Kaden Honeycutt won the pole position for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ inaugural running of the Navy 250 at San Diego’s Naval Base Coronado on Friday, June 19.
The event’s starting lineup was determined through a group qualifying session, where the field of 35 competitors were split into two qualifying groups. Each group was given 20 minutes to post the fastest lap amongst one another. The competitor who posted the fastest lap between the groups would be awarded the pole position.
Honeycutt, who was the fastest competitor during Friday’s wild practice session that had numerous competitors encounter on-track issues and incidents, clocked in his fastest lap at 90.813 mph in 134.782 seconds. The lap was enough for the 22-year-old Honeycutt from Willow Park, Texas, and his No. 11 Safelite/TRICON Garage Toyota Tundra TRD Pro entry team to claim the top-starting spot for Friday’s inaugural street course event around the Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, California.
With the pole, Honeycutt notched his third Craftsman Truck Series career pole for his 72nd start in the series and third of the 2026 season (Darlington Raceway & Bristol Motor Speedway in April). Honeycutt, who notched his first career victory at Watkins Glen International in early May, will attempt to achieve his second consecutive victory on a street/road course venue this season as he also strives to build more on-track momentum towards his championship hopes when the Chase commences in mid-September.
Honeycutt will share the front row with Layne Riggs, the latter of whom clocked in the second-fastest lap at 90.535 mph in 135.196 seconds. Riggs, who won the series’ inaugural street course event at St. Petersburg, Florida, in mid-February, will attempt to double down on street course venues this season and extend his lead in the regular-season standings prior to his second championship bid during the Chase.
Chandler Smith, Riggs’ teammate at Front Row Motorsports, will start in third place with a qualifying lap at 89.847 mph in 136.231 seconds. Smith will share the second row with Jimmie Johnson, the latter of whom is making his second Truck career start in the No. 1 Carvana Toyota Tundra TRD Pro entry for TRICON Garage. Johnson posted his best lap at 89.736 mph in 136.400 seconds. Grant Enfinger and Giovanni Ruggiero will occupy the third-starting row (fifth and sixth, respectively). Andres Perez De Lara, Ty Majeski, Landen Lewis and Parker Kligerman will start in the top 10, respectively.
Notably, Justin Marks, Daniel Hemric, Adam Andretti, Brenden Queen and Tanner Gray all did not post a qualifying lap due to damaging and/or wrecking their entries during Friday’s two practice sessions. The latter five rounded out the starting lineup from 31st to 35th, respectively. Christian Eckes also did not post a qualifying lap due to hitting the tire barriers within Turn 12 as he will start in 30th place. Stewart Friesen, who managed to post the 22nd-fastest lap, endured a hard incident after he slid into the wall while trying to prevent his entry from spinning through a tight set of turns from Turns 14 and 15. Friesen’s incident occurred after Marks endured a similar incident in practice that left the latter’s No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST entry on fire and heavily damaged, with a backup truck needed.
Veteran Brendan Gaughan, who is piloting the No. 20 South Point Chevrolet Silverado RST entry for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, will start in 28th place after he smacked the wall in Turn 16 and damaged the right side of his entry while qualifying. Jamie McMurray, who is piloting the No. 25 RAM 1500 entry for Kaulig Racing, will start in 21st place.
With 35 competitors vying for 35 starting spots, all made the main event.
San Diego – Qualifying Position, Best Speed, Best Time:
- Kaden Honeycutt, 90.813 mph, 134.782 seconds
- Layne Riggs, 90.535 mph, 135.196 seconds
- Chandler Smith, 89.847 mph, 136.231 seconds
- Jimmie Johnson, 89.736 mph, 136.400 seconds
- Grant Enfinger, 89.634 mph, 136.555 seconds
- Giovanni Ruggiero, 89.592 mph, 136.620 seconds
- Andres Perez De Lara, 89.520 mph, 136.729 seconds
- Ty Majkesi, 89.518 mph, 136.732 seconds
- Landen Lewis, 89.301 mph, 137.065 seconds
- Parker Kligerman, 89.258 mph, 137.130 seconds
- Connor Mosack, 89.209 mph, 137.206 seconds
- Tyler Ankrum, 89.180 mph, 137.250 seconds
- Ben Rhodes, 89.120 mph, 137.343 seconds
- Tyler Reif, 89.081 mph, 137.403 seconds
- Corey LaJoie, 88.590 mph, 138.165 seconds
- Kaz Grala, 88.569 mph, 138.198 seconds
- Justin Haley, 88.342 mph, 138.552 seconds
- Dawson Sutton, 87.936 mph, 139.192 seconds
- Jake Garcia, 87.847 mph, 139.333 seconds
- Nathan Nicholson, 87.725 mph, 139.527 seconds
- Jamie McMurray, 87.537 mph, 139.827 seconds
- Stewart Friesen, 87.132 mph, 140.476 seconds
- Mini Tyrrell, 86.937 mph, 140.791 seconds
- Kris Wright, 86.738 mph, 141.115 seconds
- Cole Butcher, 86.566 mph, 141.395 seconds
- Jackson Lee, 85.977 mph, 142.363 seconds
- Frankie Muniz, 85.522 mph, 143.121 seconds
- Brendan Gaughan, 84.898 mph, 144.173 seconds
- Austin Varco, 84.813 mph, 144.318 seconds
- Christian Eckes, 0.000 mph, 0.000 seconds
- Justin Marks, 0.000 mph, 0.000 seconds
- Daniel Hemric, Owner Points
- Adam Andretti, Owner Points
- Brenden Queen, Owner Points
- Tanner Gray, Owner Points
The inaugural Navy 250 at San Diego’s Naval Base Coronado is scheduled to occur on Friday, June 19, at 7 p.m. ET on FS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM.
