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NASCAR 2025: Ultimate Guide to Driver Moves and Team News

NASCAR will return to competition on Sunday, February 2nd, 2025, at 8 pm ET with the NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. It marks NASCAR’s return to the quarter-mile track for the first time since 1971.

Saturday will feature four 25-lap heats to help determine the starting lineup. To finalize the lineup, there will also be a 75-lap last-chance qualifying race on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET before the main event.

In anticipation of the 2025 season, we’ve got the scoop on the latest driver moves and team news.

*Please check back regularly for updates.

NASCAR Cup Series

Anthony Alfredo, Beard Motorsports

On Jan. 9, Beard Motorsports announced that Anthony Alfredo will attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500 in the No. 62 Chevrolet with Fortify Building Solutions as a sponsor.

Front Row Motorsports will expand to a three-car team in 2025

Front Row Motorsports confirmed on May 29 that they will expand to a three-car team in 2025.

“We have a very positive outlook on the future of NASCAR, and as the sport plans for success, so do we,” commented Bob Jenkins, Owner of Front Row Motorsports. “Today that means having a plan for expanding back to three cars in the NASCAR Cup Series. I always have the vision to continue to grow and improve our team, and that commitment and desire never changes. I am committed to the sport and its passionate fans and partners.”

Todd Gilliland, Front Row Motorsports Ford

The team announced on June 5 that Todd Gilliland will return to the NASCAR Cup Series with Front Row Motorsports in 2025 after signing a multiyear deal and will move from the No. 38 Ford to the No. 34 Ford. On December 12th, it was announced that Chris Lawson would return to Front Row Motorsports as crew chief for Gilliland.

Noah Gragson, Front Row Motorsports Ford

In July, it was announced that Gragson has signed a multi-year deal with Front Row Motorsports as they expand to three charter teams in 2025. On Jan. 3 it was revealed that Gragson will drive the No. 4 Ford Mustang with Drew Blickensderfer as his crew chief.

“It’s definitely exciting times,” Gragson said during a press conference. “When we started out this year, I didn’t know how I was going to run. I didn’t know if I had the potential to run in the Cup Series just based off how the 2023 season went, and to be able to get my feet underneath me with the opportunity at Stewart-Haas, it definitely opened people’s eyes. And with the challenges that have come about with Stewart-Haas, we were looking for a home for a long time, and that’s when I got introduced to Bob and Jerry [co-owners].”

Zane Smith, Front Row Motorsports Ford

On January 2 the team announced that Zane Smith will return to Front Row Motorsports in 2025 to drive the Cup Series No. 38 Ford. Ryan Bergenty will be his crew chief.

“I’ve always felt at home with Front Row Motorsports,” Smith said “They believed in me when I signed with them to race in the Truck Series initially in 2022 and we shared so much success together, winning six races and a championship in two seasons. Unfortunately, everyone had to make tough decisions because there were only two Cup cars available at Front Row Motorsports going into last season when I was ready to move up full-time. Now, going into next year, Front Row has really taken their Cup program to another level and I cannot think of a better lineup of teammates.”

Garrett Smithley, Garage 66 (Formerly MBM Motorsports)

MBM Motorsports has rebranded their Cup Series team to Garage 66 as of Jan. 16.

Garrett Smithley will drive the No. 66 Ford in the  Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on Feb. 2  No announcements have been made as to whether the team will attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500, or who the driver will be.

Chandler Smith, Garage 66 (Formerly MBM Motorsports)

It was announced on Jan. 23 that Smith would drive the No. 66 Ford and attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500.

Haas Factory Team (NCS/NXS)

After the news that Stewart-Haas Racing would cease operations at the end of 2024, Gene Haas announced on June 20 that he would field one Cup charter and two Xfinity Series teams under the name Haas Factory Team in 2025.

“My commitment to motorsports hasn’t changed, just the scope of my involvement,” Haas said. “Operating a four-car Cup Series team has become too arduous, but, at the same time, I still need a platform to promote Haas Automation and grow HaasTooling.com.”

On Jan. 7, the team announced Nick Sandler as the competition director for the Cup Series program and Adam Gravitt as the competition director for the Xfinity Series program.

Cole Custer, Haas Factory Team

After two seasons in the Xfinity Series, Cole Custer will return to the Cup Series in 2025 to drive the No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford. 

“I’ve grown up with Haas Automation, and having their name on my firesuit is something I take a tremendous amount of pride in. I’m driven to win for Gene and everyone at Haas Automation because they’ve been such a big part of my career,” Custer said.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Hyak Motorsports (formerly JTG Daugherty)

JTG Daugherty Racing announced in November that they would rebrand with a new name (Hyak Motorsports) under new ownership, effective immediately. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will continue to drive the No. 47 Chevrolet with crew chief, Mike Kelley. 

Chris Gabehart, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing

On November 22nd, Joe Gibbs Racing announced a couple of major changes for next season regarding the No. 11 team. Chris Gabehart, Hamlin’s crew chief for the previous six years, will advance to the role of competition director in 2025. Chris Gayle, Ty Gibbs’s crew chief for the past two seasons, will be Hamlin’s crew chief in 2025.

“Denny is obviously a first-ballot Hall of Famer,” said Gayle. “I’m looking forward to working with him and the guys on the No. 11 team. He and Gabehart have established an incredible culture that is a very good barometer for our other drivers and teams to strive to match. I have all the confidence in the world we can hit the ground running and continue the success that this group is accustomed to in 2025.”

Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

On June 14, Truex announced his decision to retire from full-time competition at the end of the 2024 season. He will compete in a few select races in 2025, beginning with the Daytona 500.

“It’s been incredible. It’s been a hell of a ride. I’m excited about the future, and I’m not really sure what that looks like yet,” Truex said.

Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

On June 25, ChaseBriscoewas named as Truex’s successor in the NASCAR Cup Series after signing a multiyear contract to drive the No. 19 Toyota beginning in 2025. 

“I have to win. Like there’s no excuse not to win,” Briscoe said. “You have to make the playoffs. If you don’t make the playoffs, then there’s no reason I should be driving this race car. So yeah, I definitely think that you have to win races. You have to be running up front consistently, and I think they feel like I’m capable of doing that. But I have to show that, so hopefully, that’s what I can do.”

Tyler Allen, Joe Gibbs Racing

On December 2nd, Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Tyler Allen will move from crew chief of the No. 20 Toyota in the Xfinity Series to crew chief for Ty Gibbs and the No. 54 team in the Cup Series in 2025. 

“It’s an honor to be named crew chief for Ty Gibbs and the 54 Team as we head into the 2025 season,” said Allen. “This opportunity has been a dream of mine since starting here at JGR 10 years ago, and I’m thankful for the support and guidance I’ve received from my mentors, teammates, and everyone along the way. Ty has shown a lot of speed and potential the last two years, and I look forward to building on that experience to get the 54 car in victory lane.”

Justin Allgaier, JR Motorsports

JR Motorsports announced on Jan. 15 that they will attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500 in the No. 40 Chevrolet with driver Justin Allgaier and make their Cup Series debut. Greg Ives will be Allgaier’s crew chief and they will have sponsorship from Chris Stapleton’s Traveller Whiskey.

AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet

Allmendinger will return to the Cup Series in 2025 to drive full-time for Kaulig Racing and will drive the No. 16 Chevrolet. 

Ty Dillon, Kaulig Racing

It was announced on September 28th that Ty Dillon will drive the No. 10 Chevrolet full-time for Kaulig Racing in 2025. 

“I am incredibly grateful for another opportunity to run full-time in the Cup Series, and to be able to do it with the men and women at Kaulig Racing means a lot to me personally,” said Dillon. “They gave me a chance this year to go out and prove myself in a handful of starts. The team and I were able to connect early on, and we put together a few strong runs in the No. 16. I’m really looking forward to what 2025 brings with this team. We have a bright future ahead of us and we’re going to give it our all each and every race next season.”

Erik Jones, LEGACY Motor Club Toyota

The team confirmed that Jones will return to drive the No. 43 LEGACY Motor Club Toyota entry after signing a multiyear deal with the team. Jones will continue to pilot the coveted 43 Toyota Camry XSE for the 2025 NASCAR season and beyond.

“I’m looking forward to what we can build at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. I’ve been with the No. 43 car for a handful of years and feel like I’m coming into some of the best years of my career. I am hoping to grow alongside LEGACY M.C. in the seasons to come,” said Jones.

Jimmie Johnson, LEGACY Motor Club

On Jan. 16, Jimmie Johnson confirmed that he will attempt to qualify for the 2025 Daytona 500 in the No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota. He has also signed up for the Memorial Day Weekend Coca-Cola 600 on May 25, his second of two planned appearances. If he qualifies for both events, it will give him 700 career starts.

Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing

On Nov. 20, Richard Childress Racing announced that Austin Dillon will be paired with a new crew chief in 2025 as Richard Boswell takes over on the pit box for the No. 3 Cup Series Chevy. Bass Pro Shops and Winchester confirmed on Jan. 17 that they will sponsor Dillon for 17 races this season.

Jesse Love, Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing confirmed on October 31st that Love will be back to drive the No. 2 Xfinity Series Chevrolet in 2025. 

“I’ll always be grateful that we were able to give Whelen their first NASCAR win earlier this season (2024) and I know we have more victories in our future together,” said Jesse Love.

Tim Brown, Rick Ware Racing

Rick Ware Racing announced on November 17th that Bowman Gray Stadium star Tim Brown, the track’s all-time wins leader (101 Modified Division victories), will drive the Rick Ware Racing No. 15 Ford and attempt to qualify for the Clash exhibition race on February 2nd at the quarter-mile oval.

Corey LaJoie, Rick Ware Racing

On Jan. 27, the team announced that LaJoie will run a limited schedule during the 2025 Cup Series season in the No. 01 Ford Mustang, beginning with the Daytona 500. He will also join the Prime Video 5-race Cup Series broadcast team as an analyst.

Matt McCall, RFK Racing

On November 7th, RFK Racing announced that Matt McCall would not return as crew chief for the No. 6 Ford driven by Brad Keselowski in 2025. 

Jeremy Bullins, RFK Racing

Brad Keselowski will have a new crew chief next year. On Nov. 21, RFK Racing announced that Jeremy Bullins will be Keselowski’s crew chief in 2025. Bullins and Keselowski worked together for two seasons (2020 and 2021) at Team Penske and captured five wins.

“I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity to work with BK again, this time in the iconic No. 6 car with RFK,” said Bullins. “We were able to accomplish a lot as a team previously, but we had a couple of unfinished goals like a Daytona 500 win and a championship together and I’m ecstatic we get the opportunity to compete together again. From the outside looking in it’s been obvious the trajectory RFK is on, and I look forward to being part of the growth and future success of the team.”

Ryan Preece, RFK Racing

On November 19th, RFK Racing announced that Ryan Preece will drive the No. 60 Ford full-time in 2025. Kroger will also move its sponsorship from JTG Daugherty Racing to sponsor all of the RFK Racing teams (Preece, Keselowski, and Buescher). 

“I’m a racer. I’m somebody that wants to win races. I want to compete for championships. My entire career has certainly been unorthodox, but I have unfinished business, and I want to win really bad,” said Preece. “I’m eager and ready to get to the Clash and get to Daytona and finish out that goal.”

Veteran Derrick Finley was announced as Preece’s crew chief on Jan. 14. Finley has over 20 years of experience in NASCAR on the pit box and in various roles throughout the NASCAR organization.

Brad Keselowski, co-owner and driver for RFK Racing said, “His experience and technical knowledge of the sport will play a crucial role in the initial development and growth of the No. 60 team.”

Michael McDowell, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

On May 8, Spire Motorsports announced they had signed a multiyear contract with Michael McDowell to drive the No. 71 full-time.

“This is a new chapter for my family and me, and we’re incredibly thankful for the opportunity that’s in front of us,” said McDowell. “It’s going to take some hard work, but I feel like everything is in place for us to be successful as a race team, to win races and contend for championships. People are the greatest asset to any organization, and with Spire’s vision, ambition, knowledge, and dedication, we will achieve great things. Failure is not an option, and that’s the mindset that it will take to achieve our goals.”

Rodney Childers, Spire Motorsports

After the announcement that Stewart-Haas Racing would cease operations at the end of the 2024 season, Spire Motorsports hired Rodney Childers as the crew chief for the No. 7 team (Justin Haley) beginning in 2025. The current crew chief, Ryan Sparks, will move to the role of competition director.

“I think the biggest thing is seeing how Spire Motorsports has grown over the last couple of years,” said Childers. “They are investing in people, and that’s what makes a difference these days. We all buy the same chassis, bodies, and parts. What makes a difference is the people. Spire continues to invest in the people within the team, and they seek out good people to add depth to an already strong group.”

Justin Haley, Spire Motorsports  

Spire Motorsports announced on September 20th that Haley had signed a multi-year contract to drive the No. 7 Chevrolet. 

“Spire Motorsports gave me my first few starts in the Cup Series,” said Haley. “My first was in the No. 77 at Talladega on my 20th birthday. We had a lot of great runs in our first year together in 2019, and there’s still a lot of familiar faces around there who were on the team back then. I’m excited to come home. This is where I got my start in the Cup Series, and I’m excited to go out there and compete with (crew chief) Ryan Sparks and the No. 7 team. The next seven races will give us a nice head start and a baseline for next season.”

Haley began driving the No. 7 Chevy Camaro at the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway while Corey LaJoie finished the 2024 season in Rick Ware Racing’s No. 51 entry.

Matt McCall and Dax Gerringer, Spire Motorsports

On November 25th, Spire Motorsports announced that veteran crew chief Matt McCall will join the team as Director of Vehicle Performance. Dax Gerringer, the former lead engineer at Stewart-Haas Racing, will join the organization as Technical Director. 

“This is a great addition for our team and one that means a lot to me, personally,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson. “Matt is a longtime friend, one of my first handful of NASCAR clients I had when I was a young agent, and we’ve always shared the same view of how race cars work and race teams operate. I’m happy the stars finally aligned for us to work together, and I look forward to adding him to an already impressive group for 2025.”

Stewart-Haas Racing will close at the end of the 2024 season (NCS/NXS)

Stewart-Haas Racing announced on May 28 that the team would cease operations at the end of the 2024 season and sell its four charters. In 2008, NASCAR Hall of Famer Stewart joined forces with Haas to form SHR for its inaugural season in 2009, starting with a two-car team with drivers Stewart and Ryan Newman with a technical alliance with Hendrick Motorsports.

“We have made the difficult decision to close Stewart-Haas Racing at the conclusion of the 2024 season. It is a decision that did not come easily, nor was it made quickly. Racing is a labor-intensive, humbling sport. It requires unwavering commitment and vast resources, with a 365-day mindset to be better than everyone else. It’s part of what makes success so rewarding. But the commitment needed to extract maximum performance while providing sustainability is incredibly demanding, and we’ve reached a point in our respective personal and business lives where it’s time to pass the torch.”

Daniel Suárez, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Trackhouse Racing announced on Friday, August 9th, that Daniel Suárez will return as the No. 99 Chevrolet driver in 2025, marking their fifth season together.

“Trackhouse is home to me, and I have enjoyed every minute I have been here,” said Suárez. “We plan to keep working, growing, and winning more races. We can only do that with the support of my Amigos and Amigas at Freeway Insurance. They have backed me for the last several years and we have grown close with their customers and employees.”

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing

Shane van Gisbergen will transition from the Xfinity Series to drive the No. 88 Chevrolet full-time in the Cup Series for Trackhouse Racing in 2025. 

“This is what I have planned for, and I am ready,” van Gisbergen said. “I know there is a tough learning curve ahead, but the best way to learn is to go out and do it.” He added, “I feel I have made progress running the Xfinity Series this year with Kaulig Racing, and I can’t thank everyone there enough. I look forward to the Cup Series. Those drivers and teams are the best in the world, and it will be an honor to be part of their races.”

On Jan. 23 it was announced that Red Bull would serve as the official energy drink of Trackhouse Racing and the primary partner on Shane van Gisbergen’s No. 88 Chevrolet in five NASCAR Cup Series races.

Connor Zilisch, Trackhouse Racing

Trackhouse Racing also announced on Jan. 23 that Zilisch will make his Cup Series debut at Circuit of the Americas on March 2 in the No. 87 Chevrolet with Red Bull as his primary sponsor. As noted below, Zilisch is racing full-time in the Xfinity Series for JR Motorsports.

Martin Truex Jr., TRICON Garage

On Jan. 16, TRICON Garage announced that Martin Truex Jr. will attempt the Daytona 500 in the No. 56 Cup Series car with technical support from Joe Gibbs Racing. Cole Pearn will serve as the crew chief for the entry.

Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing

23XI Racing confirmed on September 26th that Wallace has signed a multiyear renewal to drive No. 23 Chevrolet in 2025 “and beyond.”  

“From day one Bubba has been an integral part of 23XI,” said a statement on social media. “We’re excited to announce that he has signed a multi-year renewal and will continue to play a key role in helping 23XI grow and succeed. #ForwardTogether”

Riley Herbst, 23XI Racing

On November 21st, 23XI Racing announced that Herbst will join the team in the No. 35 Toyota as their third full-time driver in 2025.

“It’s an honor to join 23XI and Toyota for the opportunity to race in the Cup Series each week,” Herbst said. “Racing full-time in the Cup Series has been my goal since I started in NASCAR, and I’m excited to start my Cup career with such an accomplished and driven team. What 23XI has accomplished in a short time is impressive,e and I look forward to building on their success as the organization grows. It’s also great to continue representing Monster and I’m excited about adding to their legacy in NASCAR.”

Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing Ford

Josh Berry will drive for Wood Brothers Racing in 2025. He replaces Harrison Burton in the No. 21 Ford, who will move to the Xfinity Series with AM Racing next season.

“First and foremost just the history, the heritage, the family atmosphere that the Wood Brothers provide. It just really feels like a great fit for me. I feel like I fit their brand, and who they are and how I’ve gotten here, and how they’ve gotten here. I feel like this is a great fit. I’ve really enjoyed my relationship with Ford, and to continue that on was something that’s important to me, and I appreciate, and I’m thankful to have that opportunity. It just really means a lot to drive an iconic car like the 21. I feel like it’s a great opportunity for me. I feel ready to provide results, and I think that all in all, it’s gonna be a great relationship.” Berry said.

A longtime employee of Team Penske and seasoned race engineer in the NASCAR Cup Series, Miles Stanley will transition to Wood Brothers Racing in 2025 to serve as crew chief of the famed No. 21 Ford Mustang with driver Berry.

Parker Retzlaff, Alpha Prime Racing

On December 18th Alpha Prime Racing confirmed that Retzlaff will pilot the No. 4 Chevrolet full-time in 2025. Joe Williams was announced as his crew chief on Dec. 20. Sponsorship details have not been released. Rettzlaff joins Brennan Poole who returns for a second season in the No. 44 Chevrolet.

“We all want to win races, be consistent, and prove we’re here to compete,” Retzlaff said in a press release. “Everyone here has told me how much they believe in me and what I can do.”

Hailie Deegan and AM Racing Ford “Part Ways”

After competing in the first 17 Xfinity races of 2024 in the No. 15 Ford, it was announced on July 8th that Deegan and AM Racing had decided to “part ways effective immediately.” On October 14th, she issued a statement sharing her decision to move to open-wheel cars and compete in a full season next year in Indy NXT, an IndyCar development program, with HMD Motorsports.

“This year, I took the opportunity to hop into the F3 car. And it was one of the coolest experiences I honestly had. I just fell in love with it. One thing went to the next literally, and I went to a few Indycar races I think. Being in the pit sparked so much conversation so I flew up to Indie, checked out a few shops, met with a few of the teams, met with HMD, and I am so excited to be a part of HMD Motorsports.”

Harrison Burton, AM Racing

On September 20th, AM Racing announced that Harrison Burton would join the team to compete full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2025 after three seasons in the Cup Series with Wood Brothers Racing.

Nick Sanchez, Big Machine Racing

Sanchez will move from the Truck Series to drive full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2025 for Big Machine Racing. 

“This is a huge opportunity for me,” Sanchez said Wednesday in a virtual conference. “When I look at the [Xfinity] schedule and when I look at the places I need to improve as a driver, I think it just offers more for me. I’m excited to get to the race track next year and try to collect trophies for Scott and the whole team. This team has everything to be successful. I look forward to plugging into the team and chasing trophies.”

 “I’m excited to join AM Racing and help build it into the race-winning race team I believe it can and will be,” said Burton. “I think this will be a great opportunity for me to take the things I’ve learned in the Cup Series, bring those to the Xfinity Series, and be the best driver I can be. It’s a blessing to continue my NASCAR journey, and I intend to make the most of this opportunity.”

Cope Family Racing

On Jan. 2, it was announced that Cope Family Racing (CFR)  will debut in 2025 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Daytona International Speedway in the No. 70 Chevrolet. The team is a family-owned organization with Derrike Cope as the team’s General Manager. Driving duties will be split between Leland Honeyman Jr. (17 races) and Thomas Annunziata. Honeyman will begin the season in the driver’s seat for the season-opener at Daytona.

“I’m excited to join Cope Family Racing as they launch their NASCAR Xfinity Series program,” said Honeyman. “It’s an honor to be part of a team with such a racing legacy, and I can’t wait to contribute to this new chapter in their history book. I’m ready to take on 2025 and continue chasing success on the track.”

“I’m super excited to be racing part-time with CFR in 2025,” Annunziata responded. “Derrike Cope and the Cope Family are rich in NASCAR experience from his driving days and running the team for StarCom Racing in the Cup Series. Although it’s a new team, CFR has assembled an experienced group to compete in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. I’m ready and more motivated than ever to be a part of this exciting project. Time to go to work.”

Ryan Ellis, DGM Racing

DGM Racing announced on October 18th that Ellis will drive full-time next season in the Xfinity Series. 

“Chatting with Mario (Mario Gosselin, team owner) about his plans for the program in 2025 convinced me that joining DGM was something I couldn’t pass up. He’s a racer, and his enthusiasm was immediately contagious,” Ellis states. “I have so much respect for what the Gosselin family has built, and I hope that we can turn some heads together next year. I’ve seen just how high the potential is at DGM, and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”

Sam Mayer, Sheldon Creed, Haas Factory Team

Haas Factory Team announced on August 17th that Mayer (No. 41 Ford) and Sheldon Creed (No. 00 Ford) will complete their Xfinity Series driver lineup for 2025. Crew chief Jonathan Toney will be paired with Creed, and Jason Trinchere will be on the pit box for Sam Mayer. On Jan. 7, the team announced Adam Gravitt as the competition director for the Xfinity Series program.

“I’ve won in every division I’ve raced in, and I feel like I’ve earned my place in the Xfinity Series, but that’s not enough. I want to win in the Xfinity Series,” said Creed, who currently drives for Joe Gibbs Racing. He continued, “I watched what Cole Custer did last year on his way to the Xfinity Series championship and when I talked with him about the set-up of the organization, everything he said resonated with me. I feel like Haas Factory Team is a place where I can succeed and where Sam and I can work together to win races and be championship contenders.”

“The Xfinity Series is a really great place to learn and grow and get yourself ready for the NASCAR Cup Series,” Mayer said. “Cup is my ultimate goal, and to really push myself to become the kind of driver who can succeed in Cup, I needed to get out of my comfort zone, challenge myself, and hone my race skills so that when that Cup moment comes, I’m ready. The Haas team got Cole Custer ready for his moment and it’s a place that will help get me and Sheldon ready for our moments.”

Corey Day, Hendrick Motorsports

Hendrick Motorsports announced on Jan. 9 that they have signed a multiyear agreement with Corey Day. He will compete in approximately 30 pavement races across the Xfinity Series, CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, ARCA Series and the Trans-Am Series with sponsorship from HendrickCars.com.

Mark Setzer, Jeremy Clements Racing

On December 12th, the team announced that Mark Setzer would not return as crew chief in 2025. Kase Kallenbach will replace Setzer as the crew chief for the No. 51 team.

“Mark [Setzer] has done a lot to help grow our program here at JCR. We have had some memorable moments with him on the pit box for sure, and I am grateful for all his hard work over the last four seasons. We wish him nothing but the best in whatever comes next.” said Jeremy Clements.

Brandon Jones, Joe Gibbs Racing

Jones will return to Joe Gibbs Racing after signing a multiyear contract on September 3rd to drive full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2025. He drove for JGR from 2018 to 2022 and, most recently, for JR Motorsports (2023, 2024).

“I’m beyond excited to be returning to Joe Gibbs Racing and rejoining the Toyota Racing family,” said Jones. “My time with JGR was some of the most rewarding of my career, and I’m eager to build on that success as we chase more wins and a championship together. I’m ready to hit the ground running and make the most of this incredible opportunity.”

Taylor Gray, Joe Gibbs Racing

Taylor Gray will race full-time in 2025, driving the No. 54 Toyota in the Xfinity Series. 

“I am very thankful for this opportunity,” Gray said. “I feel like I have learned a lot in the races I have run this year, and we can build on that next season. Being able to work with Tyler (Allen, crew chief) and these guys for a few races has been a great head start on next season and getting that chemistry going, so I’m really excited about what we can do running together full-time.”

William Sawalich, Joe Gibbs Racing

On October 21st, Joe Gibbs Racing confirmed that William Sawalich will compete full-time in the No. 18 Toyota in the Xfinity Series next season. 

“I am honored to be driving the No. 18 full-time in the Xfinity Series next year,” Sawalich said. “It has been really cool to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing (ARCA Series), and I feel like I have developed so much as a driver over the past two years. I still have a lot to learn, especially with moving to a new series, so I am looking forward to taking this next step in racing.”

Justin Bonsignore, Joe Gibbs Racing

Justin Bonsignore will return to Joe Gibbs Racing to pilot the  No. 19 Toyota for five NASCAR Xfinity Series races in 2025. He made his  Xfinity Series debut with the team in 2024 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Greg Van Alst, Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen

Joey Gase Motorsports confirmed on December 16th that the team has signed ARCA Menards Series veteran, Greg Van Alst, to compete in most of the 2025 Xfinity Series races in the No. 35 Chevrolet. His first race will be the United Rentals 300 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 14, 2025.

“I am thrilled about this opportunity to compete in most of the NASCAR Xfinity Series season with Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen,” said Van Alst. “This is an essential step in my racing career, and with a tunneled vision focused on the Xfinity Series, I believe I can step up to the plate and not only be competitive but also produce some strong finishes that can propel our team into the spotlight. I’m ready to get to work and make the most out of the opportunity to make my NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Daytona in about two months.”

Austin Green, Jordan Anderson Racing

Green will return to Jordan Anderson Racing to run a partial Xfinity Series schedule in the No. 32 Chevrolet focusing on road courses and short tracks.

Connor Zilisch, JR Motorsports

On August 7th, JR Motorsports announced thatZilisch will join the team in 2025 to drive the No. 88 Chevrolet full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with veteran crew chief Mardy Lindley.  

“There’s a lot of good Chevrolet-affiliated teams with Kaulig and RCR (Richard Childress Racing), but at the end of the day, when you look at the Cup Series and the guys who have come through JR Motorsports and gone to the Cup Series, I feel like they’ve had the most success. And I do think there’s a lot of really good resources at JR Motorsports that I’ll be able to go and learn from as we look on to the years to come. I feel like I’m in a really good spot with a lot of great people around me that’ll help guide me in the right direction as I get into the Xfinity Series next year.”

JR Motorsports Drivers/Crew Chiefs

Jim Pohlman will return to the No. 7 team with Justin Allgaier.
Phillip Bell will move to the No. 8 team with Sammy Smith.
Andrew Overstreet will be on the No. 1 pit box with rookie driver Carson Kvapil.
Mardy Lindley will join the No. 88 team as crew chief for Connor Zilisch.
Corey Shea joins the No. 9 part-time All-Star entry team as crew chief for nine races with Trackhouse Racing’s Chastain and van Gisbergen.

Daniel Dye, Kaulig Racing

On August 23rd, Kaulig Racing announced that Dye will drive the team’s No. 10 Xfinity Series Chevrolet full-time in 2025.

“I’ve really enjoyed driving the Xfinity car this year, and I’m excited for the opportunity to continue working with Kaulig Racing in 2025,” said Daniel Dye. “It’s been a fun experience learning the car and trying to navigate the different feeling compared to the truck. I’m looking forward to finishing out the season, running for the Truck Championship and making the most of my remaining races in the No. 10.”

Christian Eckes, Kaulig Racing

On August 31st Kaulig Racing announced that Eckes will move from the Craftsman Truck Series to drive the team’s No. 16 Chevrolet full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2025.

“Just super excited for this opportunity,” Eckes said. “This is something I feel like it’s been a long time coming, and to do it with Kaulig Racing, Chris (Rice, team president), Matt (Kaulig, team owner) and so many great teammates as well is something that I’m really looking forward to. Obviously, have a lot to achieve this year still, but very excited for the future. Just ready to get to work.”

Kaulig Racing, Crew Chief Lineup

Kaulig Racing revealed their Xfinity Series crew chief lineup on December 19th. Kevin Walter will be paired with Daniel Dye (No. 10 Chevrolet), Eddie Pardue with Josh Williams (No. 11 Chevrolet), and Alex Yontz with Christian Eckes (No. 16 Chevrolet).

Tyler Tomassi, No. 66, MBM Motorsports

MBM Motorsports announced today (Jan 15) that Tyler Tomassi will drive the No. 66 Ford Mustang in two NASCAR Xfinity Series events in 2025 – Martinsville Speedway in March and Bristol Motor Speedway in April.

Kris Wright, Our Motorsports

On November 20th, Wright announced he would drive the No. 5 Chevrolet full-time in 2025. He will replace Anthony Alfredo.  

“I am thrilled to join Our Motorsports for the 2025 season,” said Kris Wright. “I’m equally excited to make my return to the NASCAR Xfinity Series and look forward to hitting the road for 33 weeks to take on the challenges of a full season together.”

Dean Thompson, Sam Hunt Racing

On Jan. &, Sam Hunt Racing announced that Dean Thompson will pilot the No. 26 Toyota full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025.

“I’m very excited to join the Sam Hunt Racing group and continue to pursue my dreams in NASCAR,” Thompson said. “The team made me feel at home after the two races we shared last year. Everything clicked with us, and we are both in a spot where we could fulfill each other’s needs to help our growth as a race team and driver. I’m lucky to have this opportunity to take the next step, which most can only dream of reaching, and I’m grateful to share it with such an awesome group of people.”

Garrett Smithley, SS-Greenlight Racing

SS-Greenlight Racing announced on Mon., November 19th, that Garrett Smithley will return to the team in 2025 and compete full-time in the No. 14 Chevrolet with crew chief, Jason Mille and will be sponsored by Trophy Tractor.

“I’m incredibly excited and grateful to be a full-time driver at SS-Greenlight Racing,” Smithley said in a team release. “I haven’t been full-time since 2019, so beyond excited to get to work with Bobby (Dotter, owner) and Jason Miller (crew chief). Daytona can’t come soon enough!”

SS-Greenlight Racing, No. 07

On Jan. 16 the team announced that Patrick Emerling, Alex Labbe and Nick Leitz will split SS-Greenlight Racing’s No. 07 entry for the 2025 Xfinity Series season. Emerling will compete in the season opener at Daytona.

Matt DiBenedetto, Viking Motorsports

On Jan. 16 Viking Motorsports announced that DiBenedetto will drive the No. 99 (new car number) for Viking Motorsports again in 2025 for a full Xfinity Series season with Pat Tryson as crew chief.

Anthony Alfredo, Young’s Motorsports

On Jan. 12 Young’s Motorsports announced that Anthony Alfredo will drive the No. 42 Chevrolet full-time in the 2025 Xfinity Series with sponsors Dude Wipes and RANDCO.

Chandler Smith, Front Row Motorsports

On December 12th, Front Row Motorsports announced that Chandler Smith had signed with them for the 2025 season as they expanded to add a second entry to their Truck Series lineup. He joins returning Rookie of the Year, Layne Riggs. The Truck number and sponsors for Smith will be announced later.

“I’m excited to join Front Row Motorsports truck program,” said Smith. “They are a top contender in the Truck Series and have proven so with championships and wins. I like what they are building here and am honored to have the opportunity to add to it. We are getting a bit of a late start, but I am excited about the caliber of talent we are talking to in being a part of this program for 2025.”

Daniel Hemric, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing

McAnally-Hilgemann Racing announced on November 20th that Hemric will drive the No. 19 Chevrolet full-time in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2025, replacing Christian Eckes.

“This is a great opportunity for me to compete for wins and chase another championship,” Hemric said. “Thanks to Bill McAnally, Bill Hilgemann, NAPA, Chevrolet and everyone involved for the opportunity. It’s a big milestone season to be a part of with NAPA’s 100th anniversary and the 35th year of Bill’s partnership with them. We’re going to do everything we can to get the NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet in victory lane and be in contention for a championship.”

Tyler Ankrum, McAnally-Hilgemann

On November 25th, the team confirmed that Ankrum will return to drive the No. 18 Chevrolet with crew chief Mark Hillman. It will be his seventh season in the Truck Series. 

“I’m really glad to be staying at MHR with Mark and the entire LIUNA team,” Ankrum said in a released statement. “This last year was probably the best of my career with the consistency we showed throughout the season. Making the playoffs was a huge goal for us and we were in the mix all the way to Martinsville, so we want to take another step and make it to Phoenix in 2025. We all want to get back to victory lane, and I think keeping this group together and continuing to develop as a team will help us get there.”

Connor Mosack, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing

On December 3rd, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing announced that Mosack had been signed to drive the No. 81 Chevrolet in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2025. Mosack’s resume includes 11 starts in the Truck Series and 28 in the Xfinity Series throughout his career. 

“I’m ecstatic to start 2025 with everybody at MHR and want to continue this team’s success in the playoffs,” Mosack said. “All four MHR teams had great performances this past year, so this is a big opportunity to race with a winning organization. It’s great to continue being part of Team Chevy and appreciate NAPA Nightvison and everyone at MHR for making this a reality. I’m looking forward to working with Blake and we want to become one of the weekly contenders, compete for wins, and lock ourselves in the playoffs.”

Jack Wood, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing

McAnally-Hilgemann Racing (MHR) announced on December 3rd that Jack Wood will return to the team in 2025 to compete in the Truck Series full-time in the No. 91 Chevrolet Silverado with crew chief Kevin Bellicourt.

“I’m definitely thankful and excited to be back at MHR next season,” Wood said in a released statement. “We had a lot of bright spots this past season and have a great foundation to build on. I have a lot of trust in Kevin [Bellicourt], [team owner] Bill [McAnally], and everyone at MHR, so that makes me excited for what’s ahead of us next year. It’s great to have Adaptive One Calipers board with us and looking forward to activating with their customers throughout the season.”

Kaden Honeycutt, Niece Motorsports

On Oct. 1, Kaden Honeycutt was announced as the full-time driver of the No. 45 Chevrolet for Niece Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2025. It will be his first full-time ride in a national series.

“I can’t even begin to tell you how much this opportunity means to me,” Honeycutt said. “Before I got connected with Al (Niece) and Cody (Efaw), last year, I thought my career was over. Both of them took a big chance on me leading into this year and it’s kept me hungry to make them proud. My group of guys on the No. 45 team have become brothers to me, and we’ve been able to share such a good relationship.”

Christian Rose, Niece Motorsports

On December 16th, Niece Motorsports announced that Christian Rose would move up from the ARCA Menards Series to drive the team’s No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado full-time in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2025.

“For me, it’s a huge opportunity to make the jump from the ARCA Series,” said Rose. “I got my feet wet a little bit in the Truck Series a few years ago, but I believe in everything that we have going on in this building and am very excited to get to Daytona. The speed that we’ve seen from this team is a big reason why we signed our deal, and I’m just excited to make that transition. I think if we do the right things and show up and put the work in, we can have a lot of great things to look forward to next year.”

Dawson Sutton, Rackley W.A.R.

On October 17th, Rackley W.A.R. announced that Sutton would compete full-time in the Craftsman Truck Series next year in the No. 25.

“This is really a phenomenal opportunity,” he said. “I’ve dreamed for this day to come, and my goal is to make it to NASCAR’s Cup Series that represents the best of the best. It’s all a little hard to believe right now, but I know I have a big job to do, and that’s exactly how I look at it.”

Frankie Muniz, Reaume Brothers Racing

Reaume Brothers confirmed on October 22nd that Muniz will race the No. 33 Ford full-time in 2025. 

Cody Dennison, Reaume Brothers Racing 

On Jan. 21, Reaume Brothers Racing announced that Dennison will drive the No. 2 Ford in the Craftsman Truck Series part-time in 2025. He will make his debut at Martinsville Speedway on March 28th.

Tyler Tomassi, Reaume Brothers Racing

Reaume Brothers Racing announced on Jan. 14 that Tomassi would return and run two Craftsman Truck Series races in the No. 2 Ford. He will compete at Nashville Superspeedway on May 30 and Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 11.

Rajah Caruth, Spire Motorsports

On December 13th, Spire Motorsports confirmed that Caruth will return to Spire Motorsports in 2025 to drive the No. 71 Chevrolet for a second season in the Craftsman Truck Series with sponsorship from HendrickCars.com.

“It is great to have a home and stability heading into next year,” Caruth said in a released statement. “I believe this is the first time in my career I won’t be with a new team or competing in a different series at the start of the season. I really appreciate the opportunity [owners] Jeff [Dickerson] and T.J. [Puchyr] have given me, and I’m excited to continue preparations for 2025. Our organization has really grown over the past year, and we have shown what we are capable of. We have set the bar high for the season, and the expectation is to win more races and compete for a championship.”

Corey Heim, Tricon Garage

On November 7th, it was announced that Heim will return in 2025 to drive the No. 11 Toyota for the team along with crew chief, Scott Zipadelli.

“I am excited to be back with TRICON for my third full-time year,” said Heim. He continued, saying, “I have developed so much alongside this organization in the last two years, and we have made some incredible memories along the way. I can’t wait to continue this journey in 2025 with my No. 11 crew.”

Tanner Gray, Tricon Garage

Tricon Garage confirmed on November 18 that Gray will return to drive the Craftsman Truck Series No. 15 Toyota full-time in 2025.

“TRICON has become a second home to me, and I am looking forward to another year as the driver of the 15,” said Gray. “I feel like we have some unfinished business after this past season, and I am as motivated as ever to compete in the postseason in 2025.”

Toni Breidinger, Tricon Garage

Tricon Garage announced on November 26th that Toni Breidinger will advance from the ARCA Menards Series to drive the team’s No. 5 Toyota full-time next year in the Craftsman Truck Series. 

“Racing full-time with TRICON is a dream for me. It’s been a 15-year process to get here but I’m so excited for this moment and ready to capitalize on it,” Breidinger said. “I wouldn’t have this opportunity if it wasn’t for Toyota, Raising Cane’s, CELSIUS, and Sunoco. I’m beyond grateful to have these partners and team in my corner to take this next step in my career.”

Gio Ruggiero, Tricon Garage

On December 2nd, Tricon Garage announced that Gio Ruggiero, who claimed nine top 10s in the ARCA Menards Series in 2024, will drive the team’s No. 17 Toyota in 2025. Ruggiero earned nine top 10s in the ARCA Menards Series in 2024.  

“I am super thankful to have the opportunity to run full-time with TRICON in 2025,” said Ruggiero. “I look forward to getting to work with all of the guys on the 17 team and contending for wins this season.”

Tricon Garage, No. 1 “All-Star” Entry

William Sawalich will begin the season as the driver of the No. 1 at Daytona International Speedway. He will also race at Atlanta Motor Speedway (Feb. 22), Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March 14), Nashville Superspeedway (May 30) and Watkins Glen International (Aug. 8).

Brandon Jones will drive the No. 1 for seven races, beginning at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 21. His schedule also includes the Bristol Motor Speedway spring race on April 11, Rockingham Speedway (April 18), Texas Motor Speedway (May 2), Kansas Speedway (May 10), Charlotte Motor Speedway (May 23) and Pocono Raceway (June 20).

Brent Crews will make nine starts beginning at North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 17 and followed by Lime Rock Park (June 28), Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (July 25), Richmond Raceway (Aug. 15), Bristol (fall, Sept. 11), New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Sept. 20), Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval (Oct. 3), Martinsville (fall, Oct. 24), and the season finale at Phoenix Raceway (Oct. 31).

Lawless Alan will compete in four races in 2025 – Martinsville (spring, March 28), Michigan International Speedway (June 7), Darlington Raceway (Aug. 30) and Talladega Superspeedway (Oct. 17). Jake Hampton will lead the No. 1 team on the pit box.

TRICON Garage, Crew Chief Lineup

On December 16th, TRICON Garage announced its crew chief lineup for the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Scott Zipadelli will return to lead the No. 11 team with rookie driver, Gio Ruggiero. Jeff Hensley will return and transition to the No. 15 team with driver, Tanner Gray. Jerame Donley will lead the No. 17 team with rookie Gio Ruggiero, and Derek Smith will serve as crew chief for Toni Breidinger in her first full-time season in the No. 5. Matt Puccia will be back as the team’s competition director.

Young’s Motorsports, Nathan Byrd

Young’s Motorsports announced on Jan. 27 that Byrd will drive the team’s No. 02 Chevrolet in a minimum of 15 during the 2025 season beginning with the season-opener at Daytona.

Young’s Motorsports, Stefan Parsons

On Jan. 27, Young’s Motorsports also revealed that Stefan Parsons will join the organization in 2025. His schedule will be announced at a later date.

2026 Niece Motorsports NCTS Race Recap: Nashville Superspeedway

NIECE MOTORSPORTS
NCTS RACE RECAP: NASHVILLE SUPERSPEEDWAY

Event: Allegiance 200 (150 laps / 199.5 miles)
Round: 11 of 25 (Regular Season)
Track: Nashville Superspeedway
Location: Lebanon, TN
Date & Time: Friday, May 29 | 8:00 PM ET

No. 4 TCS Bus Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Stefan Parsons | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett

Start: 13th
Stage 1: 14th
Stage 2: 19th

Finish: 18th
Driver Points: 46th
Owner Points: 29th

  • Key Takeaway: Stefan Parsons and the TCS Bus team ran a solid race all night long in Nashville. Since qualifying was rained out and the field was set by the metric lineup, Parsons rolled off from the 13th position. The No. 4 held steadily near the top-15 in the opening two stages, and showed speed throughout the race. After getting off strategy from the field, Parsons elected to take four tires with less than 20 laps to go, but was caught in dirty air. He crossed the finish line in 18th-place with a clean truck.
  • Stefan Parsons’ Post-Race Thoughts: “I thought our No. 4 TCS Chevy Silverado was good tonight. We fired off in the first stage and I felt like we were pretty strong. We had a tough pit stall selection because of the way they pick pits, so that kind of hurt us on the first pit stop because we had to back up and come around the No. 18 (Tyler Ankrum). But, we got some spots back, and we could have gone one of two ways with the strategy. It seemed like we were the last ones on an island that didn’t take tires, so after that caution came out, I told Mike (Shiplett) that I would rather be on offense to try and at least get back to where we were running. I just didn’t do a very good job of executing that last restart. I’m a little rusty, but overall, it was a solid day. We had a good truck, and I feel like it was plenty capable of a top-15, and if the circumstances were right, maybe even a top-10. Just have some more for me to work on racing these trucks. Regardless, I’m still very thankful to everyone at TCS and Niece Motorsports for the opportunity.”

About Transportation Charter Services: Transportation Charter Services (TCS), headquartered in Orange County, California, has been a trusted leader in group passenger transportation since 1988.

With a modern fleet and an unwavering commitment to safety, cleanliness, and service excellence, TCS delivers premium motorcoach transportation paired with a first-class customer experience. The company proudly serves professional and collegiate sports teams, tour and travel clients, corporate organizations, high-profile special events, and elite clientele throughout Southern California, Western Canada, and Nashville’s entertainer coach market.

Combining decades of industry expertise with a forward-thinking approach to innovation and operational excellence, TCS continues to elevate the standard in luxury ground transportation. As part of a distinguished family of brands — including Royal Coach, serving San Jose, Las Vegas, and Phoenix, and Polynesian Adventure in Hawaii — TCS remains a premier provider known for exceptional service, reliability, and professionalism.

No. 42 Comprehensive Logistics Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Tyler Reif | Crew Chief: Landon Polinski

Start: 14th
Stage 1: 19th
Stage 2: 36th

Finish: 36th
Driver Points: 28th
Owner Points: 26th

  • Key Takeaway: Tyler Reif and the Comprehensive Logistics team had speed in Nashville, but their night came to an early close. Reif started 14th for the 150-lap race and maintained track position in the opening stage. At the start of stage two, however, Reif made a daring three-wide move on a restart and lost control of his truck. The rookie made significant contact with the outside SAFER barrier, and the damage proved too heavy to continue. The No. 42 team was credited with a 36th-place finish.
  • Tyler Reif’s Post-Race Thoughts:

Interviewer: Tyler Reif, you’re out early here in Nashville at the start of stage two. First of all, are you okay, and how hard was that hit?

“Yeah, I’m just fine. I think I’m hurt more emotionally than physically. It wasn’t a super hard hit; the truck is beat up, but I’m just super bummed emotionally and down on myself for making a mistake that early in the race when I’m here to make laps and learn for next year. I’m just going to watch the film and try not to make that mistake the next time I run back here.”

Interviewer: How heartbreaking is this since you’re making limited starts and this was one you didn’t get all the laps in?

“Right, I mean, we got half of practice in with a little bit of rain. We never got a chance to mock-up, but luckily, we had a pretty good starting position off the metric. We stayed in the top-15 for half of the first stage and had a good stop where I executed on pit lane. The team executed during the pit stop, and we got back up in the top-15 there. Stefan (Parsons), Rajah (Caruth), and I were just door-to-door-to-door coming into (turn) three, and I had never experienced that before at this level of speed after losing that much side force. Nobody to blame that on but myself for getting in a bad position. I’m eager to go forward and eager to learn. I’m just going to go home, try to sleep on it, and be better for the next one.”

About Comprehensive Logistics: Comprehensive Logistics (CLI) is a full-service inbound-to-manufacturing logistics partner specializing in high-volume, high-velocity, and highly complex operations, including warehouse management, value-added services, sequencing, transportation, and sub-assembly manufacturing. By integrating advanced technology, data-driven insights, and process engineering with experienced teams, CLI delivers high-precision, reliable logistics solutions tailored to evolving customer needs. For more information, please visit complog.com.

No. 44 Acceptance Insurance Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Andres Perez de Lara | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers

Start: 19th
Stage 1: 31st
Stage 2: 18th

Finish: 14th
Driver Points: 15th
Owner Points: 22nd

  • Key Takeaway: Andrés Pérez de Lara and the Acceptance Insurance team overcame a bunch of adversity in Nashville. An issue in pre-race technical inspection led the No. 44 team to unload a backup truck before hitting the track. The team made a valiant effort in preparing the truck for the race, but were then forced to start from the rear of the field and had to serve a pass-through penalty. Pérez de Lara lost a lap during the exchange, but fought hard to make up for lost time and eventually got his lap back. In the final stage, a strategy call vaulted the No. 44 to the front of the field, and Pérez de Lara nearly walked away with a top-10 finish. After making a nice save, he came home in 14th-place.
  • Andrés Pérez de Lara’s Post-Race Thoughts:

Interviewer: You ran in the top-five; what happened at the end there?

“Yeah man, it was a roller coaster of a day. We started in the back, had to do a pass-through, and essentially lost a lap. We kept working and got our lap back, and we had a lot of speed in our No. 44 truck. Just unfortunately, I got a little bit loose over there and lost a couple of spots. We weren’t on the best tires compared to the others, so it was hard to keep up, but we did our best. I feel like it was a good day considering how it started.”

Interviewer: So at the end, you kind of slid back because of bad tires, you said?

“Yeah, I feel like we did the right choice with strategy, it just didn’t work out completely. Like I said, I got loose off of (turn) four and that lost a lot of momentum, but we were still on defense. It was all we could do, right? It was a really tough day overall. We were a lap down for most of the beginning even though we had a lot of pace, but we just couldn’t get our lap back with how the race went. Thank you to all my guys for the hard work because it was a lot earlier in the day to get that truck ready.”

About Acceptance Insurance: Acceptance Insurance is a proud member of Confie, the largest personal lines agency in the U.S. We believe in investing in the communities we serve by offering affordable insurance solutions so our customers can have peace of mind. Our agents and team members uphold our values, which include promoting excellence, responsibility and caring.

Acceptance has been in business for over 50 years. We have over 700 agents in over 288 neighborhood locations ready to give you the service, respect and savings you deserve. We come to you so you can find the solutions you need, regardless of your background and driving record. We offer easy solutions to meet your unique needs.

No. 45 Use Your Melon Tennessee Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Ross Chastain | Crew Chief: Phil Gould

Start: 21st
Stage 1: 16th
Stage 2: 10th

Finish: 4th
Driver Points: N/A
Owner Points: 8th

  • Key Takeaway: Ross Chastain and the Use Your Melon Tennessee team contended for the win in Nashville. Despite having to start 21st due to the metric lineup, Chastain went to work on gaining track position early on. Noting that his truck handled tight, the No. 45 team made several adjustments to help Chastain’s balance in the opening two stages. By the time the final stage began, the team took advantage of cleaner air to maneuver to the front row. A strategy call put his truck in a favorable position, and Chastain was able to capitalize on a fourth-place finish.
  • Ross Chastain’s Post-Race Thoughts:

Interviewer: Ross Chastain, you were in that crazy battle for fuel, what were those closing laps like from your perspective?

“Hanging on, for us on our Use Your Melon Chevy. Yeah, not the pace that we needed to compete with Raj (Rajah Caruth) who was on equal tires. We’ve been too tight all day. Phil Gould freed it up, and then it was really loose firing off with full fuel. It was good because it was right for most of the run, but I couldn’t compete with him. We lost clean air, which, I couldn’t have held him off anyway. The No. 7 was straight up better, and the other two aren’t even trucks. Those must be cars. I don’t know what they are, but they are definitely not what Raj and I are driving, so it was definitely like bringing a knife to a gun fight tonight.”

About the Tennessee Highway Safety Office: The Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) is a division of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security advocating for traffic safety. The THSO works in tandem with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to implement statewide programs addressing occupant protection, impaired driving, speed enforcement, pedestrian and bicycle safety, and crash data collection and analysis. Programs administered by the THSO are 100 percent federally funded. The THSO’s mission is to effectively develop, implement, and evaluate these programs. To learn more, please visit www.tntrafficsafety.org.

About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is a professional auto racing team that has competed in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series since 2016. The team is owned by Josh Morris of DQS Solutions and Staffing and the Fowler Family of J.F. Electric and Utilitra, and was founded by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. At its 80,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Salisbury, NC, Niece Motorsports is a full-service race vehicle build shop as well as a customizable fabrication shop for any manufacturing needs.

Follow the Team: To keep up to date with the latest team news, visit niecemotorsports.com or connect on Facebook and Instagram (@NieceMotorsports) as well as X (@NieceMotorsport).

FORD RACING AND RIGGS EARN MUSIC CITY NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES VICTORY

Ford Racing Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Allegiance 200 – Nashville Superspeedway
Friday, May 29, 2026

FORD RACING AND RIGGS EARN MUSIC CITY NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES VICTORY

Lebanon, Tenn. Ford Racing earned the victory and third place at the rain delayed Allegiance 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race from Nashville Superspeedway. Polesitter Layne Riggs swept all three stages on the 1.33-mile concrete oval outside of Nashville to score his third – second consecutive – win of the 2026 season. Despite leading every lap of the first two stages, the No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops/Fleetguard Ford F-150 fell deep in the pack in the third and final stage. Riggs worked his yellow Ford F-150 back through the field to take the lead on the final lap. He would lead a total 99 of 150 laps on his way to victory lane. Riggs’s Front Row Motorsports teammate Chandler Smith challenged at the front of the field most of the night and for the lead late in the race before taking the checkered flag in third-place.

Ford Racing now has four race wins in the 2026 season and 133 all-time NCTS races. The victory is the 19th Truck Series win for Front Row Motorsports.

Ford Finishing Results:

1st – Layne Riggs

3rd – Chandler Smith

12th – Ty Majeski

16th – Cole Butcher

21st – Derek Lemke

24th – Frankie Muniz

28th – Ben Rhodes

29th – Clayton Green

32nd – Jake Garcia

LAYNE RIGGS, No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops/Fleetguard Ford F-150 – “I don’t know what was wrong with those tires we put on to start the final stage. I was like, maybe I’m just this loose in dirty air, and I haven’t been as far back all day. I swore they’d put the left rear on the right rear and the right rear on the left rear. It was just absolutely undrivable. So, held on to it, and didn’t wreck it. It was that bad. Thankfully, the caution came out just at the right time, of course. Had nothing to lose, so we just came down pit road and put four [tires] on and I got my race car back. I’m glad we were able to come back. I just blacked out for those last 10 or 15 laps to just get to the front. Those guys gave me such a good truck in the first two stages. They gave me a shot at the very end to win it back, to claw back the front. And I knew I couldn’t leave here without that guitar. Thank you to everybody. It was really fun racing the [No.] 7 there. We were three wide across the line through the white flag. I wish that Chandler could have gotten to second instead of third, but still a great performance for both Ford F-150 trucks from Front Row. Probably the best race truck I’ve ever had before. I knew it in practice. It was just so dominant. It did everything I wanted to do, just so secure and had so much grip. We really went to work in the Ford Racing simulator to be better for this racetrack. We were already pretty good here, and we just fine tuned it that much better. So, yeah, just so happy to get me a guitar, number four for the Riggs family. Going to put it next to Dad’s.”

CHANDLER SMITH, No. 38 Matheus Lumber Ford F-150 – “It was tight, you know, from stage two on, just a little snug. Then we got on the other side of that and my truck really got good on long runs especially. So all those short runs, kind of clustered together, didn’t feed into our strong suit, but nevertheless, our No. 38 Matheus Lumber Ford F-150 was solid today. I was able to get stage points all day. To have the No. 34 get the win and we came in third… I know Bob Jenkins is here. I’m sure he’s happy. I look forward to going up to Michigan.”

TOYOTA RACING – NCTS Nashville Post-Race Report – 05.29.26

FRIESEN, RUGGERIO SECURE TOP-10 FINISHES AT NASHVILLE
Halmar Friesen Racing Bring Home Both Trucks Inside Top-11

LEBANON, Tenn. (May 29, 2026) – Stewart Friesen led Team Toyota with a sixth-place finish in Friday night’s rain-delayed NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Nashville Superspeedway. Gio Ruggerio also recorded a top-10 finish, coming home ninth.

Parker Retzlaff, making his debut for Halmar Friesen Racing in the team’s second No. 62 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, finished 11th, giving the organization two trucks in the top 11. Early in the race – which concluded just after 1 a.m. ET – Kaden Honeycutt ran in the runner-up position for much of the 150-lap event. However, Honeycutt lost power with 30 laps to go and was eventually pushed to pit road, where the TRICON Garage team made a battery change. The issue ultimately took him out of contention for the race win.

TOYOTA RACING Post-Race Recap
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS)
Nashville Superspeedway
Race 11 of 23 – 199.5 Miles, 150 Laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS

1st, Layne Riggs*

2nd, Rajah Caruth

3rd, Chandler Smith*

4th, Ross Chastain*

5th, Tyler Ankrum

6th, STEWART FRIESEN

9th, GIO RUGGIERO

11th PARKER RETZLAFF

13th, BRANDON JONES

27th, KADEN HONEYCUTT

30th, WILLIAM SAWALICH

33rd, TANNER GRAY

*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

STEWART FRIESEN, No. 52 Halmar International Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, Halmar Friesen Racing

Finishing Position: 6th

How were you able to rally to finish in sixth?

“Really, really, fast Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. Dustin (Dunn, crew chief) did a really good job getting this thing setup. We had some misfortune there where the lugnut took the valve stem off. Had to come in, but it took most of the splitter off and we were really tight after that. We just kept adjusting on it to overcome that. It was a good call to get tires, but I overdrove it, tried to get too much and bounced it off the fence and then we ended up sixth. It’s ok, from where the last couple of races have been and what we’ve battled with, we always battle something but it’s ok.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of over 50 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Rico Abreu Wins Emotional High Limit Race at Lawrenceburg

Rico Abreu Wins High Limit Race At Lawrenceburg Speedway, Photo Courtesy of High Limit Racing

After a brief break in the 2026 High Limit Racing Interstate Batteries Series schedule, the series returned to action Friday night at Lawrenceburg Speedway, nicknamed “The Berg.” Rico Abreu took home the checkered flag after starting in the second position and fending off a hard-charging Kyle Larson in the closing laps to win $25,000 in the main event for his 27th career High Limit victory.

The series last raced at Grandview Speedway on May 19, and the race aired on Fox Sports 1; Aaron Reutzel won. Following Grandview. They were supposed to have a three-day show at Port Royal Speedway on Memorial Day weekend, but it was rained out all three days.

However, with the series returning to action Friday night, this marks the start of a busy stretch that will see nine nights of racing from now through Thursday, June 11, at Shelby County Speedway.

For tonight’s portion, there were 29 cars on site at the speedway, including former series champion and two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, Larson, back in the field. His first race since competing in the two-day show at the Texas Motor Speedway dirt track, when he claimed night 1. Additionally, he won the past four of five races at Lawrenceburg.

Three heat races took place before the A-feature. Winning those races were Tanner Thorson in Heat 1, Parker Price-Miller in Heat 2, and the series all-time wins leader, Rico Abreu, in Heat 3. The dash feature, which sets the top six, featured Abreu, Retuel, Larson, Price-Miller, Thorson, and Scelzi. The race feature would go to Reutzel, who would start on pole position in the main event. Abreu was second, with Larson in third, Price-Miller in fourth, Thorson in fifth, and Scelzi rounding out the top six.

In the B-main, which took the top six, Sprint Car veteran and Aussie, Kerry Madsen, won the 12-lap feature, followed by Cale Thomas, Joel Myers Jr, Chase Randall, Cody Bova, and Leyton Wagner. All transferred to the A-feature.

When the green flag flew for the 30-lap main event, Reutzel and Abreu led the field into Turn 1. Coming out of Turn 1, Abreu passed race leader Reutzel on the outside, taking the lead on the backstretch. With 24 laps to go, Abreu was already catching lap traffic, which allowed Reutzel to close back in. At 22 laps to go, Larson passed Price-Miller for the third position.

Unfortunately, just a couple of laps later, with 20 to go, Larson suffered a flat right rear tire while running in the third position. He would go back behind the wall and his No. 57 Paul Silva team changed the tire.

After a brief caution period, the race resumed. Abreu broke away from Reutzel and Thorson to lead the top three. The racing would be brief, however, as Larson and Zane DeVault made contact with each other off Turn 4. Larson went sliding up the track, then Joel Myers Jr ran into the back of DeVault.

The race went back green with 17 laps to go, with Rico Abreu as the leader. At 11 laps to go, Abreu once again caught the back of the field and Reutzel closed in again. While Reutzel was trying to catch Abreu, Thorson was making ground as well. During the process, Thorson attempted a slider to pass Reutzel for second, but the two made contact off Turn 4. Thorson was unsuccessful with the slider and clipped the left rear of Reutzel.

Reutzel, the championship points leader, wound up flipping upside down and hitting the wall, suffering major damage to his Sprint Car.

The accident resulted in a red flag period for cleanup. Once the red flag was over and the race went back to green conditions with nine laps to go, Abreu checked out as the leader once more. While Abreu was leading the way, Larson began making ground and passing multiple cars in the waning laps.

Larson’s efforts fell short, as Abreu went on to take the checkered flag in his No. 24 Carquest Tony Stewart Racing Sprint Car team. It was his second High Limit Racing win of the season. The victory was also his first since the Thursday feature at Central Arizona Raceway on March 19. Unofficially, Abreu took over the championship points standings as well.

“I was really just trying to hit my marks, “Rico Abreu said to Flo Racing in his post-race interview. “The track gets really difficult and these guys with the Tony Stewart Racing team, Ricky Warner and Zach Middlebrooks. My mother is here and my wife as well, and Gus (Rico’s dog). Everyone just works really hard to get this car fast. These wins get emotional because they’re so hard to get and it’s a real dream come true for me to be able to race in front of such amazing fans. Our sport is unbelievable right now and to see the fans during fan fest, and the line, along with packed merchandise trailers.

“Just the product that our sport is creating right now. You have guys going from the back to the front and it’s very intense. I try to hold my own and keep my composure, knowing it’s a long season here. Things change and fluctuate throughout the season. It’s just an honor to race with Ricky Warner. We got one of the best in the stands tonight, Karl Kinser, watching us. It was really cool to see Karl and Ricky have a moment before the races.”

Due to Larson climbing up through the field and finishing in the runner-up spot, he earned the hard charger award.

“I had a really good car, I love this track too,” Larson told Flo Racing on the frontstretch. “It was finally opening up above the cushion and I could build big runs on the backstretch, and slide people in (Turns) 3 and 4, so made up a lot of ground doing that. It was unfortunate to get the flat there early. I felt like I just got to third and they were right in front of me, and I felt like I was getting to work in some lines that were going to generate some runs. It’s a bummer, but I recovered way better than I thought I would, especially after spinning again.

“It was chaos back there. My car was really fast. Thanks to Paul (Silva, Team Owner) and Trevor (Canales), and everybody on this car. Thanks to all my sponsors and everybody who is a part of this thing. It’s cool to get to run quite a bit here, coming up with you guys. Looking forward to that.”

Official Race Results Following Lawrenceburg Speedway

  1. Rico Abreu
  2. Kyle Larson
  3. Parker Price-Miller
  4. Giovanni Scelzi
  5. Tyler Courtney
  6. Tanner Holmes
  7. Justin Peck
  8. Brent Marks
  9. Kalib Henry
  10. Sye Lynch
  11. Brenham Crouch
  12. Cale Thomas
  13. Hank Davis
  14. Kerry Madsen
  15. Daison Pursley
  16. Tanner Thorson
  17. Keith Sheffer Jr
  18. Chase Randall
  19. Danny Sams III
  20. Leyton Wagner
  21. Cody Bova
  22. Aaron Reutzel
  23. Zane DeVault
  24. Joel Myers Jr

The next event in the High Limit Series is set for Saturday night, May 30, at Butler Speedway, live on Flo Racing.

Layne Riggs rallies for last-lap Truck victory at Nashville

Photo by Logan Allen for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Layne Riggs notched a thrilling NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory over Rajah Caruth and teammate Chandler Smith in the rain-delayed Allegiance 200 at Nashville Superspeedway on Friday, May 29.

The 23-year-old Riggs from Bahama, North Carolina, led twice for a race-high 99 of 150-scheduled laps in an event where he was awarded the pole position based on the metric qualifying formula and swept the event’s first two stage periods. Then after being shuffled towards the top-10 mark due to various pit strategies and struggling to launch forward with fresh tires, he spent the majority of the final stage period trying to navigate his way back to the front.

Through two late-race cautions and ensuing restarts, including the final one with 16 laps remaining, Riggs used his fresh tires and the restarts to muscle his way up the leaderboard. With three laps remaining, he overtook teammate Chandler Smith for the runner-up spot. Then on the final lap, he outdueled Rajah Caruth to storm back atop the leaderboard and cruise to his third Truck victory of the 2026 season.

The event’s starting lineup was determined by a qualifying metric formula because on-track qualifying was shortened and canceled due to inclement weather. As a result, Layne Riggs, winner of last weekend’s event at Charlotte Motor Speedway, was awarded the pole position, and he shared the front row with Kaden Honeycutt.

Prior to the event, rookie Mini Tyrrell was dropped to the rear of the field due to repairs and unapproved adjustments to his No. 14 Kaulig Racing RAM 1500 entry. Andres Perez De Lara was also forced to start at the rear of the field and serve a drive-through penalty at the event’s start due to technical issues with his No. 44 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST entry.

When the green flag waved and the event commenced under the lights following a delay that lasted more than two hours due to inclement weather, Layne Riggs motored his No. 34 Love’s Ford F-150 entry ahead from the inside lane, and he quickly transitioned to the outside lane to fend off Kaden Honeycutt through the first two turns as the field fanned out. Amid a series of on-track battles around the superspeedway venue, Riggs led the first lap.

Over the next four laps, Riggs increased his early advantage to more than a second over Honeycutt while Jesse Love, Christian Eckes and Giovanni Ruggiero occupied the top-five spots over Ben Rhodes, Tanner Gray, Brandon Jones, Daniel Hemric and Jake Garcia, respectively. Riggs stabilized his lead to one-and-a-half seconds over Honeycutt at the Lap 10 mark as all but one of 36 starters, minus Andres Perez De Lara amid the latter’s opening lap drive-through penalty through pit road, were scored on the lead lap.

Through the first 20-scheduled laps, Riggs added another second to his advantage as he was leading by more than two seconds over Honeycutt while Love, Eckes, Ruggiero, Rhodes, Tanner Gray, Chandler Smith, Brandon Jones and Hemric trailed in the top 10, respectively. Jake Garcia, William Sawalich, Stefan Parsons, Grant Enfinger, Tyler Reif, Ross Chastain, Corey LaJoie, Parker Retzlaff, Stewart Friesen and Ty Majeski were mired in the top 20 ahead of Tyler Ankrum, Rajah Caruth, Dawson Sutton, Cole Butcher and Daniel Dye while Justin haley, Mini Tyrrell, Brenden Queen, Carson Ferguson and Kris Wright rounded out the top 30 ahead of Frankie Muniz, Clayton Green, Spencer Boyd, Derek Lemke, Andres Perez De Lara and Caleb Costner, respectively.

Ten laps later, Riggs built his advantage to three seconds over Honeycutt while third-place Love and fourth-place Eckes trailed by eight and nine seconds, respectively. Meanwhile, Ruggiero trailed in fifth place by 11 seconds while Chandler Smith, who started in 22nd place, was up to sixth place amid an earlier battle with Ben Rhodes. Jones, Garcia and Hemric rounded out the top 10, respectively, as Riggs, who lapped 12 competitors racing at the tail end of the field, continued to lead by more than four seconds by Lap 35.

When the first stage period concluded on Lap 45, Riggs, who lapped Dawson Sutton and Corey LaJoie over the previous 10 laps, cruised to his third Truck stage victory of the 2026 season. Honeycutt trailed in second by two seconds while Love, Eckes, Ruggiero, Chandler Smith, Rhodes, Tanner Gray, Garcia and Hemric were scored in the top 10, respectively. By then, 22 of 36 starters were scored on the lead lap while LaJoie managed to fend off Sutton to be the first competitor scored a lap down and was awarded the free pass.

Under the event’s first stage break period, the lead lap field led by Riggs peeled off the racetrack and pitted for the first time of the event. Following the pit stops, Riggs exited pit road first ahead of Honeycutt while Eckes, Jones, Grant Enfinger, Tanner Gray, Chandler Smith, Love, Ruggiero and Garcia followed suit, respectively. Amid the pit stops, Mini Tyrrell sent Parker Retzlaff for a spin in his pit box while both Friesen and Rhodes returned to pit road as Friesen had a left-front tire that was flat.

The second stage period started on Lap 54 as Riggs and Honeycutt occupied the front row. At the start, Riggs gained another strong launch from the inside lane as he motored ahead of the field that had fanned out and jostled for spots. A lap later, the caution returned due to Tyler Reif getting loose beneath teammate Stefan Parsons, spinning and rear-ending his No. 42 Comprehensive Logistics Chevrolet Silverado RST entry against the outside wall from Turns 3 and 4.

The start of the next restart on Lap 60 only lasted two turns before the caution returned due to Carson Ferguson getting loose through the first two turns and wrecking the No. 25 ‘Free Agent’ RAM 1500 entry for Kaulig Racing hard against the outside wall. At the moment of caution, Riggs fended off Honeycutt to be scored the leader. Riggs managed to motor ahead of the field during the next restart on Lap 67 while Honeycutt, Eckes and Chandler Smith battled for the runner-up spot in front of Enfinger. The caution flew on Lap 68 due to Jesse Love, Tanner Gray and Garcia wrecking through Turns 3 and 4.

As the event restarted on Lap 75, Riggs extended his strong launch from the inside lane as he both maintained and rocketed away from the field for a full lap. As Riggs led, Eckes navigated his way into the runner-up spot over Honeycutt as the field that had been fanned out since the restart continued to instigate with a series of on-track battles ensuing. The caution then returned on Lap 78 due to debris on the course that came off the damaged entry of Garcia. During this latest caution period, some, including Ross Chastain, Rajah Caruth, Ruggiero, Retzlaff, LaJoie, and Tyler Ankrum, pitted while the rest, led by Riggs, remained on the track. Ruggiero was then penalized for speeding on pit road.

When the event restarted on Lap 84, Riggs motored ahead from the inside lane while Eckes was pinned in a tight three-wide battle with Honeycutt and Chandler Smith for the runner-up spot. The field fanned out, scattered and jostled for spots as Riggs led the next lap. With Riggs leading Honeycutt, the battles all around the field continued to ensue as Chandler Smith, Eckes and Enfinger were racing in the top five ahead of Rhodes, Daniel Dye, Majeski, Hemric and Chastain, respectively.

When the second stage period concluded on Lap 95, Riggs captured his fourth Truck stage victory of the 2026 season and his second of tonight’s event at Nashville. Honeycutt followed suit in the runner-up spot by more than a second while Chandler Smith, Eckes, Enfinger, Rhodes, Dye, Majeski, Hemric and Chastain were scored in the top 10, respectively. By then, 23 of 36 starters were scored on the lead lap while 24th-place competitor Cole Butcher was awarded the free pass by being the first competitor scored a lap down.

During the event’s second stage break period, a majority of the field led by Riggs pitted while the rest led by Chastain, Caruth, Ankrum and Perez De Lara remained on the track. Following the pit stops and with mixed strategies in place, Retzlaff exited pit road first, ahead of LaJoie and Ruggiero, while Honeycutt followed suit, ahead of Sutton, Riggs and Chandler Smith.

With 47 laps remaining, the final stage period commenced as Chastain and Caruth occupied the front row. At the start, Chastain led Ankrum, Caruth and the field through the first two turns as the field fanned out, scrambled and jostled for late spots through the backstretch. Chastain and Caruth dueled for the lead through the frontstretch to start the next lap before Caruth used the inside lane to muscle his No. 7 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado RST entry ahead of Chastain through the first two turns. As Caruth led, Honeycutt navigated his way to third place while Riggs was mired in 12th place. Chastain maintained the runner-up spot over Honeycutt, Perez De Lara and Ankrum as Caruth continued to lead with 44 laps remaining.

Down to the final 40 laps of the event, Caruth was leading by six-tenths of a second over Chastain as Honeycutt continued to reel in Chastain for the runner-up spot. Caruth spent the next five laps extending his late advantage to a second over both Chastain and Honeycutt while Ankrum and Perez De Lara remained in the top five over LaJoie, Enfinger, Retzlaff, Eckes and Rhodes, respectively. Then with 34 laps remaining, Honeycutt dropped off the pace from third place due to losing power and having electrical issues with his No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro entry. Honeycutt would then draw a caution with 32 laps remaining as his entry crept to the entrance of pit road and needed a wrecker to have the entry pushed to his pit stall. During this caution period, some like Retzlaff, Friesen, Riggs, Brenden Queen, Jones, Ruggiero, Sutton and Tyrrell pitted while the rest, led by Caruth, remained on the track.

The next restart with 26 laps remaining featured Caruth receiving an excessive push from Ankrum to motor ahead of Chastain from the inside lane through the fronstretch. As the field fanned out through the first two turns, LaJoie scrapped the outside wall due to contact from Rhodes as the field fanned out, but the event remained under green flag conditions as Caruth led the next lap. Caruth proceeded to lead by more than a second over Chastain before the caution flew with 22 laps remaining due to a left-rear wheel being detached off of Rhodes’ No. 99 Nashville Stampeded Ford F-150 entry.

As the event restarted with 16 laps remaining, Caruth and Chastain dueled for the lead through the frontstretch after Caruth did not get the push needed from Ankrum from the inside lane at the launch and briefly got loose. Following a duel with Chastain, Caruth managed to fend off the latter and lead the next lap. He then built a reasonable lead within half a second with 14 laps remaining while Chandler Smith, Chastain, Perez De Lara, Ankrum and a hard-charging Riggs followed suit, respectively. Riggs was then mixed in a tight battle with Friesen, Enfinger, Eckes and Perez De Lara to maintain sixth place while Caruth maintained his lead to six-tenths of a second over runner-up Chandler Smith and by more than a second over third-place Chastain.

Down to the final 10 laps of the event, Caruth continued to lead by half a second over Chandler Smith as Smith had fresher tires than Caruth. As both Chastain and Riggs trailed by two seconds within the top-four mark, Smith continued to reel in Caruth through every turn and straightaway, but he had teammate Riggs reeling in on both him and Caruth. Riggs then overtook Smith through the backstretch and the former proceeded to reel in Caruth as he had fresher tires than Caruth.

When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Caruth remained in the lead by a narrow margin as he briefly fended off Riggs by trying to slide in front of him entering the frontstretch. Riggs, though, managed to draw even with Caruth from the outside lane through the first two turns until he motored his No. 34 Love’s Ford F-150 entry ahead entering the backstretch. With both Caruth and Smith battling for the runner-up spot, Riggs used the clean air to drive away and claim the checkered flag first by four-tenths of a second over both Caruth and Smith.

Riggs
Photo by Logan Allen for SpeedwayMedia.com

With the victory, Riggs notched his eighth NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career victory in his 65th start, his third of the 2026 season and his second in a row in recent weeks after he won historic past Sunday’s event at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This marks the second time in Riggs’ career where he notched back-to-back Truck victories as he is coming off last Sunday’s victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Riggs previously won back-to-back races at the Milwaukee Mile and Bristol Motor Speedway between August and September 2024. Riggs’ Nashville victory was his first at the track, and he joins his father, Scott, as a Truck winner at Nashville. It was also the fourth Truck victory of the 2026 season for both Ford and Front Row Motorsports.

“[I didn’t know I had Caruth] Until I passed him and cleared him,” Riggs said on the frontstretch on FS1. “That’s how you win a NASTruck race right there, boys and girls. I hope I put on a show for you, guys. I didn’t want to fall back, but I don’t know what happened with that set of tires. [The truck] was literally undriveable. [Crew chief] Dylan [Cappello] made the right adjustments there, got me the tires. He got me the motivation. [I] Drove it to the front. Thank you to everybody, Ford Performance, Ford Racing, Love’s Travel Stops, Front Row Motorsports. All these guys on this [No. 34] team. This pit crew, right here, did a great job all night. Awesome finish there with [Chandler Smith]. He gave me the push for the win. Great racing there with Chandler. Awesome night of racing.”

Rajah Caruth, who led 44 laps and was attempting to win the Truck event at Nashville for a second consecutive year, fended off Chandler Smith to settle in the runner-up spot. Caruth, who drove the No. 7 Chevrolet entry for Spire Motorsports in place of the late two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, was disappointed over the outcome, but still pleased with the late strategic call that nearly netted him another victory to his Truck resume.

“I was trying to make this [No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet] as wide as possible, obviously, on the tire disadvantage,” Caruth said. “That was a great call by [crew chief] Brian [Pattie]. I think we were strong. Just starting at the back with no qualifying impacted our night. We got the truck really, really strong there. There’s probably some things I should’ve done better there, but huge congrats to Layne. He’s done a great job and they’re the championship threat. Glad to give these HendrickCars.com and Spire guys a good result. [I] Really wanted to get that [win] for everybody that was at [Kyle Busch Motorsports], [Kyle Busch]’s family and whatnot…I just didn’t close it out.”

Chandler Smith finished in third place ahead of Ross Chastain and Tyler Ankrum. Stewart Friesen, Grant Enfinger, Christian Eckes, Giovanni Ruggiero and Daniel Dye completed the top 10 in the final running order.

There were five lead changes for three different leaders. The event featured eight cautions for 48 laps. In addition, 21 of 36 starters finished on the lead lap.

Following the 11th event of the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season, Layne Riggs leads the standings by 37 points over Kaden Honeycutt, 93 over Christian Eckes, 96 over Chandler Smith and 106 over Giovanni Ruggiero.

Results:

  1. Layne Riggs, 99 laps led, Stages 1 & 2 winner
  2. Rajah Caruth, 44 laps led
  3. Chandler Smith
  4. Ross Chastain, seven laps led
  5. Tyler Ankrum
  6. Stewart Friesen
  7. Grant Enfinger
  8. Christian Eckes
  9. Giovanni Ruggeiro
  10. Daniel Dye
  11. Parker Retzlaff
  12. Ty Majeski
  13. Brandon Jones
  14. Andres Perez De Lara
  15. Daniel Hemric
  16. Cole Butcher
  17. Dawson Sutton
  18. Stefan Parsons
  19. Brenden Queen
  20. Mini Tyrrell
  21. Derek Lemke
  22. Corey LaJoie, one lap down
  23. Kris Wright, one lap down
  24. Frankie Muniz, one lap down
  25. Caleb Costner, two laps down
  26. Spencer Boyd, two laps down
  27. Kaden Honeycutt, three laps down
  28. Ben Rhodes, five laps down
  29. Clayton Green, nine laps down
  30. William Sawalich, 30 laps down
  31. Justin Haley – OUT, Suspension
  32. Jake Garcia – OUT, Accident
  33. Tanner Gray – OUT, Accident
  34. Jesse Love – OUT, Accident
  35. Carson Ferguson – OUT, Accident
  36. Tyler Reif – OUT, Accident

Next on the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule is Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan, for the DQS Solutions & Staffing 250. The event is scheduled to occur next Saturday, June 6, and air at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM.

LANGDON, PEDREGON, ANDERSON & A. SMITH OPEN INAUGURAL NHRA POTOMAC NATIONALS PRESENTED BY JEGS IN TOP SPOTS

MECHANICSVILLE, Md. (May 29, 2026) – Coming off back-to-back Top Fuel wins, points leader Shawn Langdon made the quickest run on Friday in NHRA’s debut at Maryland International Raceway, powering to the provisional No. 1 position at the inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals presented by JEGS.

Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Angie Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the seventh of 20 races during the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Langdon, who already has three wins in 2026, went 3.758-seconds at 336.23 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Kalitta Air dragster, putting on a remarkable show in his first appearance at the facility. The past world champion is after his third No. 1 qualifier of the year and 25th in his career as he continues to enjoy a spectacular start to NHRA’s 75th anniversary season.

“We didn’t think we could make that kind of run here today,” Langdon said. “We actually underestimated the track on the first run, and so Brian [Husen, crew chief] realized he could get after it a little more and we were able to take the No. 1 from Doug. This is just such a great team effort from everyone at Kalitta Motorsports, starting with Connie, and I’m just proud to be able to drive the car.

“Tomorrow, we’ll just have the kind of mindset that we had today. Just try to make some good runs, but also win the Mission #2fast2Tasty Challenge, too.”

Langdon’s Kalitta Motorsports teammate, reigning world champion Doug Kalitta, is second going a 3.774 at 333.91 as part of the thrilling side-by-side run with Langdon. Tony Stewart is third thanks to his 3.790 at 333.33.

In Funny Car, Cruz Pedregon hopes Friday marks the turnaround of his season, as the two-time world champion vaulted to the top in his 12,000-horsepower Snap-on America 250 Dodge Hellcat with a strong pass of 3.951 at 323.19.

The veteran has endured his share of struggles early this season, not qualifying in Pomona and failing to make it out of the first round at the first six races. But he’s qualified well the last two races and Friday marked another solid step forward as Pedregon looks to qualify No. 1 for the first time this season and 66th time in his stellar career.

“That probably won’t stay No. 1. I think there’s a .92 or (.93) out there, and we’re going to give it a shot tomorrow,” Pedregon said. “It’d be nice to stay No. 1. It doesn’t win the race, but it gives you some confidence. We’re in the numbers game, so you know, being in that top three or four is important.

“The thing about this place, it’s near the ocean. Anytime you get near the ocean at sea level, you’re going to get good atmospheric conditions. The challenge for our cars is we have more power than we really need, so the challenge for us is to pull it back and not get too fancy and cute. We had a good balance, and it ripped, man. It was a good run.”

Spencer Hyde, the reigning NHRA Rookie of the Year, is second with a 3.953 at 323.58 and Valdosta winner Jordan Vandergriff is currently third thanks to a 3.970 at 321.88.

Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson wasted no time in sending a message at Maryland International Raceway, dipping into the 6.40s and taking the provisional top spot with a run of 6.494 at 211.79 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro.

Anderson entered the weekend second in points following a runner-up showing in Chicago, but he’s hoping for a better result at this new track on the NHRA schedule than the first one of the year. The six-time champ qualified No. 1 in Valdosta but was upset on a massive holeshot in the opening round, something he’s eager not to replicate this weekend at Maryland International Raceway.

“I remember so many times coming here back 25 years ago when I worked with Warren Johnson as a crew chief, and we’d come up here and we would race the Wednesday night before Englishtown and the grandstands would be packed, so it’s just a great atmosphere,” Anderson said.

“We love going to sea-level type tracks, because we don’t have a blower, we don’t have any type of power. We’re dependent on Mother Nature. So, we hope and pray we get races somewhere through the season that have conditions like this. These are fantastic conditions; they’re basically Disneyland conditions and you’ll see the cars all run faster tomorrow. You should see a lot of 6.40 runs tomorrow.”

Points leader Dallas Glenn pulled close to Anderson, going 6.497 at 211.26 and Matt Latino is third after a pass of 6.504 at 212.56.

On an emotional day for Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Angie Smith, the talented veteran made the quickest run of the day as she continues to impress in qualifying, going a career-best 6.690 at 202.97 on her Denso Auto Parts Buell.

Her husband, six-time world champion Matt Smith, was hospitalized Friday morning and will be unable to race this weekend. Chip Ellis will be riding his bike, but with M. Smith urging on the team – and still making tuning calls – his wife put together a standout pass as she looks for her third No. 1 qualifier of the season.

She’s also coming off a heartbreaking final round in Chicago against her husband when her bike broke on the starting line. It’s made for a rollercoaster of emotions in recent days, but Smith was proud of how the team handled everything on Friday.

“My run was awesome. I cried. I don’t usually cry at the racetrack because I’m usually pretty tough, but I was just scared, you know? I have made probably 5,000 runs down a racetrack, and zero have been without Matt Smith,” Smith said. “I knew he was watching, I’m pretty sure he was proud. Matt tuning from the hospital is pretty remarkable to me, because he’s not here to look at the weather conditions, look at the track and do a lot of the things that he takes into account when he makes a tune-up call. So all I can say is, ‘Honey, you did a remarkable job.’

“I’m relieved, to say the least. It’s just been a lot the last 24 hours and this whole day has been a blur. I’m just glad that we ran well. I’m glad that all the bikes went down and everybody was safe. That was my main goal. I’ve never had this much responsibility, and the whole team rose to the occasion.”

Points leader Richard Gadson is in the second spot after a run of 6.729 at 201.31 and filling in for M. Smith, Ellis is third on his bike with a 6.743 at 201.16.

Qualifying continues at 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday at the NHRA Potomac Nationals presented by JEGS at Maryland International Raceway.


MECHANICSVILLE, Md. — Friday’s results after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the Inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals presented by JEGS at Maryland International Raceway, seventh of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday’s final eliminations.

Top Fuel — 1. Shawn Langdon, 3.758 seconds, 336.23 mph; 2. Doug Kalitta, 3.774, 333.91; 3. Tony Stewart, 3.790, 333.33; 4. Leah Pruett, 3.799, 323.43; 5. Maddi Gordon, 3.805, 332.34; 6. Josh Hart, 3.811, 333.91; 7. Antron Brown, 3.823, 329.42; 8. Clay Millican, 3.839, 321.88; 9. Shawn Reed, 3.865, 323.50; 10. Spencer Massey, 3.865, 323.27; 11. Justin Ashley, 3.868, 322.50; 12. Billy Torrence, 3.891, 323.81; 13. Will Smith,

3.959, 295.92; 14. Lex Joon, 4.345, 197.31; 15. Tony Schumacher, 5.386, 144.30.

Funny Car — 1. Cruz Pedregon, Dodge Charger, 3.951, 323.19; 2. Spencer Hyde, Ford Mustang, 3.953, 323.58; 3. Jordan Vandergriff, Chevy Camaro, 3.970, 321.88; 4. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.985, 320.36; 5. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.989, 326.87; 6. J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 4.015, 327.03; 7. Blake Alexander, Charger, 4.018, 319.90; 8. Jack Beckman, Camaro, 4.018, 316.30; 9. Alexis DeJoria, Camaro, 4.025, 318.32; 10. Austin

Prock, Mustang, 4.036, 316.90; 11. Ron Capps, GR Supra, 4.050, 321.88; 12. Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.058, 321.42; 13. Paul Lee, Charger, 4.114, 311.13; 14. Del Worsham, Toyota Supra, 4.261, 250.00; 15. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 5.309, 130.49.

Pro Stock — 1. Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.494, 211.79; 2. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.497, 211.76; 3. Matt Latino, Camaro, 6.504, 212.56; 4. Cody Anderson, Camaro, 6.505, 211.56; 5. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.506, 211.86; 6. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.512, 211.76; 7. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.518, 211.56; 8. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.535, 212.06; 9. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.535, 210.87; 10. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.562, 210.60; 11.

Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.592, 211.79; 12. Brandon Miller, Dodge Dart, 6.602, 209.56; 13. Shane Tucker, Camaro, 6.607, 211.43; 14. Alan Prusiensky, Dart, 6.795, 193.49; 15. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 12.658, 98.77; 16. Erica Enders, Camaro, 16.655, 59.96.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.690, 202.97; 2. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.729, 201.31; 3. Chip Ellis, EBR, 6.743, 201.16; 4. John Hall, Beull, 6.746, 202.55; 5. Ryan Oehler, Buell, 6.770, 201.10; 6. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.773, 199.82; 7. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.778, 200.32; 8. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.787, 202.06; 9. Clayton Howey, Suzuki, 6.788, 200.02; 10. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.818, 198.47; 11. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.828, 195.11; 12. Brayden Davis, Buell, 6.838, 157.39; 13. Geno Scali, Suzuki,

6.921, 197.13; 14. Charles Poskey, Suzuki, 6.942, 196.90; 15. Wesley Wells, Suzuki, 6.960, 191.87.

Layne Riggs awarded Truck pole at Nashville

Photo by Logan Allen for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Layne Riggs was awarded the pole position for the Allegiance 200 at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tennessee, on Friday, May 29.

The event’s starting lineup was going to be determined through an on-track qualifying session that consisted of a single-truck, single-lap qualifying format. During the session, each of the 38 competitors vying for 36 starting spots would cycle around Nashville Superspeedway once to post the fastest lap amongst one another. The competitor who posted the single fastest lap would be awarded the pole position.

Friday’s qualifying session was canceled due to inclement weather as only 24 of 38 competitors managed to post a qualifying time prior to the session’s delay and eventual cancellation. As a result, the starting lineup was determined through a qualifying metric formula per the NASCAR rule book. Based on the metric formula, Riggs, who won last weekend’s rain-shortened Truck event at Charlotte Motor Speedway, was awarded the pole position. Riggs managed to post the fastest lap at 164.034 mph in 29.189 seconds during a rain-shortened practice session that occurred prior to qualifications on Friday.

Riggs, who is ranked in second place in the 2026 driver’s standings and whose No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford F-150 entry is also ranked in second place in the owner’s standings, will lead the field to the start of a Truck event for the first time in 2026 for Friday night’s main event at Nashville. His best result at Nashville is third place, which occurred this past season, as he pursues his third victory of the 2026 season.

Riggs will share the front row with Kaden Honeycutt, the latter of whom finished in the runner-up spot behind Riggs at Charlotte and is leading in both the driver’s and owner’s standings. Jesse Love, Giovanni Ruggiero and Christian Eckes will start in the top five, respectively. Ben Rhodes, Brandon Jones, William Sawalich, Tanner Gray and Daniel Hemric completed the top-10 starting grid, respectively.

With 38 competitors vying for 36 starting spots, Toni Breidinger and Jonathan Shafer were the only two competitors who did not make the main event.

Nashville – Starting Lineup:

  1. Layne Riggs
  2. Kaden Honeycutt
  3. Jesse Love
  4. Giovanni Ruggerio
  5. Christian Eckes
  6. Ben Rhodes
  7. Brandon Jones
  8. William Sawalich
  9. Tanner Gray
  10. Daniel Hemric
  11. Jake Garcia
  12. Corey LaJoie
  13. Stefan Parsons
  14. Tyler Reif
  15. Justin Haley
  16. Grant Enfinger
  17. Tyler Ankrum
  18. Parker Retzlaff
  19. Andres Perez De Lara
  20. Carson Ferguson
  21. Ross Chastain
  22. Chandler Smith
  23. Dawson Sutton
  24. Stewart Friesen
  25. Rajah Caruth
  26. Frankie Muniz
  27. Ty Majeski
  28. Spencer Boyd
  29. Cole Butcher
  30. Brenden Queen
  31. Derek Lemke
  32. Kris Wright
  33. Mini Tyrrell
  34. Clayton Green
  35. Caleb Costner
  36. Daniel Dye

The 2026 Allegiance 200 at Nashville Superspeedway is scheduled to occur on Friday, May 29, at 8 p.m. ET on FS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM.

Conor Daly returns for Truck event with Kaulig Racing at Lucas Oil IRP

Photo by Adam Lovelace for SpeedwayMedia.com.

Conor Daly will pilot the No. 25 ‘Free Agent’ Ram 1500 entry for Kaulig Racing for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) in Brownsburg, Indiana, on July 24.

The news comes as the 34-year-old Daly from Noblesville, Indiana, is coming off his 13th career start in the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the latter event of which he competed with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in a one-race NTT IndyCar Series deal of the 2026 season. He started eighth and led four laps before he finished 12th in his 133rd career start in the IndyCar circuit.

Daly is no stranger when it comes to competing in NASCAR. He has made six career starts in the Craftsman Truck Series division, three in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series division and three in the Cup Series division, the latter series of which includes the 2023 Daytona 500 with The Money Team Racing. Between all three series, Daly’s highest-finishing result is 14th in the O’Reilly event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July 2024.

Between six Truck career starts, Daly’s highest-finishing result is 17th, which occurred at Kansas Speedway in September 2024 with Niece Motorsports. He will make his first-ever NASCAR national touring series start at Lucas Oil IRP with Kaulig as he strives to execute a strong performance in front of his home crowd.

“I’m pumped to get this opportunity at IRP,” Daly said. “Racing in front of the hometown crowd is always electric, and climbing into a Ram truck with Kaulig Racing for this race is going to be a blast. I know I’ll have a lot of folks cheering at IRP!”

Kaulig Racing launched its free-agent driver program ahead of its inaugural Craftsman Truck Series campaign in November 2025. The program features various competitors from multiple racing divisions and disciplines. Each will compete in at least a single Truck event in one of Kaulig’s RAM 1500 entries numbered 25. The competitors who compete in the entry would not compete for the 2026 Truck Series driver’s championship, but would be evaluated by their on-track performance for a season-ending program prize.

Currently, Kaulig Racing’s No. 25 entry, led by crew chief Alex Yontz, is ranked in 23rd place in the 2026 owner’s standings through 10 of the 25-race schedule. The entry is one of five fielded by Kaulig. It competes alongside the No. 10 entry piloted by Corey LaJoie, the No. 12 entry piloted by rookie Brenden “Butterbean” Queen, the No. 14 entry piloted by newcomer Timothy “Mini” Tyrrell and the No. 16 entry piloted by Justin Haley.

Tony Stewart, Ty Dillon, Colin Braun, Corey LaJoie, Carson Ferguson, Parker Kligerman, AJ Allmendinger, Clint Bowyer, and Travis Pastrana have piloted the entry at least once. Dillon is the only competitor who has piloted the No. 25 entry twice. Allmendinger has recorded the entry’s highest-finishing result of sixth place at Watkins Glen International in early May.

Carson Ferguson is scheduled to make his second career Truck start in the No. 25 RAM entry this weekend at Nashville Superspeedway. Parker Kligerman is scheduled to make his second Truck start in the No. 25 entry next weekend at Michigan International Speedway (6/6). Jamie McMurray will pilot the entry for the series’ inaugural event at Qualcomm Circuit in San Diego, California (6/19).

Kaulig’s selection and reveal of drivers for the remainder of this season, including the remaining July events at Lime Rock Park (July 11) and North Wilkesboro Speedway (July 18) remains to be determined.

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ event at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park is scheduled to occur on July 24 at 8 p.m. ET on FS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM.

Palou Back on Top in Opening Detroit Practice

DETROIT (Friday, May 29, 2026) – Alex Palou sent a reminder to the rest of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES field Friday after the first practice for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear: I’m still here.

Palou entered this race on the streets of downtown Detroit last season on the biggest of highs after sweeping the Month of May at Indianapolis by winning the Sonsio Grand Prix and 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. He won the pole for both races this month but finished fifth and seventh, respectively, in the two races.

But points leader and three-time defending series champion Palou returned to his familiar perch atop the time sheets with a best lap of 1 minute, 2.7722 seconds in the No. 10 HRC Chip Ganassi Racing Honda on the tight, nine-turn, 1.645-mile temporary street circuit. Palou won this race in 2023, the first year it returned to downtown Detroit after 30 years at Belle Isle Park.

“Good start,” Palou said. “It’s just super tough to get a lap here when everything feels good. Although we looked very good, I think we need to work on the car and try to make it a little bit better because I think there was a ton of people that couldn’t really get a good lap.”

Reigning Detroit winner Kyle Kirkwood led two Andretti Global drivers in the top five after a disappointing Indianapolis 500 for the team, ending up second at 1:02.7914 in the No. 27 Sam’s Club Honda. His teammate and three-time Belle Isle winner Will Power was third at 1:02.9433 in the No. 26 TWG AI Honda.

Marcus Armstrong was fourth at 1:03.1743 in the No. 66 Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Honda. 2021 Belle Isle winner Pato O’Ward rounded out the top five at 1:03.1825 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.

Felix Rosenqvist, who won the closest finish in Indianapolis 500 history last Sunday, was 11th at 1:03.4064 in the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Honda carrying a special livery featuring the SiriusXM station of legendary Detroit rapper Eminem.

Up next is another practice session at 9 a.m. ET Saturday, followed by NTT P1 Award qualifying at 1 p.m. ET. Both sessions will be broadcast on FS1, FOX One and INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls.

The 100-lap race is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday (FOX, FOX One, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls).

Hughes Leads Andretti Power Play in Opening Detroit Practice

Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix

DETROIT (Friday, May 29, 2026) – Lochie Hughes led four Andretti Global drivers in the top five spots Friday after the opening practice for the INDY NXT by Firestone Detroit Grand Prix.

Hughes paced the 45-minute session with a best lap of 1 minute, 7.2741 seconds in the No. 26 Andretti Global machine around the 9-turn, 1.645-mile temporary street circuit.

Australian Hughes entered this season as the top returning driver for the team that also fielded the championship-winning car of Dennis Hauger in 2025, as Hughes was third in the series standings as a rookie. This season hasn’t started as well, as he is fifth in points with new teammate Max Taylor ahead of him in third.

“Really happy with the balance,” Hughes said. “The track felt a bit weird, especially compared to the first session last year. Just a bit slippery in a few places, which is to be expected.

“Yeah, that was nice. Back where we belong. I kind of so far this year have felt like a chameleon in a bag of Skittles. Just been a bit confused. That was really good, and it’s nice to start a weekend off on the right foot.”

Series veteran and Andretti newcomer Josh Pierson was second at 1:07.3555 in the No. 29 Starchive Andretti car, followed by veteran teammate Seb Murray at 1:07.3832 in the No. 27 Megatron machine as Andretti Global drivers swept the top three spots.

Matteo Nannini was the only non-Andretti driver in the top five, ending up fourth at 1:07.3864 in the No. 20 Enve Motorsports car of Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR. Andretti Global driver Taylor rounded out the top five at 1:07.4789 in the No. 28 Susan G. Komen entry.

Experience paid off on the challenging, tight street circuit, as veterans of the INDYCAR development series filled the top six positions on the time sheet. Series leader and rookie Nikita Johnson ended up 12th at 1:08.1277 in the No. 21 Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR car.

There was one incident involving contact. Rookie Max Garcia hit the concrete barrier at the exit of Turn 1 in the No. 12 Abel Motorsports car, sitting against the wall in a blind corner. The trailing No. 11 Chip Ganassi Racing machine driven by rookie Carson Etter then couldn’t evade Garcia’s stricken car and hit the rear of it. Neither driver was hurt.

Up next is another practice session at 8 a.m. ET Saturday, followed by qualifying at noon ET. Both sessions will be broadcast on FS1, FOX One and INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls.

The 45-lap race is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET Sunday (FS1, FOX One, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls).

“I think it’s going to change a lot,” Hughes said of the circuit grip levels. “Especially with a two-hour IMSA race tomorrow. Indy cars are rolling out now, too.

“I think practice 2 is going to be very different. Even for us with the temperature. We’re at 8 a.m. in the morning. At 8 a.m. this morning, I was still asleep.”