Gio Ruggiero Debuts As A Truck Series Runner-Up

Gio Ruggiero (17) leads TRICON Garage teammates Tanner Gray (15) and Corey Heim Friday night at Daytona (Fla.) Int'l Speedway. (Scotte Sprinkle/Race Face Digital photo)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – For a few moments late in Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series opener, Gio Ruggiero had visions of maybe, maybe winning on debut.

The rookie for TRICON Garage finished second in the Fresh From Florida 250 at Daytona Int’l Speedway, coming one spot shy of being the sixth driver in Xfinity Series history to win their first-ever start.

With five laps to go, Ruggiero, Tanner Gray and Corey Heim were running first, second, and third in a team draft with several other Toyotas. The trio led 16 laps on the day, with most of them coming late in the race.

In turns three and four with five laps left, Ruggiero – who was leading the outside line ahead of his teammates – drifted up too high and got shuffled back in the third lane, dropping all three trucks back a few positions.

They regrouped, and were once again lined up together, but with Parker Kligerman in front of them. On the last lap, with Heim leading the middle line, the field came flying apart. All three drivers made it through the chaos, but Gray spun in turn four, leaving Heim and Ruggiero to chase down Kligerman.

However, before they were able to try to make a move, the caution waved for a crash in turn four. Kligerman took the checkered flag first, but was later disqualified when his truck failed post-race height checks, giving the win to Heim and the runner-up spot to Ruggiero.

“It feels good,” said Ruggiero of his podium effort. “[I] was looking for more there. But it’s Daytona and everybody is trying to win. I had a blast tonight. These TRICON Garage Tundras are so fast. The whole team performed really well. Stuff happens quick here. I was leading that pack for a couple laps, and I think five or six to go is when I lost the lead there.

“I knew [the run] was coming, and I knew they were going to have lines forming up and that it was going to get crazy. I’m just glad we could hang on and have a strong finish and a good truck there for the end.”

With this being his debut in the Truck Series, the Seekonk, Mass., native was not only excited with the great finish, but also all that he was able to learn and take away from the experience.

“This is my first time on a superspeedway in anything, so it was a lot of stuff for me to take in tonight,” Ruggiero noted. “Drafting in the pack, side, and leading the pack as well [were all good things], so I definitely learned a lot.

“Everything is pretty new for me, doing live pit stops and all, but I’m looking forward to the season and looking forward to Atlanta.”

Ruggiero and the rest of the Truck Series field will return to action Saturday, Aug. 22 at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway for the Fr8 Racing 208. Kyle Busch won last year’s running of the event.