Race Recap Elite Truck Series
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Wed, Apr 22, 2026Round 16
Wild Ride at Charlotte Motor Speedway: Gordon2 Survives 5-Caution Thriller
Race at a Glance
🏁Field Size
30
🔄Laps
112
⏱Avg Lap Time
40.073
🟡Cautions
5
⚠️Caution Laps
15
🔀Lead Changes
12
🛡️Clean Runners
0
🏎️Lead Lap Finishers
15
Winner Spotlight
CustomJesse Gordon
P1 Finish

Jesse Gordon
Started P4 • Inc 4

Jordan Traas
Started P1 • Inc 5

Brandon Shuman
Started P6 • Inc 8
Jesse Gordon claimed his third victory of the season at Charlotte Motor Speedway, advancing from his fourth starting position to capture the checkered flag in the RFRL Truck Series season finale. Gordon led 30 laps during the 112-lap contest that featured 12 lead changes and five cautions consuming 15 laps. Pole-sitter Jordan Traas held the point for 8 laps before John Crosby took command for a race-high 44 laps, with Dakota Reeder also contributing 19 laps out front before Gordon seized control for the victory.
The race's most compelling storyline unfolded behind the leaders as Brian Sousa delivered a masterful hard charger performance, rocketing from 27th on the grid to ninth place at the finish for an incredible 18-position gain. Sousa's charge through the field included a brief stint at the front, leading one lap during his remarkable drive forward. Cody Deak matched Sousa's 18-position improvement, climbing from 28th to 10th, while Gary Wright added another impressive recovery drive with a 17-spot advance from 29th to 12th.
Brandon Shuman completed the podium in third place after starting sixth, marking his best finish in what proved to be a bruising affair where no driver escaped incident-free. The race saw significant attrition among several contenders, with Justin Carey tumbling from fifth to 19th and Brent Thompson suffering the day's worst fate, plummeting 19 positions from 11th to 30th. John Crosby's fourth-place finish represented a solid recovery after leading the most laps but ultimately falling short of victory.
Despite finishing second after starting from pole position, Jordan Traas secured the RFRL Truck Series championship with his 35-point haul at Charlotte. Traas entered the season finale with a 40-point advantage over Ryan Philbrick and maintained his lead despite Philbrick's 21st-place finish limiting him to just 16 points. The championship marks Traas's first title after accumulating four wins during the campaign, with John Crosby's fourth-place finish moving him to third in the final standings, just eight points behind runner-up Philbrick in the final championship tally.
Top Movers
Brian Sousa60
▲ +18Cody Deak13
▲ +18Gary Wright90
▲ +17Finishing Order
| Finish | Start | +/- | Car # | Driver | Inc | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | +3 | 10 | Jesse Gordon | 4x | 40 |
| 2 | 1 | -1 | 79 | Jordan Traas | 5x | 35 |
| 3 | 6 | +3 | 52 | Brandon Shuman | 8x | 34 |
| 4 | 2 | -2 | 73 | John W Crosby | 5x | 33 |
| 5 | 9 | +4 | 84 | Diego A Acuna | 10x | 32 |
| 6 | 10 | +4 | 77 | Anthony Hardin | 8x | 31 |
| 7 | 7 | 0 | 31 | Christian Delgado | 7x | 30 |
| 8 | 3 | -5 | 85 | Dakota Reeder | 12x | 29 |
| 9 | 27 | +18 | 60 | Brian Sousa | 5x | 28 |
| 10 | 28 | +18 | 13 | Cody Deak | 10x | 27 |
| 11 | 8 | -3 | 92 | David Burcicki | 6x | 26 |
| 12 | 29 | +17 | 90 | Gary Wright | 3x | 25 |
| 13 | 14 | +1 | 97 | Anthony Burleyson | 9x | 24 |
| 14 | 21 | +7 | 69 | Todd Parent | 12x | 23 |
| 15 | 26 | +11 | 68 | Tom Ringer | 12x | 22 |
| 16 | 20 | +4 | 3 | Shaun Dionne | 7x | 21 |
| 17 | 23 | +6 | 66 | Brandon H Yates | 15x | 20 |
| 18 | 30 | +12 | 72 | Zachary Wynne | 10x | 19 |
| 19 | 5 | -14 | 21 | Justin Carey | 6x | 18 |
| 20 | 24 | +4 | 50 | Blaise Young | 15x | 17 |
| 21 | 22 | +1 | 06 | Ryan Philbrick | 12x | 16 |
| 22 | 17 | -5 | 71 | Tommy Wynne | 9x | 15 |
| 23 | 25 | +2 | 54 | Tiyler Walts | 6x | 14 |
| 24 | 13 | -11 | 76 | Cameron Gulley | 12x | 13 |
| 25 | 12 | -13 | 1 | Jeffrey Goodpaster | 5x | 12 |
| 26 | 19 | -7 | 23 | David Hickey | 4x | 11 |
| 27 | 15 | -12 | 93 | Colton Miller | 5x | 10 |
| 28 | 16 | -12 | 09 | jonathan McIntosh | 4x | 9 |
| 29 | 18 | -11 | 28 | Colton Jackson | 6x | 8 |
| 30 | 11 | -19 | 45 | Brent Thompson | 5x | 7 |