MADISON, Ill. — Defending series champion Sheldon Creed won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series playoff opener Friday night with a dominating run at Gateway.
In a race interrupted by a power outage that knocked out the lights for about an hour early in the second stage, Creed swept the stages and led 142 of 163 laps on the 1.25-mile oval.
The 23-year-old driver from California wrapped up an automatic spot in the next three-race round of the playoffs, winning for the second time this year and seventh in two seasons.
After a caution set up an overtime shootout, Creed kept the No. 2 GMS Racing Chevrolet ahead of three-time series champion Matt Crafton and Ben Rhodes. Crafton passed ThorSport teammate Rhodes for second.
Stewart Friesen was fourth, with the top four all in the 10-driver playoff field. Carson Hocevar was the only other playoff driver in the top 10, finishing eighth.
John Hunter Nemechek, the leader entering the playoffs, had a flat tire and ended up five laps down in 22nd. Austin Hill was 23rd, Chandler Smith 28th, Todd Gilliland 29th and Zane Smith 35th to round out the playoff drivers.
The playoff field will be cut to eight after the third race and to four after the sixth for the finale at Phoenix Raceway.