The NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series 2020 Playoffs begin on Thursday night at Bristol Motor Speedway for the UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics. The 2020 Playoffs field was set after last weekend’s race Richmond and there are now 10 drivers vying for the title at Phoenix Raceway.
As the regular season wrapped up last weekend at Richmond Raceway, Grant Enfinger took home another victory for with ThorSport Racing.
The 10 drivers competing for postseason glory are Sheldon Creed, Austin Hill, Zane Smith, Brett Moffitt, Grant Enfinger, Ben Rhodes, Matt Crafton, Christian Eckes, Todd Gilliland and Tyler Ankrum.
Enfinger will lead the field to green on Thursday night with Brett Moffitt joining him on the front row.
The Gander Trucks race will be 106.6 miles and 200 laps. Stage 1 will end on Lap 55 and Stage 2 will end on Lap 110.
2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoff Driver Bios:
1. Sheldon Creed – No. 2 GMS Racing Chevrolet Silverado
Date of Birth: September 30, 1997
Hometown: Alpine, California
Organization: GMS Racing
Crew Chief: Jeff Stankiewicz
2020 Wins: 3 (Kentucky, Daytona RC and Gateway)
Playoff Points: 26
2020 Season Stats:
o Enters the 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs ranked No. 1 in the Playoff standings with 2,026 points.
o Through the first 16 races of the season, Creed has posted three wins, five top fives and eight top 10s.
o Has won five stages and has accumulated 26 Playoff points.
o Has led 204 of 1,851 laps completed (11%)
o 2020 average starting position, 8.3 and average finishing position, 12.3.
Previous Gander Trucks Playoff Stats:
o The 2020 season is the first time Sheldon Creed has qualified for the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs.
o In 2019, he failed to make the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs ultimately finishing the season 10th in the final standings.
o In 2018, he failed to make the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs because he only competed in five series races that season. He finished 33rd in the final standings.
o Made just one series start in 2017 at Eldora Speedway for truck owner Bryan Hill.
o Made NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series debut in 2016 at Eldora Speedway driving for truck owner Bobby Dotter.
2. Austin Hill – No. 16 Hattori Racing Enterprises Toyota Tundra
Date of Birth: April 24, 1994
Hometown: Winston, Georgia
Organization: Hattori Racing Enterprises
Crew Chief: Scott Zipadelli
2020 Wins: 1 (Kansas)
Playoff Points: 22
2020 Season Stats:
o Enters the 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs ranked second in the Playoff standings with 2,022 points.
o Through the first 16 races of the season, Hill has put up one win, eight top fives and 13 top 10s.
o Has two stage wins this season and has accumulated 22 Playoff points.
o Has led 219 of 1,815 laps completed (12%)
o 2020 average starting position, 5.5 and average finishing position, 6.8.
Previous Gander Trucks Playoff Stats:
o The 2020 season is the second time Austin Hill has made the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs (2019-2020).
o In 2019, in his first season with Hattori Racing Enterprises, Hill made the Playoffs and posted two wins (Las Vegas, Miami) and finished the season a career-best fifth in the final standings after being eliminated in the Round of 6.
o In his first full season (2018) in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series driving for Young’s Motorsports Hill failed to make Playoffs, ultimately finishing the season 11th in the championship points.
o In 2016 and 2017, he failed to make the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs due to only running a part-time schedule; he finished 26th and 23rd in the championship standings, respectively.
o Note: The No. 16 Hattori Racing Enterprises team won the 2018 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series driver and owner championships with driver Brett Moffit.
3. Zane Smith – No. 21 GMS Racing Chevrolet Silverado
Date of Birth: June 9, 1999
Hometown: Huntington Beach, California
Organization: GMS Racing
Crew Chief: Kevin Manion
2020 Wins: 2 (Michigan and Dover)
Playoff Points: 22
2020 Season Stats:
o Enters the 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs ranked third in the Playoff standings with 2,022 points.
o Through the first 16 races of the season, Smith has posted two wins, four top fives and nine top 10s.
o Has won four stages and accumulated 22 Playoff points.
o Has led 227 of 1,757 laps completed (12.9%)
o 2020 average starting position, 7.7 and average finishing position, 10.3.
Previous Gander Trucks Playoff Stats:
o The 2020 season is the first time Zane Smith has qualified for the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs.
o He made his NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series debut in 2018 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway driving for truck owner David Gilliland.
o Smith becomes just the seventh different Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate to make the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs; joining Christopher Bell (2016), William Bryon (2016), Austin Cindric (2017), Chase Briscoe (2017), Kaz Grala (2017) and Tyler Ankrum (2019). Cindric and Bell are tied for the best championship finish by a rookie in the Playoff Era (2016-Present) – they both finished third in points.
4. Brett Moffitt – No. 24 GMS Racing Chevrolet Silverado
Date of Birth: August 7, 1992
Hometown: Grimes, Iowa
Organization: GMS Racing
Crew Chief: Chad Norris
2020 Wins: 0
Playoff Points: 15
2020 Season Stats:
o Enters the 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs ranked fourth in the Playoff standings with 2,015 points.
o Through the first 16 races of the season, Moffitt has posted six top fives and 10 top 10s.
o Has won five stages and has accumulated 15 Playoff points.
o Has led 213 of 1,721 laps completed (12.3%).
o 2020 average starting position, 5.9 and average finishing position, 10.1.
Previous Gander Trucks Playoff Stats:
o The 2020 season marks the third time Brett Moffitt has made the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs. (2018-2020).
o In 2019, he made the Playoffs and won the first two races of the postseason (Bristol and CTMP). He advanced all the way to the Championship 4 round for the second consecutive season, ultimately finishing third in the final championship standings.
o The 2018 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series champion. In the seven Playoff races of 2018, he posted two wins (Phoenix and Homestead-Miami) and five top fives on his way to the Championship 4 round and winning his first career Gander Trucks championship.
o In 2016 and 2017 he failed to make the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs due to only running part-time schedules; he finished 27th and 31st in the championship standings, respectively.
5. Grant Enfinger – No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford F-150
Date of Birth: January 22, 1985
Hometown: Fairhope, Alabama
Organization: ThorSport Racing
Crew Chief: Jeff Hensley
2020 Wins: 2 (Daytona and Atlanta)
Playoff Points: 14
2020 Season Stats:
o Enters the 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs ranked fifth in the Playoff standings with 2,014 points.
o Through the first 16 races of the season, Enfinger has posted two wins, five top fives and eight top 10s.
o Has one stage win and has accumulated 14 Playoff points.
o Has led 86 of 1,827 laps completed (4.7%)
o 2020 average starting position, 8.1 and average finishing position, 10.9.
Previous Gander Trucks Playoff Stats:
o The 2020 season marks the third time Grant Enfinger has qualified for the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs (2018-2020).
o In 2019, he made the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs, he posted three top fives and five top 10s during the postseason and advanced to the Round of 6 for the second consecutive year, ultimately finishing the season seventh in the standings.
o In the seven Playoff races of 2018, he posted one win (Las Vegas) and three top fives and ultimately finished the season a career-best fifth in the championship standings after being eliminated in the Round of 6.
o In 2017, he failed to make the Gander Trucks Playoffs in his first full season in the series; he finished the year 11th in the championship standings.
o In 2016, he failed to make the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs due to only running a part-time schedule (eight starts); he finished 22nd in the championship standings and won the Talladega Playoff race.
6. Ben Rhodes – No. 99 ThorSport Racing Ford F-150
Date of Birth: February 21, 1997
Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Organization: ThorSport Racing
Crew Chief: Matt Noyce
2020 Wins: 1 (Darlington)
Playoff Points: 12
2020 Season Stats:
o Enters the 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs ranked sixth in the Playoff standings with 2,012 points.
o Through the first 16 races of the season Rhodes has posted one win, six top fives and 10 top 10s.
o Has yet to win a stage but has accumulated 12 Playoff points.
o Has led 34 of 1,866 laps completed (1.8%)
o 2020 average starting position, 7.9 and average finishing position, 9.1.
Previous Gander Trucks Playoff Stats:
o The 2020 season marks the third time he has qualified for the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs (2017, 2018 and 2020).
o In 2019, he failed to make the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs, ultimately finishing the season ninth in the final standings.
o In 2018, he qualified for the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs and posted three top fives and five top 10s, but was eliminated in the Round of 8, ultimately finishing the season eighth in the final standings.
o In 2017, he qualified for the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs and won the second race of the postseason (Las Vegas). He advanced to the Round of 6 and finished the season a career-best fifth in the championship standings.
o In 2016, he failed to make the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs, ultimately finishing the season 14th in the final standings.
7. Matt Crafton – No. 88 ThorSport Racing Ford F-150
Date of Birth: June 11, 1976
Hometown: Tulare, California
Organization: ThorSport Racing
Crew Chief: Carl Joiner Jr.
2020 Wins: 1 (Kansas)
Playoff Points: 9
2020 Season Stats:
o Enters the 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs ranked seventh in the Playoff standings with 2,009 points.
o Through the first 16 races of the season, Crafton has posted one win, seven top fives, eight top 10s.
o Has yet to win a stage but has accumulated nine Playoff points.
o Has led 43 of 1,788 laps completed (2.4%)
o 2020 average starting position, 10.9 and average finishing position, 12.2.
Previous Gander Trucks Playoff Stats:
o The 2020 season marks the fifth consecutive time he has qualified for the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs. He is a three-time series champion (2013, 2014 and 2019).
o In the 2019 Playoffs, he posted one top five (runner-up in season finale) and four top 10s, en route to the Championship 4 round and ultimately his third Gander Trucks championship.
o In the 2018 Playoffs, he posted two top fives and four top 10s, but ultimately finished the season sixth in the championship standings after being eliminated in the Round of 6.
o In the 2017 Playoffs, he posted one top five and six top 10s on his way to the Championship 4 for the second time in his career. He ultimately finished the season fourth in the championship standings.
o In the 2016 Playoffs, he posted three top fives and five top 10s on his way to the Championship
4. He ultimately finished the season runner-up to Johnny Sauter in the final standings.
8. Christin Eckes – No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota Tundra
Date of Birth: November 10, 2000
Hometown: Middletown, New York
Organization: Kyle Busch Motorsports
Crew Chief: Jeff Stankiewicz
2020 Wins: 0
Playoff Points: 5
2020 Season Stats:
o Enters the 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs ranked eighth in the Playoff standings with 2,005 points.
o Through the first 16 races of the season, Eckes has posted five top fives and seven top 10s.
o Has yet to win a stage but has accumulated five Playoff points.
o Has led 161 of 1,819 laps completed (8.8%)
o 2020 average starting position, 5.0 and average finishing position, 12.5.
Previous Gander Trucks Playoff Stats:
o The 2020 season is the first time Christian Eckes has qualified for the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs.
o Competed in a part-time Gander Trucks schedule in 2019 making eight starts for Kyle Busch Motorsports.
o Made NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series debut in 2018 running just four races for Kyle Busch Motorsports
o Eckes joins Zane Smith this season as just the eighth different Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate to make the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs; joining Christopher Bell (2016), William Bryon (2016), Austin Cindric (2017), Chase Briscoe (2017), Kaz Grala (2017) and Tyler Ankrum (2019). Cindric and Bell are tied for the best championship finish by a rookie in the Playoff Era (2016-Present) – they both finished third in points.
9. Todd Gilliland – No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford F-150
Date of Birth: May 15, 2000
Hometown: Sherrills Ford, North Carolina
Organization: Front Row Motorsports
Crew Chief: Chris Lawson
2020 Wins: 0
Playoff Points: 3
2020 Season Stats:
o Enters the 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs ranked ninth in the Playoff standings with 2,003 points.
o Through the first 16 races of the season, Gilliland has posted four top fives and nine top 10s.
o Has won two stages and has accumulated three Playoff points.
o Has led 92 of 1,814 laps completed (5.1%)
o 2020 average starting position, 12.3 and average finishing position, 14.3.
Previous Gander Trucks Playoff Stats:
o The 2020 season is the first time Todd Gilliland has qualified for the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs.
o In 2019, he failed to make the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs, ultimately finishing the season 11th in the final standings.
o In 2018, he failed to make the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs, ultimately finishing the season a career-best 10th in the final standings.
o Made NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series debut in 2017 making six starts for Kyle Busch Motorsports.
10. Tyler Ankrum – No. 26 GMS Racing Chevrolet Silverado
Date of Birth: April 24, 1994
Hometown: San Bernardino, California
Organization: GMS Racing
Crew Chief: Chad Walter
2020 Wins: 0
Playoff Points: 2
2020 Season Stats:
o Enters the 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs ranked 10th in the Playoff standings with 2,002 points
o Through the first 16 races of the season, Ankrum has posted two top fives and six top 10s
o Has yet to win a stage in 2020 but he has accumulated two Playoff points.
o Has led 1 of 1,802 laps completed.
o 2020 average starting position, 9.1 and average finishing position, 13.3.
Previous Gander Trucks Playoff Stats:
o The 2020 season marks the second time Tyler Ankrum has qualified for the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs.
o In the 2019 Gander Trucks Playoffs, he posted two top 10s, but ultimately finished the season eighth in the championship standings after being eliminated in the Round of 6.
o In 2018, he made his NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series debut making two series starts for truck owner David Gilliland.
o Ankrum became the sixth different Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate to make the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoffs in 2019; joining Christopher Bell (2016), William Bryon (2016), Austin Cindric (2017), Chase Briscoe (2017) and Kaz Grala (2017). Cindric and Bell are tied for the best championship finish by a rookie in the Playoff Era (2016-Present) – they both finished third in points.
