Trey Craig Beats the NASCAR Stars, Wins Battle of Broadway 150 at Nashville Fairgrounds

Trey Craig scored arguably the biggest win of his racing career at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway Thursday, winning the Battle of Broadway 150.

Craig took the lead on lap 61 and maintained the top spot despite a chaotic late-race restart featuring the likes of Ross Chastain and Brett Robinson.

"We've had a really good car here this year," Craig told Racing America. "We ran the last four races here and haven't finished outside of third. Those Cup guys are badass and good, but we've got a lot more laps around this place than they do.

"I really didn't think we were that good after qualifying," admitted Craig. "When we were running behind Chase Johnson, I was like, man we've got something for him. Coming to that competition caution, I need to get the lead here to get the choose for the restart. Once I got the lead, we just set sail and I was like, hell yeah, we're good from here."

It may take some time for the realization of the big win to set in for Craig, however.

“I think it's going to take until tomorrow morning or tonight when I get home, you know, cuddle up with that guitar in bed, maybe. Right now, I'm still on cloud nine."

Dawson Sutton qualified on the pole for the 150-lap race, but fell to the rear of the field before the green flag with radio issues.

Chase Johnson inherited the lead as a result, commanding the field for the first 60 laps. Trey Craig took the top spot from Johnson just before a caution on lap 62. Craig led until lap 122, with a competition caution waving at that point to set up a late restart.

The intensity ratcheted up significantly at that point, and it briefly appeared Ross Chastain took the lead on the ensuing restart. However, a caution for Tommy Joe Martins spinning reset the running order and put Craig back in front.

Craig made the best of his second chance, staying out front while the field battled fiercely behind him. Brett Robinson finished second, with Corey Deuser completing the podium.

Robinson believed he had a car to compete for the win, but needed to be more aggressive with his adjustments during the late caution to capitalize on the opportunity.

"The second time with this race car at Nashville, the Brandon Oakley race car, it's bad fast," said Robinson. "The car was right. I thought we were going to have what it took to win. When we put the right-side tires on with 20 to go or whatever, we put the rights on with the normal air pressures. It was too low on the rights, and it caused the car to be so tight the last 20 laps.

"Hindsight is 20/20, but a little more experience too. We don't run as much as these boys. If we had put it at 23, acting like it was a 20-lap run to the end, I think things would have been a little different."

Chastain and fellow NASCAR Cup Series driver Josh Berry both took part in the Thursday night special ahead of Ally 400 weekend at Nashville Superspeedway.

RELATED: Breakthrough Time? Ross Chastain Returns to Nashville, His Statistically Best Track

Chastain finished fourth while Berry finished fifth. The two drivers briefly traded paint while running in the top five late in the race before Chastain ultimately scored the upper hand in their battle.

"We were okay," said Chastain. "I thought we were a second-to-fourth-place car most of the night. We raced around some guys and tried to learn how they save tires and where I could give up time on track and do that. I thought I did an okay job. Looking back, I probably could have been third, not fourth.

"We got the lead on the restart after we put the tires on, and that was a big bummer," added Chastain. "We put ourselves in a position in the win, but it didn't work out."

A Street Stock 30-lap feature preceded the Battle of Broadway 150. Chuck Barnes, Jr. scored the victory in that race, finishing ahead of Dillon Oliver and Gus Moody.

The next event at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway brings Super Late Models to the famed oval. The North/South Super Late Model Challenge is scheduled for Saturday, July 13, co-sanctioned by the ASA Southern Super Series and ASA/CRA Super Series.

-Photo credit: Will Bellamy, Racing America

Battle of Broadway 150 Unofficial Results