Tanner Gray delivered his best performance of the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season at Pocono Raceway on Friday, finishing second in the MillerTech Battery 200.
The No. 15 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro driver for TRICON Garage crossed the finish line 3.640 seconds behind race winner Layne Riggs, matching his career best finish from the 2023 season opener at Daytona International Speedway.
Tanner Gray’s Heartbreak at the Tricky Triangle
Despite the strong showing, Gray remains 83 points below the playoff cutline with just four regular-season races remaining.
“To start the year, everyone is going to be happy with second,” Gray said after the race. “It’s a good points day, just a solid day. But with where we’re at in points and what we need, second stings a little bit. I feel like this was our best shot at getting a win.”
Tanner Gray on his runner-up finish: pic.twitter.com/UVbygjjepj
— Samuel Stubbs (@SamMageeStubbs) June 21, 2025
The race at Pocono started with Gray in fifth position while Layne Riggs began from the pole. Corey Heim dominated much of the 80-lap event, leading 48 laps and winning Stage 2.
But everything changed in the closing laps when Heim suffered a flat right rear tire just before the final restart. This opened the door for Riggs to take control with 20 laps remaining while Gray moved into second place but couldn’t close the gap in time.
Just fell short of victory, but a career-best tying day for @tannergray5! pic.twitter.com/g1V2DiLw80
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) June 20, 2025
Gray’s playoff situation looks challenging. With seven drivers already locked into the playoffs through wins, only three spots remain for drivers to qualify on points.
Being 83 points below the cutline means Gray will likely need to win one of the remaining four regular season races at Lime Rock, Indianapolis Raceway Park, Watkins Glen or Richmond.
Gray’s Journey from Drag Racing Champion to NASCAR
“It’s hard to be upset with it. We had a solid day, we executed well, and were in position at the end. We put ourselves in position to be right there if something happened, and that’s all you can really ask for,” Gray reflected on his performance.
Gray’s path to NASCAR is quite unique. The 26 year old from Artesia, New Mexico was a drag racing prodigy who became the youngest NHRA champion in history when he won the Pro Stock championship in 2018 at just 19 years old.
He made the switch to stock cars in 2019 and is now in his sixth full-time season with TRICON Garage, still searching for his first Truck Series victory after 131 career starts. With mounting pressure as the regular season winds down, Gray faces a crucial stretch ahead as he chases that elusive first NASCAR Truck Series win.