2 weeks Ago By Samuel Stubbs, Yardbarker
Grant Enfinger and the No. 9 team at CR7 Motorsports were thought as fringe playoff contenders at the beginning of the 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season, but they might be the series' championship favorites after Saturday's race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. Enfinger had already locked up his spot in the Championship Four after his win at Talladega on Oct.
4, giving him over a month of extra preparation for the championship race at Phoenix. On Saturday, though, Enfinger and crew chief Jeff Stankiewicz pulled a rabbit out of their hat, executing the perfect strategy to win their second consecutive race. Enfinger was quick from the opening gun, finishing sixth in Stage One and winning Stage Two, while a gutsy call by Stankiewicz to leave his driver on the racetrack with limited fuel paid off.
With nothing to lose by running out of gas, Enfinger nursed his Chevrolet Silverado home, even as Layne Riggs and Nick Sanchez ran out of fuel from the top-five in the final laps. Enfinger crossed the line ahead of Ty Majeski, Connor Mosack, Corey Heim and Tyler Ankrum. Stewart Friesen, Daniel Dye, Rajah Caruth, Christian Eckes and Taylor Gray rounded out the top-10.
The win was the second of the season for Enfinger and the No. 9 team, and the question has to be asked: Is Enfinger — a 39-year-old driver driving for an underfunded team — the championship favorite? This team keeps getting better and better! #NASCARPlayoffs | #Championship4 pic.twitter.
com/myvc8EYbqb The Fairhope, Alabama, native should have plenty of motivation. Enfinger came within a single spot of winning the 2023 championship and his scrappy, underdog mentality has always been present regardless of what truck he's driving. The No.
9 team has shown that they have winning speed and are also capable of making the correct strategy calls when races are on the line. Factor in the veteran presence and postseason experience of both Enfinger and Stankiewicz and you have the perfect storm for a Cinderella story to take place in the Arizona desert on Nov. 8.
The Truck Series will conclude its Round of 8 at Martinsville on Nov. 1, where Enfinger will go for his third consecutive victory before the championship race at Phoenix. Enfinger certainly isn't the flashiest driver competing for the Truck Series championship, but he and CR7 Motorsports may just be the favorites when nobody expected them to be.
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