BOWMANVILLE, Ont. — Justin Haley took the lead after Noah Gragson and Todd Gilliland collided on the final turn in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoff opener Sunday at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
Gragson attempted to pass Kyle Busch Motorsports teammate Gilliland on the inside and both spun out. Haley slipped past them on the inside for his second victory of the season and his career. He also earned an automatic spot in the second round of the playoffs.
John Hunter Nemechek was second, followed by Brett Moffitt, Timothy Peters and Matt Crafton.
Stewart Friesen of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., was seventh, 5.2 seconds behind Haley.
Pole-sitter Ben Rhodes was in the top five on the final lap, but spun out on Turn 5 and finished 14th.
Gragson ended up ninth. He passed Rhodes with 13 laps left in the first stage and held on to win the segment. Gragson then led most of the way to win the second stage, his series-leading ninth stage win of the season.
Gilliland finished 11th.
The Associated Press
