2023 Tyson 250

Race details
Race 10 of 23 of the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Date	May 20, 2023
Official name	Inaugural Tyson 250
Location	North Wilkesboro Speedway, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina
Course	Permanent racing facility 0.625 mi (1.006 km)
Distance	252 laps, 157 mi (252 km)
Scheduled Distance	250 laps, 156 mi (251 km)
Average speed	68.769 mph (110.673 km/h)
Pole position
Driver	Corey Heim	Tricon Garage
Time	20.072
Most laps led
Driver	Kyle Larson	Spire Motorsports
Laps	138
Winner
No. 7	Kyle Larson	Spire Motorsports
Television in the United States
Network	FOX
Announcers	Adam Alexander, Phil Parsons, and Michael Waltrip
Radio in the United States
Radio	MRN

The 2023 Tyson 250 was the 10th stock car race of the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the inaugural iteration of the event. The race took place on Saturday, May 20, 2023, in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina at North Wilkesboro Speedway, a 0.625 miles (1.006 km) permanent oval-shaped racetrack. The race was increased from 250 to 252 laps, due to a NASCAR overtime finish. In a wreck-filled race that caused twelve cautions, Kyle Larson, driving for Spire Motorsports, would put on a dominating performance, winning stage two and leading 138 laps, earning his third career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win, and his first of the season.^[1] To fill out the podium, Ty Majeski, driving for ThorSport Racing, and Matt DiBenedetto, driving for Rackley WAR, would finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

This event also marked the first Truck Series race to take place at North Wilkesboro Speedway for the first time since 1996.

Background

North Wilkesboro Speedway is a short oval racetrack located on U.S. Route 421, about 5 mi (8.0 km) east of the town of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, or 80 miles north of Charlotte. It measures 0.625 mi (1.006 km) and features a unique uphill backstretch and downhill frontstretch. It has previously held races in NASCAR's top three series, including 93 Winston Cup Series races. The track, a NASCAR original, operated from 1949, NASCAR's inception, until the track's original closure in 1996. The speedway briefly reopened in 2010 and hosted several stock car series races, including the now-defunct ASA Late Model Series, USARacing Pro Cup Series, and PASS super late models, before closing again in the spring of 2011. It was re-opened in August 2022 for grassroots racing and will host the 2023 NASCAR All-Star Race and a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, with further renovations planned after the events.^[2][3]

Practice

The first and only practice session was held on Friday, May 19, at 3:05 PM EST, and would last for 50 minutes.^[3] Carson Hocevar, driving for Niece Motorsports, would set the fastest time in the session, with a lap of 20.589, and an average speed of 109.282 mph (175.872 km/h).^[4]

Qualifying

Qualifying was held on Saturday, May 20, at 10:30 AM EST.^[3] Since North Wilkesboro Speedway is a short track, the qualifying system used is a single-car, two-lap system with only one round. In that round, whoever sets the fastest time will win the pole.^[5] Corey Heim, driving for Tricon Garage, would score the pole for the race, with a lap of 20.072, and an average speed of 112.096 mph (180.401 km/h).^[6]

Race results

Stage 1 Laps: 70

Stage 2 Laps: 70

Stage 3 Laps: 112

Standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 2 1 Corey Heim 371 2 Ty Majeski 364 (-7) 2 3 Zane Smith 355 (-16) 2 4 Grant Enfinger 330 (-41) 5 Christian Eckes 311 (-60) 2 6 Ben Rhodes 305 (-66) 7 Matt Crafton 290 (-81) 8 Tanner Gray 273 (-98) 1 9 Stewart Friesen 256 (-115) 1 10 Matt DiBenedetto 252 (-119) Official driver's standings Note: Only the first 10 positions are included for the driver standings.

References