TALLADEGA, Ala. — Rookie Gio Ruggiero capped a typically dramatic afternoon of racing on the high banks of Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway with the 21-year-old’s first career trip to Victory Lane in Friday’s Love’s RV Stop 225 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race.
Despite not making the playoffs, Ruggiero held off Tricon Garage teammate and current championship leader Corey Heim in a two-lap overtime duel all the way to the checkered flag, his No. 17 Toyota leading the way by just 0.059 seconds. The effort rewarded an absolutely solid day for the young driver, who took pole position and led a race-record 37 of 90 laps.
He took the lead two laps from the end of regulation time after the race leaders at the time, Ben Rhodes and rookie Luke Fenhaus, made contact – the two Fords spun and allowed Ruggiero and Heim to take the lead. The teammates held their position through two rounds of overtime to claim victory.
“I’m very grateful to all the guys on that ’17 truck, they worked their tails off today and definitely brought the best piece today,” said Massachusetts driver Ruggiero. “We showed in qualifying and throughout the race that we had the fastest part. Thanks to Toyota and everyone who supports me. It’s great to win a race with my mom and dad here.”
Heim’s second-place effort was the best performance by any of the eight playoff drivers with just one race remaining in this three-race round to finalize which four will race for the championship Oct. 31 at Phoenix Raceway.
Heim, the regular season points leader and winner of 10 races, has led the laps in all 23 races this season. He is the only driver guaranteed to advance to the Phoenix finale thanks to a victory in this round’s opening race at the Charlotte ROVAL a week ago.
ThorSport Racing’s Ty Majeski – the defending series champion – put together an impressive rally in the afternoon to finish third after dropping to 34th in the 36-car field due to collateral damage from a crash in the opening laps.
Rookie Dawson Sutton finished fourth, followed by playoff driver Layne Riggs, who, like Majeski, earned his top five the hard way. He started at the back of the pack after a technical inspection infraction and was involved to varying degrees in several incidents during the race.
Six of the eight playoff drivers finished in the top 10 with playoff driver Tyler Ankrum in sixth, followed by former three-time series champion Matt Crafton and part-time driver Corey Lajoie and playoff competitors Rajah Caruth and Kaden Honeycutt rounding out the top 10.
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race – Love’s RV Stop 225
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega, Alabama
Friday October 17, 2025
1. (1) Giovanni Ruggiero #, Toyota, 90.
2. (3) Corey Heim (P), Toyota, 90 years old.
3. (2) Ty Majeski (P), Ford, 90.
4. (12) Number Dawson Sutton, Chevrolet, 90.
5. (35) Layne Riggs (P), Ford, 90.
6. (8) Tyler Ankrum (P), Chevrolet, 90 years old.
7. (4) Matt Crafton, Ford, 90.
8. (18) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 90.
9. (11) Rajah Caruth (P), Chevrolet, 90 years old.
10. (5) Kaden Honeycutt (P), Toyota, 90 years old.
11. (13) Kris Wright(i), Chevrolet, 90 years old.
12. (10) Tanner Gray, Toyota, 90.
13. (16) JJ Yeley(i), 90 Chevrolet.
14. (14) Connor Mosack #, Chevrolet, 90.
15. (19) Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 90 years old.
16. (7) Ben Rhodes, Ford, 90.
17. (22) Andres Perez De Lara #, Chevrolet, 90.
18. (31) Nathan Byrd, Chevrolet, 90 years old.
19. (23) Matt Mills, Chevrolet, 90 years old.
20. (28) Frankie Muniz #, Ford, 90.
21. (24) Jack Wood, Chevrolet, 90.
22. (25) Chandler Smith, Ford, 90.
23. (6) Luke Fenhaus, Ford, 90.
24. (29) Josh Réaume, Ford, 89 years old.
25. (34) Greg Van Alst, Toyota, 88 years old.
26. (21) Parker Kligerman, Chevrolet, 87 years old.
27. (27) Tyler Tomassi(i), Ford, 87 years old.
28. (9) Bret Holmes, Toyota, 87 years old.
29. (26) Jake Garcia, Ford, 87.
30. (33) Jason White, Ford, Electricity, 83.
31. (20) Bayley Currey, Chevrolet, driveshaft, 68.
32. (32) Norm Benning, Chevrolet, Engine, 55.
33. (30) Toni Breidinger #, Toyota, Suspension, 54.
34. (17) Daniel Hemric (P), Chevrolet, Accident, 52.
35. (36) Caleb Costner, Toyota, Electricity, 43.
36. (15) Grant Enfinger (P), Chevrolet, Accident, 3.
Average speed of race winner: 119.253 mph.
Running time: 2 hours, 0 minutes, 27 seconds. Margin of victory: 0.059 seconds.
Caution flags: 7 for 29 laps.
Lead changes: 17 out of 11 drivers.
Lap leaders: G. Ruggiero #1-10;C. Heim (P) 11-16;R. Caruth (P) 17-22;J. Yeley(i) 23-25;G. Ruggiero #26-28;L. Fenhaus 29;G. Ruggiero #30-31;L. Fenhaus 32-35;G. Ruggiero #36-42;T. Gray 43-45;P. Kligerman 46;T. Gray 47-54;C. Smith 55;J. Wood 56;N. Byrd 57-62;G. Ruggiero #63-70;B. Rhodes 71-83;G. Ruggiero #84-90.
Summary of leaders (driver, time leader, laps led): Giovanni Ruggiero # 6 times for 37 laps; Ben Rhodes 1 time for 13 rounds; Tanner Gray twice for 11 rounds; Nathan Byrd 1 time for 6 rounds; Corey Heim (P) 1 time for 6 rounds; Rajah Caruth (P) 1 time for 6 rounds; Luke Fenhaus twice for 5 rounds; JJ Yeley (i) 1 time for 3 rounds; Parker Kligerman 1 time for 1 round; Jack Wood 1 time for 1 round; Chandler Smith 1 time for 1 round.
Top Ten of stage 1: 71,77,11,7,99,52,18,26,17,19
Stage #2 Top Ten: 17,52,71,7,66,77,18,81,11,88
–Holly Cain, special to Field Level Media
