Grant Enfinger held on in a two-lap shootout to win Friday night’s NASCAR Truck race at Martinsville Speedway and advance to next week’s championship event.
He’ll join Sheldon Creed, Brett Moffitt and Zane Smith in racing for a crown at Phoenix. Creed, Moffitt and Smith each drive for GMS Racing.
Creed and Moffitt previously advanced with wins earlier in the Round of 8. Smith, in his first Martinsville Truck race, earned the fourth and final transfer spot. He did so by finishing Friday night’s race third. Smith ended the night three points ahead of reigning series champion Matt Crafton for that transfer spot.
“I can’t wait to get to Phoenix,” Smith told FS1.
MORE: Race results
On the final restart, Enfinger and Ben Rhodes started on the front row. Both had to win to advance to the title race.
“We came in here with our back against the wall,” Enfinger told FS1.
Enfinger withstood a bump from Rhodes and pulled away to win.
STAGE 1 WINNER: Sheldon Creed
STAGE 2 WINNER: Stewart Friesen
WHO HAD A GOOD RACE: Grant Enfinger had never finished higher than fourth at Martinsville and led only seven laps in seven previous starts there. He led 49 of 200 laps to win and earn a spot in the title race. ... Ben Rhodes finished second for his fifth top 10 in 11 starts at Martinsville. ... Zane Smith finished third in his first Martinsville start.
WHO HAD A BAD RACE: Austin Hill, the regular-season champ, saw his title hopes dashed when his engine expired. He finished 35th in the 37-truck field.
NEXT: The season concludes on Nov. 6 at Phoenix Raceway (8 p.m. ET on FS1).