Tanner Gray's race recap in the 2026 Chase race at Talladega

Tanner Gray delivered one of his strongest performances of the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season Friday, finishing 11th in the Love's RV Stop 225 at Talladega Superspeedway. The Tricon Garage driver started 13th, led nine laps and captured the second stage victory.Gray remained competitive during the opening stage, finishing seventh and collecting four valuable stage points. His No. 15 Toyota became particularly strong during Stage 2, when he moved toward the front as several competitors experienced tire problems and changing track position. Gray took the lead during the closing portion of the stage and remained ahead when a caution brought the segment to an end.The stage victory earned Gray an additional 10 points and demonstrated his ability to compete against the championship contenders. He continued battling near the front during the final stage, leading the outside drafting lane during several important moments.However, the aggressive overtime finish prevented Gray from securing his first top-10 result since earlier in the season. He ultimately finished 11th, completing all 86 laps and earning 40 points. The performance helped Gray maintain 13th in the overall NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings with 480 points.Although he missed the championship Chase, Gray will attempt to build on his Talladega speed at Martinsville and Homestead-Miami.This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: Tanner Gray's race recap in the 2026 Chase race at Talladega