Grant Enfinger during driver introductions for the DQS Solutions and Staffing 200 at Michigan International Speedway. (Photo: Aspen Marcheschi | The Podium Finish)
BROOKLYN, Mich. — Continuing on a strong running in his 2025 Craftsman Truck Series campaign, Grant Enfinger, driver of the No. 9 CR7 Motorsports Silverado, drove an impressive race in the closing stages of the DQS Solutions and Staffing 200 at Michigan International Speedway, but he fell just short of the ultimate prize: victory.
Enfinger’s weekend did not start off to the tune his team is used to, qualifying outside of the top 10 and running in the middle of the pack for the first half of the race.
But on Lap 86, the race changed for the No. 9 team. While most of the lead lap trucks came down pit road for scheduled service, Enfinger and six other trucks stayed out to gain key track position, a strategy that paid off late in the race.
Enfinger claimed the lead for the first time all day, and he stayed there for the following 25 laps, while constantly being pursued by the likes of NASCAR Cup Series regulars Ross Chastain and Carson Hocevar. To put the cherry on top, he was also being hounded by Corey Heim, a four-time winner in the 2025 Truck Series season so far.
That all changed on Lap 116 when a caution was thrown for debris on the backstretch from the No. 34 truck of Layne Riggs. With that, Enfinger brought his No. 9 truck down pit road for service one last time, cycling back out to the eighth running position for the restart.
But, if things could not get any crazier than they already were, the leaders on the restart did not get a great launch, and around half the field went spinning across the frontstretch. Enfinger was able to make his way through the chaos and found himself back inside the top five, with near fresh tires and a clean race truck.
Grant Enfinger pushes Gio Ruggiero down the frontstretch during the DQS Solutions and Staffing 200 at Michigan International Speedway. (Photo: Aspen Marcheschi | The Podium Finish)
Enfinger did not have the speed that he was accustomed to, but he had the experience to go out and win in the situation he found himself in. The No. 9 Chevrolet had a fantastic restart, finding a way around competitors Corey LaJoie and Jake Garcia to retake the lead, but another caution was thrown, forcing the field into one final overtime.
While Enfinger chose the preferred outside lane, another veteran driver, Stewart Friesen, driver of the No. 52 Toyota Tundra, took to the inside. The No. 9 and No. 52 ran side by side through Turns 1 and 2 on the final restart, but the speed was not there for Enfinger.
The CR7 team eventually fell into the second position, while Friesen and his HFR team celebrated in victory lane. Enfinger added another top five finish to his impressive 2025 resume, but a win would have secured his team a spot in the playoffs later on in the year.
“Under the circumstances, I thought our Champion Power Equipment Chevy just got fortunate enough to be put in the position,” said the veteran driver out of Fairhope, Alabama during his post-race interview with FOX. “Man, I just needed a little push from my buddy Corey (LaJoie) there on the back straightaway.”
Enfinger might have called out his Chevrolet teammate in LaJoie, but he did not put all of the blame on the lack of help from the No. 07 truck.
“Maybe I could have side drafted to Stewart (Friesen) going into (turn) three, so he wouldn’t clear me, but I felt like if I did that they would be coming with a big run on top.”
Even though the veteran driver may have fallen just short of a locked-in playoff position, he was fine with the results that came out of a long Truck Series event like this.
“It just wasn’t meant to be. A little bitter this week, but overall great execution by our guys.”
Enfinger and his CR7 team will hit the track once again when the Truck Series resumes action from the Pocono Mountains at Pocono Raceway on June 20.
