When the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series takes to the track on Friday (May 24) at Charlotte Motor Speedway, there will be more than just a trophy and a spot in the 2024 playoffs on the line.
This year marks the sixth iteration of a bonus cash incentive introduced in 2019 called the Triple Truck Challenge. Similarly to the Dash 4 Cash incentive in the Xfinity Series, the Triple Truck Challenge takes place over three consecutive races on the Truck Series schedule.
However, unlike the Dash 4 Cash, every driver in the field is eligible every week. The best part is that the more you win, the more cash you get. One win nets you $50,000. A second win will get you $150,000. If you can sweep all three races, you get a whopping $500,000 bonus – a massive payday for the Truck Series.
So far, no one has ever been able to earn the half-million dollars, and only one driver has been able to capture $150,000. In his championship-winning season in 2020, Sheldon Creed was able to capture two checks from The Trip while Zane Smith won the other. Creed is also the only driver with multiple Triple Truck Challenge wins, adding a third bonus prize in 2021 at Darlington Raceway.
The Triple Truck Challenge was founded, in part, by Marcus Lemonis, who owned the series’ title sponsor Camping World. When Camping World ended its sponsorship of the Truck Series in 2022, Craftsman decided to keep the Triple Truck Challenge when it took over beginning in 2023.
Some fun pieces of trivia can be found within the Triple Truck Challenge. For example, the very first winner of The Trip was Greg Biffle, back when he drove for Kyle Busch Motorsports in a one-off at Texas Motor Speedway. Another former winner who earned an additional $50,000 was Parker Kligerman, driving for the underfunded Henderson Motorsports, earning only his third career win at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 2022.
Ross Chastain was nearly the first driver to win more than one race in 2019. He won at Iowa Speedway but was later disqualified after post-race inspection. He then won at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, taking home $50,000. Had he passed inspection at Iowa, he too would’ve won $150,000.
The races that make up The Trip change every year, but they generally take place somewhere between May and July. This year, Charlotte, Gateway, and Nashville Superspeedway make up the Challenge.
The Triple Truck Challenge is a nice incentive for sure, especially since purse money is…
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