, which introduced out a warning.
In the course of the warning, Heim drove up and banged fenders with Eckes to specific his displeasure with how Eckes had raced him previous to the incident.
Stage 3
Following the break between Phases 2 and three, the lead-lap vehicles all pit with Eckes first off pit street. Eckes led Heim and Majeski when the race resumed with 71 laps remaining.
After a tough side-by-side battle, Majeski labored his approach round Eckes to take the lead for the primary time within the race on lap 145.
With 45 laps to go, Majeski reported mentioned he felt a vibration in his No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford however solely when underneath braking. Majeski didn’t seem like dropping any floor on the observe, nevertheless.
With 30 laps remaining, Majeski had constructed up a greater than 2.7-second lead over Eckes as Enfinger ran fifth, virtually 5 seconds behind the chief.
Majeski maintained a sizeable 2.5-second lead over Eckes with 10 laps to go and Heim – as soon as a contender for the win – fell a lap down.
