Sanchez wins, Gray flips in wreck-marred Daytona NASCAR Truck opener

Sanchez, making his 24th career start, led the way at the start of overtime and got a big jump on the rest of the field, which proved beneficial.

Behind him, Rajah Caruth got up into Jack Wood, who then hit Taylor Gray. Gray’s No. 17 truck turned sharply sideways and was then lifted off the track, flipped on top of two other trucks, before landing upright on its wheels.

NASCAR quickly displayed the race-record 12th caution of the night, which froze the field and locked in Sanchez’s first career win.

“Pretty surreal, especially with how the race started.” Sanchez said. “Just a big thanks to my team for sticking with me all last year. We were winless. It hurt. We should have won but we redeemed ourselves in the first race possible.”

Corey Heim was credited with second place, Caruth third, Spencer Boyd fourth and Bret Holmes rounded out the top five.

The win is Sanchez’s first in NASCAR competition. He also owns four wins in the ARCA Menards Series.

Stage 1

Johnny Sauter held off Ty Majeski by 0.149 seconds in a one-lap dash to the finish to take the Stage 1 win.

Eckes got into Matt Crafton on the backstretch on lap 6 which triggered what turned out to be a 14-truck wreck and took out several contenders including Ty Dillon and Jake Garcia.

Stage 2

Tyler Ankrum was declared the winner of Stage 2 when NASCAR was forced to throw a caution with two of 20 laps for light rain in the area.

Christian Eckes ended up second, Crafton third, Daniel Dye fourth and Ben Rhodes rounded out the top five.

Stage 3

Following a seven-minute red flag for a rain delay and the break between Stages 2 and 3, Holmes led the way when the race returned to green with 56 laps remaining.

A wreck by Keith McGee quickly put the race back under caution. Holmes led Sauter on the restart on lap 48.

Battling for the lead with Sauter, both Holmes and Bayley Currey spun in Turn 4 on lap 47 to bring out the sixth caution of the race.

Most of the field hit pit road – several for just fuel – as Grant Enfinger took over the race lead when the race resumed with 39 laps remaining. Sanchez powered to the lead on the restart.

On Lap 73, Rhodes began to drop back quickly in the middle lane with a tire going down and collected Tanner Gray and Toni Breidinger in the process.

Corey LaJoie had inherited the lead before the caution and led the way on the restart with 23 laps to go.

With just over 20 laps remaining, LaJoie got into the rear of Eckes and turned him, which triggered a multi-truck accident that also collected Stefan Parsons and Sauter. Sanchez led Taylor Gray and LaJoie on the restart on lap 16 to go.

A three-truck accident involving Mason Massey, Toni Breidinger and Dean Thompson set up another restart with nine laps remaining and Sanchez still in command.

A four-truck accident involving Ankrum, Chase Purdy, Timmy Hill and Eckes brought out a record-tying 11th caution that sent the race into overtime. Sanchez led…