Giovanni Ruggiero, driver of the #17 First Auto Group Toyota, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Love’s RV Stop 225 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 17, 2025 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service

TALLADEGA, Ala. – Rookie Gio Ruggiero capped a typically dramatic afternoon of racing on the Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway high banks 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.

Giovanni Ruggiero, driver of the #17 First Auto Group Toyota, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Love’s RV Stop 225 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 17, 2025 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Though not in the Playoffs, Ruggiero held off his Tricon Garage teammate and current championship leader Corey Heim in a two-lap overtime duel to the checkered flag, his No. 17 Toyota leading the way by a mere .059-second. The effort rewarded an absolutely strong day for the young driver, who won pole position and led a race best 37 of the 90 laps.

He took the lead with two laps remaining in regulation after then-race leaders, ThorSport Racing teammates Ben Rhodes and rookie Luke Fenhaus made contact – both Fords spinning out and allowing Ruggiero and Heim to the front. The teammates held position for the two laps of overtime to claim the win.

“Super thankful all the guys on this 17-truck, they worked their butts off today and definitely brought the best piece today,’’ the Massachusetts driver Ruggiero said. “We showed it in qualifying and throughout the race there that we had the fastest piece. Thanks to Toyota and everybody who supports me. Great to win a race with my mom and dad here.’’

Giovanni Ruggiero, driver of the #17 First Auto Group Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Love’s RV Stop 225 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 17, 2025 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Heim’s runner-up effort was the best showing by one of the eight Playoff drivers with only a single race remaining in this three-race round to finalize which four will race for the championship on Oct. 31 at Phoenix Raceway.

Heim, the regular season points leader and 10-race winner, has led laps in all 23 races this season. He is the only driver with a secure entry 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 reigning series champion – turned in an impressive rally on the afternoon to finish third after dropping to 34th in the 36-car field early with collateral damage from an early-laps accident.

Rajah Caruth, driver of the #71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, and Giovanni Ruggiero, driver of the #17 First Auto Group Toyota, llduring the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Love’s RV Stop 225 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 17, 2025 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Rookie Dawson Sutton was fourth followed by Playoff driver Layne Riggs, who like Majeski, earned his top-five the hard way. He started at the rear of the field after an inspection violation and was involved to varying degrees in multiple incidents during the race.

“I’m just glad to end the day in one piece,’’ said Riggs, driver of the No. 34 Front Row Motorsport Ford. “I know Chandler [Smith] gave me a bad push getting into the corner there and we both wrecked. Just so glad that wasn’t a day-ender.

“Started shotgun on the field and went to the back a few times, there at the end just trying to be patient  and hold that bottom and hoping the top would break up and it did. Really bummed we didn’t get any stage points. We’re not quite in the position we want to be in but it’s a lot better than it could have been.’’

JJ Yeley, driver of the #7 Delaware Life Chevrolet, Giovanni Ruggiero, driver of the #17 First Auto Group Toyota, Jack Wood, driver of the #91 Adaptive One Calipers Chevrolet, and Layne Riggs, driver of the #34 Love’s RV STOP Ford, race during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Love’s RV Stop 225 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 17, 2025 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Six of the eight Playoff drivers finished among the top-10 with Playoff driver Tyler Ankrum in sixth, followed by former three-time series champ Matt Crafton and part-time driver Corey Lajoie and Playoff competitors Rajah Caruth and Kaden Honeycutt rounding out the top-10.

Three positions in the Championship 4 are still to be decided. The Playoff standings heading to the final race of this round show

Caruth heads to Martinsville 14 points up on the cutoff line with Ankrum plus-eight and Honeycutt plus-five. Majeski is five points below the line and Riggs six back.

Daniel Hemric, who had a tire go down late in the race during a green flag run, finished 34th and Grant Enfinger was 36th – essentially put both veteran drivers in a must-win situation next week at Martinsville. Hemric is 32 points below the cutoff line and Enfinger now 40 points back.

Giovanni Ruggiero, driver of the #17 First Auto Group Toyota, leads the field to the green flag to start the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Love’s RV Stop 225 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 17, 2025 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Enfinger, the defending race winner was an innocent victim collected in an accident only four laps into the race, his No. 9 CR7 Motorsports Chevy among four Playoff trucks suffering damage. But Enfinger’s Chevy was unable to continue making him the first title contender with issues.

“Bounced off a guy on the inside and thought I had it saved, just one of those Talladega deals,’’ the Alabama-native Enfinger said. “I love this place, but it just wasn’t meant to be today. … so our job’s pretty simple at Martinsville next week.”

The series moves to the half-mile Martinsville (Va.) Speedway to decide which four drivers move forward in championship contention with the Oct. 24 Slim Jim 200 (6 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Christian Eckes – now a fulltime NASCAR Xfinity Series driver – is the defending race winner.

Interview: NCTS Race Winner Rio Ruggiero (No. 17 Tricon Garage Toyota) –

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.

                  3. (2)  Ty Majeski (P), Ford, 90.

                  4. (12)  Dawson Sutton #, Chevrolet, 90.

                  5. (35)  Layne Riggs (P), Ford, 90.

                  6. (8)  Tyler Ankrum (P), Chevrolet, 90.

                  7. (4)  Matt Crafton, Ford, 90.

                  8. (18)  Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 90.

                  9. (11)  Rajah Caruth (P), Chevrolet, 90.

                10. (5)  Kaden Honeycutt (P), Toyota, 90.

                  11. (13)  Kris Wright(i), Chevrolet, 90.

                  12. (10)  Tanner Gray, Toyota, 90.

                  13. (16)  JJ Yeley(i), Chevrolet, 90.

                  14. (14)  Connor Mosack #, Chevrolet, 90.

                  15. (19)  Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 90.

                  16. (7)  Ben Rhodes, Ford, 90.

                  17. (22)  Andres Perez De Lara #, Chevrolet, 90.

                 18. (31)  Nathan Byrd, Chevrolet, 90.

                  19. (23)  Matt Mills, Chevrolet, 90.

                  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 Reaume, Ford, 89.

                  25. (34)  Greg Van Alst, Toyota, 88.

                  26. (21)  Parker Kligerman, Chevrolet, 87.

                  27. (27)  Tyler Tomassi(i), Ford, 87.

                  28. (9)  Bret Holmes, Toyota, 87.

                  29. (26)  Jake Garcia, Ford, 87.

                  30. (33)  Jason White, Ford, Electrical, 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, Electrical, 43.

                  36. (15)  Grant Enfinger (P), Chevrolet, Accident, 3.

Average Speed of Race Winner:  119.253 mph.

Time of Race:  2 Hrs, 0 Mins, 27 Secs. Margin of Victory:  0.059 Seconds.

Caution Flags:  7 for 29 laps.

Lead Changes:  17 among 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.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  Giovanni Ruggiero # 6 times for 37 laps; Ben Rhodes 1 time for 13 laps; Tanner Gray 2 times for 11 laps; Nathan Byrd 1 time for 6 laps; Corey Heim (P) 1 time for 6 laps; Rajah Caruth (P) 1 time for 6 laps; Luke Fenhaus 2 times for 5 laps; JJ Yeley(i) 1 time for 3 laps; Parker Kligerman 1 time for 1 lap; Jack Wood 1 time for 1 lap; Chandler Smith 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 71,77,11,7,99,52,18,26,17,19

Stage #2 Top Ten: 17,52,71,7,66,77,18,81,11,88