ROCKINGHAM, N.C. — Tyler Ankrum ended a 130-race winless streak in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, capturing the Black’s Tire 200 at Rockingham Speedway on April 18, 2025, in a fuel-mileage thriller. Driving the No. 18 McAnally-Hilgemann Chevrolet, Ankrum coasted to the finish line 6.657 seconds ahead of pole-sitter Jake Garcia, securing his second career victory and a $50,000 bonus for the final Triple Truck Challenge race. The win, in the series’ first event at “The Rock” since 2013, marked a triumphant return for Ankrum, whose last victory came at Kentucky Speedway in 2019, a track no longer on the NASCAR schedule.
Ankrum’s path to Victory Lane was fraught with challenges. An accident on Lap 2 damaged his truck and dropped him a lap down, but a strategic pit call by crew chief Mark Hillman during the Stage 2 caution on Lap 90 restored his position. “It’s strange — I didn’t know where Victory Lane was at,” Ankrum said. “The way this day started, going a lap down and (crew chief) Mark (Hillman) making a pit call to get the track position back… Just saving fuel, man. I knew we were five (laps) short. I was able to draft off of (Matt) Crafton and a couple of other guys.” Lifting 60% on straightaways, Ankrum took the lead on Lap 172 when Corey Heim and Gio Ruggiero pitted, holding on through a 76-lap green-flag run. Daniel Hemric, Rajah Caruth, and Grant Enfinger finished third through fifth, capitalizing on fuel shortages that sidelined Front Row Motorsports drivers Layne Riggs and Chandler Smith.
The race, contested over 200 laps on the 1.017-mile D-shaped oval, saw 11 lead changes among nine drivers, with Heim leading a race-high 52 laps. “I felt like if we had the track position we would have been in really good shape from the very start,” said Heim, who started 15th and finished eighth. “I didn’t exactly know what happened there the last 40 laps there, but we pitted, and it seems like some of the other guys didn’t run out of fuel.” Reigning champion Ty Majeski faced another setback, crashing on Lap 109 after contact with Enfinger, finishing 31st. “I can’t really blame Grant,” Majeski said. “He held me tight, obviously took the air off my right side. Yeah, just embarrassed, honestly.” The incident triggered a 10-minute red flag to repair a SAFER barrier.
Rockingham’s return, the first NASCAR national series event there since 2013, drew significant attention, with a $782,900 prize pool, per Sportskeeda. The track, opened in 1965, hosted only two prior Truck Series races, won by Kasey Kahne (2012) and Kyle Larson (2013). Ankrum’s fuel strategy echoed past races, where conservation often decided outcomes. Heim retained the points lead, 22 points ahead of Smith and 62 over Ankrum. The series resumes May 2 at Texas Motor Speedway for the SpeedyCash.com 250.
The race, broadcast on FS1, highlighted the track’s challenging layout and strategic demands, setting the stage for the Xfinity Series event on April 19.
