The Truck Series race today felt like déjà vu and not the good kind. Remember Jordan Anderson’s horrifying crash in 2022? The then 31-year-old suffered second-degree burns during a Truck Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. His car blew up in flames in the middle of a pack of drafting trucks, and flames burst from three areas around the truck as he desperately tried to slow the vehicle and move onto the apron.

Fast forward three years later and a similar incident haunts the track. For a track known for its ‘Big Ones’, Talladega is definitely living up to its reputation. As the NASCAR garage headed to the tri-oval for the second race of the Round of 8 playoffs, one veteran faced the extremely brutal wrath of a fire scare.

NASCAR veteran shaken by a blown engine

Norm Benning is tough as nails! When asked about the danger he felt being in that situation, the NASCAR veteran told FOX’s Bob Pockrass, “I didn’t like the fact that I couldn’t breathe. The fire got my whole right side. It’s like I’m sunburned. No blisters or anything but I’m all right. It’s part of it when you’re racing at a 90 mile an hour.”

Benning was running 32nd on lap 65 when his No. 6 Chevy suffered a blown engine entering Turn 1, sending a plume of white smoke that quickly ignited into flames beneath and behind the truck. The Pennsylvania native climbed out under his own power before the safety crews assisted him once the fire was extinguished.

Detailing his escape, Benning said, ” I had a net down and the belt’s loose before I got stopped and just got out of there as quick as I could. I was holding my breath, and I couldn’t hold my breath anymore, and I took in some smoke but my whole right side feels like a sunburn but I’m fine. I’ll be at Martinsville next week.”

After being released from the infield care center, Benning, visibly shaken but in good spirit. Perhaps that’s what experience does, with the veteran racer refusing to be unfazed despite the nature of the incident. For Benning, Friday’s incident was less about the near-death situation and more about his car malfunctioning, which may end up costing him $75,000. The 73-year-old said, “I’m just disappointed I lost an engine. That’s all. I mean, I got to replace a similar engine now for  Daytona. That’s my concern. I’m fine. It happens. I never expected it to do that.”

Norm Benning may as well just be made of steel. He marked his 259th Truck Series start at Talladega, highlighting just how long the journey has been since his first Cup Series start in 1989. Benning has also dabbled in the Xfinity Series by making appearances through 2003 and 2004. But as the veteran walked away safe from this scary incident, the NASCAR world could let out a deep sigh of relief.

On one hand, as the 73-year-old veteran powers through, things look different on the other side of the grid, as a young rookie driver made his first Talladega Truck race memorable.

Gio Ruggiero claims his maiden Truck win at the Tri-oval

Driving the No. 17 Truck for Tricon Garage this year, Gio Ruggiero dominated the race from start to finish. Starting from the pole, he immediately set the pace while teammate Corey Heim stayed close behind. Throughout Stage 1, Ruggiero navigated multiple restarts and pit cycles to maintain control of the lead, reclaiming it whenever it briefly slipped away.

His calculated move and timing allowed him to consistently stay out front, and the No. 17 Toyota led a race-best 37 laps and reclaimed the lead several times, keeping him in striking distance of every challenge the field presented.

The race intensified in the second stage, with the 19-year-old asserting his dominance by cutting down in front of competitors like Fenhaus to reclaim the lead and eventually win Stage 2 on lap 40. As the laps wound down, he held the inside lane while battling alongside playoff driver Heim and many others, managing momentum in the single-file lead pack.

The climax came in overtime on lap 85, where Ruggerio edged out the Regular Season champion and teammate Corey Heim on the final restart. This move secured his first career Truck Series victory, a milestone that highlighted both his skill and composure in one of the season’s most intense playoff races.

In fact, his teammate couldn’t help but shower praise over him, saying, ” I think he did everything right to be honest with you. I mean, I would have been more aggressive and probably tried to stick the side draft if he, you know, if it was anyone else but a Toyota teammate. But no, I think he did a really good job, and I also think with the damage 98 behind us didn’t really do us any favors with, you know, not having as much help as what you’d normally get.”

Ruggiero’s win has definitely shaken up the playoff field, and with Heim’s Charlotte Roval win punching his ticket in the Championship 4, other drivers are struggling to get their seat. And now all eyes will be on Martinsville next week before the Championship 4 as drivers scramble to keep their title hunt alive.