Trucks: Late race crash at Martinsville gives Jeff Bright SCRLASTCAR lead with five races to go

Jeff Bright picked up the 3rd last place finish of his SCRL Rainbow Dash Truck Series career in Tuesday's Hanes 250 at the Martinsville Speedway when his #4 Link-Belt Construction Chevrolet was involved in a multi-truck crash after 43 of the 50 laps.

The finish came in his 41st career series start, was his third of the season, and his first in a truck series race since December 15, 2017 when he completed all of the 20 laps of the Craftsman 200 at the Portland Speedway, 16 races ago. With the finish, Bright takes the SCRLASTCAR lead with five races to go.

Ever since trailing the field at Portland, a finish of 11th at Colorado would be his best showing as he is still looking for his first Top 10 of the season as he entered Martinsville.

On race day, Rudd would roll off the field in the 11th spot while starting last was Nashville last-place finisher the #17 Sears DieHard Chevrolet of Zachary Fitzwater but as the field took the green flag, Phoenix last-place finisher the #55 Gloy Racing Ford of Keith Stevens would take over last and would trail the field for the first three laps before the #2 Team ASE Racing Ford of Jay Jefferson would take over last on Lap 4, the #20 Orleans Hotel & Casino Chevrolet of Steve Larker would take the last spot on the 5th lap, Heartland Park Topeka last-place finisher the #42 Hot Wheels Chevrolet of Gustau Odenberg on the 6th lap, Tucson last-place finisher the #77 Doran Motorsports Chevrolet on the 7th lap before Odenberg would take last again on the 8th lap.

Diego Yepez would take last again on the 9th lap and would hold it until lap 14 when Odenberg took it back over after falling two laps down and it appeared he was on his way to his second career last-place finish. However Fitzwater would take the last spot on the 43rd lap as chaos would break out as the third caution would fly, knocking the #75 Spears Manufacturing Chevrolet of Joshua Rush back to last on the 44th lap. While running around under caution, Jeff Bright, who was in the Top 5 at the time, ran into the back of another truck damaging the radiator and giving Bright the lead in the SCRLASTCAR Championship.

39th went to Flemington last-place finisher the #9 Rhino Linings USA Chevrolet of Brian Fox, who led nine laps early in the event, only to suffer a broken piston five laps from the finish. 38th went to the #21 Orleans Hotel & Casino Chevrolet of Eli Bright, 37th went to the aforementioned #75 of Joshua Rush and rounding out the bottom five in 36th was the aforementioned #77 of Diego Yepez.

SCRLASTCAR STATISTICS
*This was the first time the #4 has finished last at Martinsville.

THE BOTTOM FIVE
40) #4-Jeff Bright / 43 laps / crash
39) #9-Brian Fox / 45 laps / piston led 9 laps
38) #21-Eli Bright / 48 laps / running
37) #75-Joshua Rush / 48 laps / running
36) #77-Diego Yepez / 48 laps / running