2023 Craftsman 150

This is the final race of the 2023 T-Mobile Truck Series Season.

This was the most chaotic race of the year. All 4 champ drivers were involved in at least one incident of the night, and it took four overtimes to finish the event. WORSE yet, there were 10 cautions.

Marcos Dias, despite not winning ONE race throughout the year ended up with the title (thanks to Boy, Girl and Cat's predictions over Dog, Mouse, and Cheese), meanwhile Andreas Knutsen takes the win.

Rascal and Mike Benett (Dog, Mouse, and Cheese's predictor) both finished 11th and 12th, but they were sadly a lap down. Same as the rest of racers who finished all laps except the ones who finished in the top 10.

## Transcript

### Predictions on who will win the title

Boy: As we are starting the last race of the season, the final four drivers are, Dog, can you explain?

Dog: Mike Benett, Marcos Dias, Jeni Bouchard, and Rascal.

Cheese: What are your picks?

Boy: Well, that's kinda hard to tell. We'll divide it in groups of three.

Girl: That's kinda a good decision, bro.

Cat: For this group, it will be me, Boy, and Girl!

Dog: That means this group will have Mouse, Cheese, and me!

Mouse: O-kay.....

Boy: From the four drivers that are on your screen right now, my pick will go to Marcos Dias. Why? Because it would be ironic if a driver defends the Chase system.

Girl: I would have to go with my bro's decision.

Cat: Same here.

Dog: Well, my pick goes to Mike Bennett.

Mouse: Agree as well!

Cheese: Same here,

Boy: Three against three! Now, our pit reporter Odlulu has caught up with Mike Bennett, so we will go over to her right now.

(In the pit lane)

Odlulu: OK, as they stated before, Dog, Mouse and Cheese predicts that Mike will win the title tonight, Mike, is it true? You're going to take that title going into tonights race?

Mike: Not sure. This was supposed to be my night, however, crashed my truck in practice, rolled out the backup car. So a good qualifying effort will now go to waste. Ask me again in about 100 laps into this event.

Odlulu: That's all Mike has to say, will start 31st in tonight's truck race.

### Start and lap 1 crash

Boy: Four drivers, one chance for a title, on the count of three......One.......Two......Three.....

Boy, Girl, Dog, Cat, Mouse, and Cheese: LET'S GO RACING EVERYONE!

Girl: Amazing job everyone! Anyways, Mike Bennett leads them down into Turn 1, five wide in the pack!

Dog: This is amazing racing by Nathan Claeys, he will overtake Bennett into Turn 2 and will now lead!

Cat: OH! TROUBLE TROUBLE!

Mouse: Elton Evans around already spinning from 15th! Iris Claymore narrowly avoids him.

Boy: Caution already.

Girl: Grrrrrr.......Didn't even get a lap in!

### Lap 77 Incident

Boy: Mike Benett still leading after taking the lead back from Claeys.

Dog: We might assume that our predictions for our winner would be correct.

Mouse: (laughs) Overheard you loud and clear, Dog!

Girl: As four our champ fave, Marcos Dias, he is in 13t-

Cat: OH! CRAIG LEE'S AROUND!

Mouse: CAUTION!

Boy: You might as well look out for our predictor, Dias, Dog, Mouse, and Cheese!

### Lap 130 Big Wreck

Girl: WE HAVE TROUBLE GUYS! LUIS CASTILLO IS IN THE TURN 2 WALL! HE COLLECTS WOLTER OSTING, JAMIE PEREIRA, RUBEN RAMOS AND DONALD KOOLEN!

Boy: That's what we want! A wreck for Marcos Dias' chances of a title!

(99 team radio)

Starco: Nice job Marco! 15th, to 8th!

Marco: That was outstanding!

(Live)

Cat: Outstanding is right! Because Dias is right behind Benett and Rascal in the standings!

Dog: Question is, can Bennet hold on to the top spot?

Boy: Meanwhile, the red flag is out to clean up the mess.

### Lap 147 incident

Boy: Rascal is catching up to Mike Bennett who dropped 10 spots back.

Girl: Let's see what he can do to Rascal.

Dog: OH! RASCALL'S IN THE WALL! RETALLIATION FOR WRECKING HIM DURING THE PIT CYCLE!

Mouse: JOEL REDDY SPINS AROUND TRYING TO AVOID! CAUTION!

Cat: THAT'S JUST WHAT WE WANT! TWO CHAMPIONSHIP TRUCK'S DAMAGED!

Boy: We know that retaliation was never needed in any situation, but in cases like this, it can be the answer!

Girl: Well, now our champion predictions are starting to become right, after 147 laps!

(11 team radio)

Mike: This is why a bat like you cannot win the title, Rascal!

(live)

Boy: Due to the wreck happening three laps before the white flag, we will have a GWC finish. Looks like your chances for Benett becoming champion are done, Dog, Mouse, and Cheese!

Dog, Mouse, and Cheese: (all groan)

### Overtime #1

Boy: Adriano Cicarelli on the outside, Andreas Knutsen on the inside, behind them is Japanese driver Mitsuo Harada and our champion fave Marcos Dias in 3rd and fourth. Green flag!

Girl: Cicarelli clears Knutsen for the lead, Two more corners until the white flag!

Cat: Nope! Sylvain Boudreaux slammed the wall.

Dog: Caution! The leaders have not taken the white flag yet, so we will try again.

### Overtime #2

Boy: Same order like the first overtime, Adriano Cicarelli, Andreas Knutsen, Mitsuo Harada and Marcos Dias.

Girl: Green flag again!

Dog: OH NO! CICARELLI FAILS TO SHIFT INTO 4TH PLACE AND DIAS RUNS INTO HIM!

Cat: KAZUKI SAKAMOTO, ALEX HAKULINEN ALSO INVOLVED TRYING TO AVOID! LEE JENI SLAMS THE WALL AS WELL!

Mouse: We didn't even get into Turn 1 and there's another wreck!

Boy: Well, it appears that Dias has minimal damage to his truck, but he seems to continue.

Cat: All of the trucks involved with the exception of Dias and Jeni are out for the night.

### Overtime #3

Boy: Same order, except that Cicarelli is now out, it's Andreas Knutsen, Mitsuo Harada, Marcos Dias luckily, and Alexis Noel.

Girl: Here we go again. No crashing this time guys!

Cat: OH GOSH! YOU JUST JINXED IT GIRL! NATHAN CLAEY'S SPINS HIS TIRES!

Girl: OH NO I DID! CRAIG LEE REARENDS HIM, BRANDON TREMAYNE, MANNE NISKALA, LEE JENI, PIERRE COURBET AND GORO SUZUKI ALL CRASH OUT TRYING TO AVOID THEM!

Mouse: THIS IS GETTING CHAOTIC GUYS! MORE DRIVERS ARE OUT IN THIS OVERTIME!

Boy: This has been the most chaotic finale in years!

### Overtime #4

Boy: We are going to finish off with a fourth overtime finish! ICR officials stated that this is the last attempt they will finish under green.

Girl: If they mess this up, the next flag will end it.

Cat: With that being said, same order as before....well, you know who.

Boy: Green flag!

Girl: NINE WIDE INTO TURN 1!

Cat: LEE JENI GETS INTO FIFTH FROM 13TH IN ONE CORNER!

Boy: No match for Dias as Harada takes the lead from Knutsen!

Girl: Harada has never won a race as of now! Can this be the night of his life!

Cat: White flag!

Boy: IF ANYONE HAS A CHANCE TO PASS HARADA, YOU BETTER MAKE A MOVE, BECAUSE THE NEXT FLAG WILL END THIS RACE!

Dog: Knutsen takes the lead from Harada entering Turn 3!

Cat: Come on, Dias, don't let Jeni overtake you!

Mouse: I don't think Harada has a shot for Knutsen.

Cheese: CHECKERED FLAG FOR ANDREAS KNUTSEN, HE WINS AT PHOENIX!

Dog: ANOTHER CELEBRATION TONIGHT AS MARCOS DIAS TAKES THE TITLE!

Boy, Girl and Cat: YYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!

Girl: MARCOS DIAS HAS DONE IT!!!!! HE WON THE TITLE DESPITE NOT WINNING A RACE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AFTER ONLY EVER TWO YEARS OF TRYING AND HARD WORK!!!

Cat: BEST PART??!!!! HE FINISHED FIFTH, ONE SPOT AHEAD OF LEE JENI!

Mouse: Lee Jeni was very close to winning her second title, but then Marcos Dias beats her on the last lap of tonight's chaotic race.

Girl: We are so proud of Dias winning something! Although, her first win might have to wait until 2024.

(99 team radio)

Marco: WOO HOO!! I DID IT AUNTIE STARCO!!

Starco: Good job Marco. You finally won the title!

Luca: Hey Marco! Good job buddy!!

Marco: Thanks Luca, you're the best. Although I won!

## Results

1. Andreas Knutsen
2. Mitsuo Harada - 176 laps
3. Johnny Bell - 176 laps
4. Jack Frobisher - 176 laps
5. Marco Dias (PO) - 176 laps
6. Lee Jeni (PO) - 176 laps
7. 7-34 TBA

## Conclusion/Trivia

* TBN booth is in the studio, NOT at the track.
* All four championship 4 drivers (Mike Bennett, Marcos Dias, Lee Jeni and Rascal) caught up in several of the 10 accidents.
* 4 overtimes, complete lack of respect.
* Retaliation is never the answer, but Rascal deserved every bit of that.
* The Chase continue to be the worst part of any modern motorsport.
* Numerous Cup drivers voicing their displeasure.
* One race to determine a champion, this is what the fans get. It was bound to happen eventually.