Tyler Ankrum continued his late-season momentum Friday, finishing seventh in the Black's Tire 200 at Martinsville Speedway. The McAnally-Hilgemann Racing driver started ninth and remained competitive throughout the 200-lap event, securing his second consecutive top-10 finish.
Ankrum entered Martinsville following a runner-up performance at Talladega Superspeedway, where he narrowly missed his first victory of the season. His No. 18 Chevrolet demonstrated consistent speed throughout the opening stages at Martinsville.
The California native finished eighth in Stage 1, collecting three valuable championship points. He repeated that performance in Stage 2, adding another three points while remaining among the leading competitors.
Ankrum continued battling
inside the top 10 during the final stage as numerous caution periods interrupted the action. His team maintained competitive track position through the restarts, allowing him to avoid the problems that affected several championship contenders.
He ultimately finished seventh, completing all 200 laps and earning 36 points from the event. Ankrum remains ninth in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Chase standings with 2,193 points, trailing championship leader Kaden Honeycutt by 210 markers. Although mathematically eliminated from championship contention, Ankrum will attempt to secure his first victory of 2026 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: Tyler Ankrum's race recap in the 2026 Chase race at Martinsville
