NASCAR

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fans Respond To Kyle Larson Rallying To Capture Baptist Health 200 At Homestead-Miami Speedway

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Jeff Hawkins
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Jeff Hawkins Sports Editor

Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry, in both print and digital media. He joined the Sportscasting team in 2021 following a decade of freelancing. He spent his early career as a reporter for various newspapers in Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, with a particular emphasis as a beat reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University. Over the course of his career he earned several sports writing awards, including two national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors for column writing and news reporting. One of the five prized columns included a commentary on NASCAR's increasing corporate influences, particularly in northern racetracks — commentary which you might find Jeff building on as part of the Motorsports writing team at Sportscasting now.  

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Published21 Mar 2025

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Trucks Heim wins second stage at Homestead (1)

Criticized for hitting the wall often during his early years competing on the NASCAR National Series, Kyle Larson learned through trial and error how to better control his machine’s downforce will riding the wall. 

It was the advantage he used Friday night to rally from a Stage 3 spin-out to capture the Craftsman Truck Series’ Baptist Health 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. 

“That was pretty unbelievable,” Larson told Fox Sports’ all-driver broadcast team. “I wasn’t exactly sure I could get back up there. Just got to rippin’ the wall and it was a benefit to me.” 

To say the least.  

Larson, who is scheduled to compete in Cup and Xfinity events this  

weekend, captured his fourth win in 16 series starts. 

Larson was asked about the possibility of earning the weekend sweep. 

“I don’t know?” he said. “The competition gets tougher.”   

Heim, who led a race-high 76 laps, said the P3 was tough to experience. Each time his machine experienced mechanical problems over the final 20 laps, the pole-sitter was forced to recycle the machine. 

“Everything seemed fine,” he said. “It was probably the best truck I’ve ever had. It stings really bad.” 

X (Twitter) users responded to Larson capturing the checkered flag after running more than 1 second faster than the field over the final six rotations …  

 

As part of the drivers’ only broadcast, Carson Hocevar questioned Cup regular Ross Chastain before the green flag dropped Friday night … 

 Getting the Baptist Health 200 started … 

“First lap, first corner. That is tough.” As Heim cleared Tanner Grey along Turn 1, trouble developed behind the leaders. Running P6, Giovanni Ruggiero spun out and hit the outside wall while collecting Ben Rhodes …

Following the restart on the first caution period, Larson and Heim battle for the lead over several laps, culminating with Larson starting to pull away on Lap 14. Twelve rotations later, Heim and Layne Riggs caught Larson. Heim earned the Stage 1 win … 

Heim’s Stage 1 effort marked his 20th career stage win, ranking sixth all-time …   

As Heim and Ty Majeski, who appeared to have one of the strongest machines, battled for the Stage 2 advantage, the event’s top qualifier cruised to a sweep of both stages. Majeski later suffered damage during a pit-row altercation …

Going from P7 to P1 since the previous restart, Chastain launched past Heim on Lap 71 to become the race’s third leader. Seven rotations later, Chastain drove out to a 1.2-second lead … 

Larson’s bid to tie Kyle Busch’s national series record of winning three events during the same weekend took a major hit on Lap 90 when he lost control before Turn 2. Larson saved the machine with a slick 360 maneuver, but fell to the rear of the field. He had used a wall-riding strategy to get back to the front … 

Heim’s odyssey. With 20 laps to go, his machine lost power along the backstretch. After restarting, he had fallen back to P3. Four laps later, he made up the nearly 1.5-second deficit and caught Chastain and Riggs, but it shut off again. After catching the lead pack again with 14 laps to go, the No. 11 Toyota shut off again. Two laps later, he caught the leaders again and extended the advantage to nearly 1 second. With four to go, it shut off again, providing Larson an opportunity to complete the comeback win … 

 Larson’s one-third of the way to his weekend goal …