Layne Riggs | Chandler Smith Daytona International Speedway NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race Report Fresh From Florida 250 Date: Friday, February 13th, 2026 Event: Race 1 of 25 Series: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Location: Daytona International Speedway (2.5-mile) Length of Race: 102 laps over two hours, six minutes, 0 seconds
FRM Finish:
Chandler Smith (Started 10th, Finished 1st / Running, completed 102 of 102 laps) Layne Riggs (Started 35th, Finished 31st / Running, completed 98 of 102 laps)
Chandler Smith captured his first career victory at Daytona International Speedway last night, winning the season-opening NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. The win marked the 16th overall win for Front Row Motorsports’ Truck Series program and its third victory at Daytona.
“First off, I want to shout out all glory to God. Without Him, none of this would be possible. And I am super, super grateful that I serve such a loving God that blessed me with such a good group of men and women around me at Front Row Motorsports. Ty Majeski, one of my best four teammates I’ve ever worked with. He is all credit to how we just won that race truthfully. He stayed committed to a Ford and pushed a Blue Oval to a win. Just super, super grateful for everybody on this No. 38 Ford F-150 group. We made some changes in the off-season. I felt like last year everybody for the most part knows how this 38 group came together last year, but we built on it and made this group so much better for this year, and I’m so excited for 2026. I was surprised the 62 didn’t block it. I was just — the seas literally just parted, and the 88 stayed committed to me, and like I said, thank you, thank you, thank you, Ty Majeski. Definitely got to owe you one on that one.”
“First off, congratulations to Chandler Smith and the No. 38 team. It’s a great start to the season for the organization to have one of our trucks in Victory Lane. Today just wasn’t our day for the No. 34 group. We struggled with handling and overall speed early in the race, and just as we got it to a more manageable spot, we cut a tire and went three laps down. There are still some early-season kinks to work through as we get back into the rhythm, but it’s a long season, and every race is a new opportunity to win and gain points.”
ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization competing in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Founded in 2004 by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, FRM has earned top honors including a 2021 Daytona 500 victory and the 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship. Based in Mooresville, N.C., FRM fields the No. 4, No. 34, and No. 38 entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, along with the No. 34 and No. 38 teams in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. For more information, visit teamfrm.com and follow Front Row Motorsports on social media — X: @Team_FRM, Instagram: @teamfrm, Tik Tok: @Team_FRM, YouTube: @FrontRowNASCAR, and Facebook: facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.
Austin Hill notched the first pole position of the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season for the United Rentals 300 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 14.
The event’s qualifying format consisted of two single-car qualifying rounds. In the first round, each of the 42 competitors entered to bid for 38 starting spots cycled around Daytona through a single-timed lap. At the conclusion of the first qualifying round, the top-10 fastest competitors transferred to the second and final round, where they each ran a single qualifying lap while battling for the pole position.
During the qualifying session’s first round, Hill, a 31-year-old native of Winston, Georgia, and driver of the No. 21 Bennett Transportation/Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Camaro entry, posted the third-fastest qualifying lap at 182.065 mph in 49.433 seconds. After being one of 10 competitors to transfer to the final round, he posted a pole-winning lap at 182.223 mph in 49.390 seconds.
With the pole, Hill notched his seventh career pole in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series division, his third at Daytona, his fifth on superspeedway tracks and his first since Texas Motor Speedway in May 2025.
The 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season is scheduled to mark Hill’s fifth consecutive campaign in the series. As he continues the pursuit of his first series’ championship, Hill is set to strive for his fourth Daytona opener victory after previously winning the event in three consecutive seasons (2022-24).
Currently, 10 of Hill’s 14 O’Reilly victories occurred on superspeedway tracks as he looks to add a 15th to commence the 2026 season.
Hill will share the front row with Jesse Love, the reigning NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion and teammate at Richard Childress Racing. Love, who is also the reigning Daytona opener winner, posted the second-fastest qualifying speed at 182.146 mph in 49.411 seconds during the first round. He ended up posting the second-fastest lap during the final round at 182.219 mph in 49.391 seconds.
Should either Love or Hill win Saturday’s 2026 O’Reilly opener at Daytona, Richard Childress Racing would achieve its 11th victory at Daytona and fifth in a row during the opener.
Sam Mayer, driver of the No. 41 Audibel/Haas Factory Team Chevrolet Camaro entry, qualified in third place and he will share the second starting row with William Sawalich. Sawalich, driver of the No. 18 Soundgear/Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Supra entry, was the fastest qualifier during the first round at 182.157 mph in 49.408 seconds. Ultimately, he ended up the fourth fastest at 182.079 mph in 49.429 seconds.
Corey Day, an O’Reilly Auto Parts Series full-time rookie candidate driving the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro entry for Hendrick Motorsports, will start in fifth place. Sheldon Creed, rookie Rajah Caruth, rookie Patrick Staropoli, Taylor Gray and Ryan Sieg completed the top-10 starting grid.
Notably, the following names that include Carson Kvapil, Sammy Smith, Justin Allgaier, Brandon Jones, Giovanni Ruggiero, Jordan Anderson, Carson Hocevar, Jeb Burton, Harrison Burton, Nick Sanchez, Jeremy Clements, Austin Green, Natalie Decker and rookie Lavar Scott will start 11th, 12th, 13th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 20th, 22nd, 24th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 35th and 37th, respectively.
With 42 competitors vying for 38 starting spots, Garrett Smithley, David Starr, Anthony Alfredo and Joey Gase were the four who failed to qualify for the main event.
Qualifying position, Best speed, Best time:
1. Austin Hill, 182.223 mph, 49.390 seconds
2. Jesse Love, 182.219 mph, 49.391 seconds
3. Sam Mayer, 182,190 mph, 49.399 seconds
4. William Sawalich, 182.079 mph, 49.429 seconds
5. Corey Day, 182.076 mph, 49.430 seconds
6. Sheldon Creed, 182.076 mph, 49.430 seconds
7. Rajah Caruth, 181.921 mph, 49.472 seconds
8. Patrick Staropoli, 181.789 mph, 49.508 seconds
9. Taylor Gray, 181.609 mph, 49.557 seconds
10. Ryan Sieg, 181.422 mph, 49.608 seconds
11. Carson Kvapil, 181.331 mph, 49.633 seconds
12. Sammy Smith, 181.148 mph, 49.683 seconds
13. Justin Allgaier, 181.083 mph, 49.701 seconds
14. Blaine Perkins, 181.057 mph, 49.708 seconds
15. Brandon Jones, 180.966 mph, 49.733 seconds
16. Giovanni Ruggiero, 180.945 mph, 49.739 seconds
17. Jordan Anderson, 180.945 mph, 49.739 seconds
18. Dean Thompson, 180.723 mph, 49.800 seconds
19. Patrick Emerling, 180.697 mph, 49.807 seconds
20. Carson Hocevar, 180.607 mph, 49.832 seconds
21. Mason Maggio, 180.585 mph, 49.838 seconds
22. Jeb Burton, 180.534 mph, 49.852 seconds
23. Luke Fenhaus, 180.382 mph, 49.894 seconds
24. Harrison Burton, 180.332 mph, 49.908 seconds
25. Brennan Poole, 180.278 mph, 49.923 seconds
26. Caesar Bacarella, 180.260 mph, 49.928 seconds
27. Parker Retzlaff, 180.213 mph, 49.941 seconds
28. Nick Sanchez, 180.115 mph, 49.968 seconds
29. Jeremy Clements, 179.942 mph, 50.016 seconds
30. Austin Green, 179.781 mph, 50.061 seconds
31. Josh Williams, 179.734 mph, 50.074 seconds
32. Ryan Ellis, 179.702 mph, 50.083 seconds
33. Daniel Dye, 179.630 mph, 50.103 seconds
34. Josh Bilicki, 179.601 mph, 50.111 seconds
35. Natalie Decker, 179.154 mph, 50.236 seconds
36. Kyle Sieg, 179.104 mph, 50.250 seconds
37. Lavar Scott, 178.359 mph, 50.460 seconds
38. Carson Ware
The 2026 United Rentals 300 at Daytona International Speedway is scheduled to occur on Saturday, February 14, and air at 5 p.m. ET on the CW Network, PRN Radio and SiriusXM.
TOYOTA RACING – Jimmie Johnson NASCAR Cup Series Quotes
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 14, 2026) – LEGACY MOTOR CLUB driver Jimmie Johnson was made available to the media on Saturday prior to the Daytona 500.
JIMMIE JOHNSON, No. 84 Carvana Toyota Camry XSE, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB
Can you tell us about your announcement?
“Yeah, just really excited to get this announcement out and build some excitement around the opportunity in (20)27. We had a great run here last year. I think we have a real shot at winning the Daytona 500 and putting my name on here again. But, I’m just thankful for the opportunity that’s been granted to me through my career. I didn’t use the word retirement way back when in 2020. I still love to compete and want to be on the track and racing. The journey as an owner, and certainly where I am in life right now, to compete at the Cup level, week in and week out, is just a door that’s shutting from here now. I’ll be able to enjoy it a bit more this year with the race this weekend and getting in San Diego, and then put a bow on everything, Cup wise, when we come back in (20)27. It doesn’t mean I’m not going to race and do other fun things, as you guys know, I’ve got plenty planned this year and hope to have some more fun later in the year as well, but a quick start to the year with this race. Also, the Mint 400 that’s coming up, and then the truck race in San Diego, and just trying to find, you know, fun bucket list things to do.”
How much will you celebrate your career achievements this year?
“Yeah, it definitely gives us that opportunity. We don’t have any formal plans, but I do know and I was very disappointed with the pandemic and the scenario of not being with the fans at the racetrack for that final year. It’s not that I’m looking for that now, but, you know, maybe there is a moment or two in there that we can, uh, have some fun with and kind of get back into that mindset a little bit and enjoy it. But I’m not going anywhere. Clearly, I have a big stake in LEGACY MOTOR CLUB and excited about the future for the company. Excited for all the time I will be spending inner sporting around it, and help grow it. So, we’ll see what the year brings, but I know it’ll be fun, and I know that next year here will be quite emotional to shut the door on that.”
As a driver, how conscious are you going to be because you are going through all of this for the last time?
“I have to say, the induction in the Hall of Fame was the moment in time that really allowed me to reflect, and I imagine this year will be more reflection, and certainly, when we come back here next year, that’ll happen again, but I’m now savoring and enjoying, the emotions, feelings, conversations, all the moments around the time I’ve spent in this sport and all the great times we had. So, there’ll be more of that, but as I look back, the Hall of Fame, first being nominated, which kind of knew that was coming (laughter), but the week, and all the events going into the Hall of Fame, it was just such a special time and it’s really opened the door to enjoy these emotions and reflecting and letting it in. So, I’m getting better at that and enjoying it, and, I know we’ll have another year of that.”
What do you take away from this chapter of your career?
“When I think of the 20 years or I spent probably 25 now, there’s been so much innovation, so much change, from the safety side, the technology, where we race, and how we race now, is technical, but an entirely new way. I feel very fortunate that I was in the generation where ingenuity and creativity really was allowed, and we can do that stuff. Chad (Knaus) was one of the best at it being a rule maker. He did break the rule a couple times, (laughter), but we were much more rule makers than anything. The innovation, and the journey, was really fun, and all the testing we were allowed to do. I can’t tell you how many times, at the end of a test session, he’d stick his head in the window and he’s like, I have no clue what this is going do, let’s tiptoe into this. He just always had some crazy ideas, and going on that journey with our engineering group, and developing all that technology, was really fun.”
Was there something specific about the Daytona 500 that made you want to make that your last race?
“No, it just made a lot of sense. I think as a driver that moonlights, the restrictor plate-tracks or that style of tracks is where you can be the most competitive. This car is so different than any generation of car I’ve driven before. To show up at Kansas and think that you’re going have a shot to win, even when I ran a 9-race schedule. It’s just not a truth that they can really be seen, or realized. Daytona, you can, Talladega, you can, Atlanta for sure. So, I want to show them being competitive, and to have my last race in an event where I could truly win – it could be that cool walk off home run.”
Is INDYCAR still a possibility on future races?
“No, that one’s closed too. The commitment it takes to be where I want to be in the field, I just, I don’t have that in me anymore. My focus and interest is truly building this race team. When I reflect on who I was is a 25 year old kid jumping in that 48 car – I was up at o dark 30 with this passion and energy to chase the day and do the best that I could.I don’t have that passion for that part of life anymore, and that’s been a tough thing to kind of accept, and if I’m honest with myself, maybe the last year or two of driving, I was in that phase, but I mean, I had the best seat in the house. I was almost in denial of, maybe what was going on, and it’s taken time. It took the two years in INDYCAR, and the journey that I’ve been on now to really reflect on that and see it. I mean, I had four hours of sleep last night, because we’re a sponsor event, and I was up all night doing emails, and then I was over at Home Depot this morning buying plants and furniture for our hospitality area and the driver owner lot, and that was fun. I mean, we had a great time this morning doing all that. I going to go over there and start putting chairs together. (laughter) So it’s just, I’m in a different place of life and really enjoying it.”
Would you be in your third chartered car or a fourth entry?
“It’d be a fourth.”
Is there a plan to promote everything you’ve done in the sport?
“No, that’s fair. I wasn’t as focused on brand on my legacy that I was leaving behind, and, I failed in that respect to take advantage of the moment when I was still in the car, and the next day in the car, and now where I sit in our evolution as a company, the intentionality around our name, the storytelling we plan to do as time goes on and what we want our brand to be about, gives me that chance to really put energy into it and treat that right, and hats off to the Earnhardt family and the Petty family for really carrying that on. Being famous or that part of it, and not that the others were, but I just, I didn’t pay any attention to it. I was in such a great system at Hendrick, and they did such an amazing job promoting me in the moment, that when I left, I just wasn’t prepared to keep that going, and I regret that I haven’t, but I still have time ahead of me, and obviously, deeply involved in the sport, and can do that now.”
Is there a planned focus for you to be a face of your team?
“Without a doubt. Yes, that is a big part of going forward. When I got involved with Maury (Gallagher), and we renamed the company, we were working in that direction, had some other things to focus on, more so at that point in time. Then our tragedy happened, and we chose to go to England and just have our time as a family. Then stayed a second year, and it was really an incredible year for our family to be together and grow and heal, and, we got back in August of (20) 25. Now that I have control of the company and a lot of other elements are in play, I can really lean into that. So, I was going get started a few years ago, but a little behind schedule, and we’ll do a lot more of that now.”
How did the Helmet to Heroes program come together?
“We have a great relationship with Pye-Barker and Bart Proctor, the CEO there. His support of John Hunter (Nemechek), and coming into LEGACY with us, and the growing friendship and understanding of their business has really led to this opportunity. As a kid, I wanted to be a fireman. That was so present around me growing up in Fire Country, my best friend, his father, was the captain of local fire department, and I just thought they were the coolest people ever, and so as we’ve been able to understand Bart’s business and the various points of interest in wanting to use the Daytona 500 as a platform to do good and raise awareness for a cause. When they brought it to us, it was a very easy yes and excited to represent the Fallen Firefighters Foundation. They’re going to take the helmet and auction it off, do something with it, but excited to draw that attention to them.”
Can you tell us about your collaboration with Joe Gibbs Racing this season?
“Yeah, it’s really just an evolution of how we can all work closer together in more alignment and closer together with Toyota, TRD. Toyota’s been very focused on small numbers, and tremendous support to the race teams. We’ve had a lot of growing to do as a company and did a lot of that last year, and through that evolution and building trust and respect, both directions and how to manage all of that, we’re at a great point in time where we’re shoulder, shoulder partners with them, and, all, of course, working for Toyota on this journey to win races and championships. We still have a lot of growing and maturing to do as a company, but, I’m confident it will be noticed this year as we get into the schedule and get racing, and I’m excited for the future, and how we can all collaborate more together.”
Do you get a passion about being a mentor for others at this point in your career?
“I do, and I wish that I had more experience in this car to directly help Erik (Jones) and John Hunter (Nemechek). I don’t necessarily for the car, but the outside parts in life, I love that. It is so rewarding, and something I’ve also really enjoyed was, and being the nucleus of a team, and getting people to work together – in my day, it was really about 15 to 20 people, just that road crew and a small group of the 48 team, and now it’s 140 men and women at LEGACY, and we’ll be growing as we bring on that third car and get closer to 200 employees, and it fills a bucket and gives me a lot of purpose and something I really enjoy.”
What other motorsport events are still on your bucket list?
“Man, anything with an engine. I was just with Marty (Smith) and (Ryan) McGee, and, McGee mentioned the Bonneville Salt Flats, and, I mean, I’ve never been. I mean, that’s something I should probably try to do, so I’m going figure out. I know our Toyota friends are here, so guys, what can we go break a speed record with? (laughter). Between Toyota and Carvana, they’re like, yes, great idea. Let’s go do that. So, we’re racing the Mint 400. I get to go back and go to my roots. Back to my roots and compete with Troy Herbst here in a handful of weeks. So excited about that one. But trying to find those marquee moments, those neat opportunities to go racing.”
Would you like to come back, do the Rolex 24, maybe 24 Hours of Le Mans?
“I would. I really, really would. I had an invite for Rolex. They come typically as a driver, those opportunities show up in December. People start looking around for drivers, and if I’m to do it, I need to plan in like July or something to pull that off. The off-season is just so busy for the team. We have so much expansion taking place that a very credible offer came my way. I had to sadly turn it down. I just didn’t have the bandwidth to do it, but I certainly would look at that. Definitely.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs nearly 48,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 35 million cars and trucks at our 11 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.
NIECE MOTORSPORTS NCTS RACE RECAP: DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY Event: Fresh From Florida 250 (100 laps / 250 miles) Round: 1 of 25 (Season Opener) Track: Daytona International Speedway Location: Daytona Beach, Florida Date & Time: Friday, February 13 | 7:30 PM ET
No. 4 Black Rifle Coffee Company Chevrolet Silverado RST Driver: Garrett Mitchell (Cleetus McFarland) | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett
Key Takeaway: Garret Mitchell (Cleetus McFarland) didn’t get the finish he was hoping for in his highly anticipated Truck Series debut. McFarland was the fastest Niece Motorsports driver in qualifying, starting the race off in 12th-place. Early on, however, he lost control of the No. 4 Black Rifle Coffee Company Chevrolet off turn four and made hard contact with the inside SAFER barrier. With too much damage to continue the race, McFarland would end his night sitting 37th.
Cleetus McFarland’s Post-Race Thoughts: Interviewer: Cleetus, what sensation was the truck giving you? “Well, the sensation was incredible. We were three wide, which was insane from the start. It was immediately three wide, which I wasn’t expecting, and it was insane. I mean, I was literally having the time of my life again, and I just did not check myself before I wrecked myself right there. I got loose coming out of turn four when I was flying, and I put too much wheel into it because I was getting a little tight because we’re freaking three wide on the second lap. I think I only made it seven laps. I was a little tight and I was just trying not to hit the guy on the outside, came off turn four flattened out, the truck sat down, I think I had too much wheel in it, and just started getting loose.
I went right towards the field and I’m like, ‘damn, I’m about to wreck 30 race cars’, and I overcorrected like an idiot. That’s something Biff did not teach me right there. I went left and put myself on a trajectory to slam into the wall and wreck the truck, and now here I stand in the worst spot to do an interview in the entire Daytona International Speedway.”
Interviewer: Well, on a bit of a lighter note, I talked to you in pre-race, and you said that Carson Hocevar had given you some advice. “Yeah, I mean, Carson told me that if I caused the wreck, I would usually not be in the wreck. But in this particular instance, I caused the wreck and was the only one to wreck. So, I’m starting to question Carson’s advice on whether or not I should be listening to him. But, he did win the stage, so that’s pretty sweet.
Interviewer: Welcome to the Truck Series. “Yeah, and I want to say thanks to Black Rifle Coffee Company, Niece Motorsports, and BRUNT Workwear for sponsoring me. I’m an idiot, wrecked the truck in seven laps, and that sucks. Thanks to everyone that tuned in.”
About Black Rifle Coffee Company: Black Rifle Coffee Company (BRCC) is a Veteran-founded coffee company serving premium coffee to people who love America. Founded in 2014 by Green Beret Evan Hafer, Black Rifle develops their explosive roast profiles with the same mission focus they learned while serving in the military. BRCC is committed to supporting Veterans, active-duty military, first responders and the American way of life. To learn more about BRCC, visit www.blackriflecoffee.com
Key Takeaway: Travis Pastrana and the No. 42 BRUNT Workwear team had a solid night in Daytona. In his first NASCAR race in three years, Pastrana kept his truck clean and ran in the lead pack throughout the race. Despite some close calls, Pastrana was able to capitalize on late-race shakeups to come across the line in 15th-place.
Travis Pastrana’s Post-Race Thoughts:
Interviewer: 15th-place run for Travis Pastrana; it was an act of survival. “Act of survival, for sure. I think we played it maybe a little too cautiously. We had a good run, and I followed my teammate. We had the No. 44 and No. 45 right there, and Stenhouse made his way around that chaos on that next-to-last lap. I hesitated just for a split second, and they would just fly by. It’s a little disappointing; I think we had such a great truck. It was awesome. Thanks to Niece Motorsports, and huge thanks to BRUNT Workwear and Black Rifle Coffee Company. I had a blast. I would have liked to just gone up there, because I think we would have had a chance to lead a lap and play the strategies at the end, but it would have been fun to be up front.”
Interviewer: How did it feel to get back behind the wheel of a NASCAR truck? “It was awesome, and everything was just wild coming off of turn four there. Like, the first time it steps out and you’re correcting, you’re like ‘woah, alright, the tires are wearing out and it’s game on right now’. Then, you see three wide and everyone’s stepping out. It got pretty good.”
About BRUNT Workwear: Launched in 2020, BRUNT Workwear is retooling the way the workwear industry works by collaborating with trade workers to develop boots and apparel that provide the best performance, durability and comfort hard-earned money can buy. BRUNT products are developed to provide solutions that make real workers’ lives easier, a mission brought to life by the fact that each signature product is named after a real worker who inspired the design. BRUNT’s workwear lineup includes a range of waterproof, safety toe, and breathable boots for every worker, as well as a broad selection of apparel and accessories that are built to deliver performance and comfort on the job.
No. 44 Acceptance Insurance Chevrolet Silverado RST Driver: Andrés Pérez de Lara | Crew Chief: Wally Rogers
Key Takeaway: Andrés Pérez de Lara and the No. 44 Acceptance Insurance team made some headway in the season opening race at Daytona. Pérez de Lara started deep in the field but methodically worked his way to the front in the draft. With a handful of laps remaining, the No. 44 truck was inside the top-10, but fell back a bit on the white flag lap to finish the race in 13th..
Andrés Pérez de Lara’s Post-Race Thoughts: “I think we’ve got to be happy with our result tonight. Obviously, leaving with a clean truck in Daytona is a sign of a good night. We were there and I learned a lot. I wish we could have ended just a couple spots better, but it was a good performance overall for the whole Acceptance Insurance team. We executed like we needed, and will be stronger for the next ones with the experience we’re getting and the speed we’re showing.”
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 J.F. Electric Chevrolet Silverado RST Driver: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Key Takeaway: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and the No. 45 J.F. Electric team started the season off on a great foot with a top-10 finish. In his Truck Series debut, Stenhouse Jr. ran a methodical race and avoided trouble to stay in the hunt. As the event neared the checkered flag, Stenhouse Jr. pushed his way to the front. The past Daytona 500 champion finished the night in sixth-place.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s Post-Race Thoughts: “Well, watching the replay of that finish, there were a couple things I could have done differently. I just didn’t know the Fords were coming that quick, and I didn’t think I could win from that position, so my initial thought was to push the No. 91 (Christian Eckes) to the win since he was in another Chevy. I didn’t realize that they were lined up in front of him. If I could have the last turn three-to-the-start-finish-line a little different, I would.
But, I was happy to be in that position with our J.F. Electric Chevrolet because throughout the race, I didn’t feel like we had the speed that I wanted, and we were lacking a little bit of handling. I just talked to Phil and we are going to work on Atlanta. I’m very happy that we brought it back home in one piece in a truck race in Daytona, and we were in the picture at the line. All-in-all, good day.”
About J.F. Electric: J.F. Electric is an electrical contractor that provides engineering expertise, backed by construction and installation know-how in a diverse range of service offerings, from utilities and commercial projects, to industrial and telecommunications customers. When having a long family history in an industry, a company not only builds on its knowledge and experience, it takes pride in cultivating a solid understanding of client needs, all the while nurturing strong relationships with its employees. Evolving through five generations of the Fowler family, J.F. Electric has matured into a well-managed and thoughtfully diversified electrical contractor which is poised to continue its growth and expansion into the future.
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).
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 14, 2026) – LEGACY MOTOR CLUB owner Jimmie Johnson, one of the most accomplished athletes in motorsports history, announced today the 2027 DAYTONA 500 will mark the final start of his NASCAR Cup Series career.
Johnson’s record-breaking career ranks among one of the greatest sports stories ever told: 83 NASCAR Cup Series victories, seven Cup Series championships — tied for the most in series history — and 19 consecutive full-time seasons competing at the highest level of stock car racing. In 2024, he was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Johnson stepped away from full-time competition at the conclusion of the 2020 season to focus on family and new business ventures. Forever a racer at heart, he continued to compete, checking off his personal bucket list by running two seasons in the INDYCAR Series. He was named the 2022 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year and competed in notable events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Rolex 24 at Daytona, and even piloted an Unlimited Hydroplane across Lake Washington at Seafair.
After becoming a principal owner of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB in 2022, Johnson competed in select events for the CLUB while simultaneously building the future of the team. His best result for the CLUB as a driver was a podium finish in the 2025 DAYTONA 500. This season, Johnson will compete in two event weekends – Daytona and NASCAR San Diego.
“Next February, I’ll make my final start in the Cup Series at Daytona,” the two-time DAYTONA 500 champion said. “I’ve been very fortunate to accomplish more than I ever imagined in this sport. The last six years have given me the freedom to choose where I compete and more importantly, the clarity to understand where I’m needed most. It’s time to focus my energy on building a world class and unrivaled organization in LEGACY MOTOR CLUB.”
While Johnson will retire from NASCAR Cup Series competition following the 2027 DAYTONA 500, he is not closing the door entirely on racing altogether – and remains open to competing in other series, divisions, or forms of motorsport should unique opportunities arise.
“As a team owner, I need to be on the sidelines on race day supporting our drivers and crews on the competition side and cultivating relationships that are crucial to the long-term growth of the CLUB,” Johnson continued. “I also want to take the time to celebrate with fans throughout the season to show how grateful I am for their support throughout my career.”
What was to be a year of celebration, the global pandemic prevented a meaningful farewell for his fans during that final season. LEGACY MOTOR CLUB is committed to honoring Johnson’s final Cup start in a way that reflects the impact of his racing career and the fans who have supported him along the way.
Additional plans to celebrate Johnson’s LEGACY will be shared in the near future.
LEGACY MOTOR CLUB is a premier auto racing organization owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmie Johnson and Knighthead Capital Management, LLC. Drawing from a rich tradition of success, LEGACY MC is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of motorsport and setting new standards of excellence. The CLUB competes under the Toyota Racing banner in the NASCAR Cup Series with the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE piloted by Erik Jones and the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE driven by John Hunter Nemechek. Johnson also races on a limited basis in the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE. With NASCAR legend and Hall of Famer Richard Petty, “The King”, serving as CLUB Ambassador, LEGACY MC blends timeless racing traditions with a new forward-thinking vision. As an inclusive community for motorsport enthusiasts, LEGACY MC honors both its storied past and the promising future of its members, always striving for victory and championship glory at the pinnacle of NASCAR competition.
Ford Racing Notes and Quotes NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fresh From Florida 250 — Daytona International Speedway Friday, February 13, 2026
CHANDLER SMITH AND FORD F-150 WIN TRUCK SERIES SEASON OPENER
Daytona Beach, Florida, February 13, 2026 – With a little help from his friends, Chandler Smith opened the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with a visit to Daytona International Speedway’s victory lane. In a dramatic “green-white-checker” finish, Smith used a battle at the front of the field and a push from fellow Ford F-150 driver Ty Majeski to jump from outside the top five to the win in the final quarter of the last lap of the Fresh From Florida 250. With competitors pushing on each other entering the Daytona tri-oval, Smith dropped his No. 38 TrophyCatch Ford to the bottom with Majeski’s No. 88 Ideal Doors/Menards F-150 behind. A hard push by Majeski, the 2024 NASCAR Truck Series champion, was enough to make Smith the winner in Friday evening’s race. Majeski would go on to finish fourth. This was Smith’s eighth career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory.
Ford Finishing Results:
1st – Chandler Smith 4th – Ty Majeski 12th – Ben Rhodes 14th – Cole Butcher 16th – Frankie Muniz 20th – Josh Reaume 31st – Layne Riggs 32nd – 98 Jake Garcia 33rd – Jason White 34th – Corey LaJoie
CHANDLER SMITH, No. 38 TrophyCatch Ford F-150 – “First off, I want to shout out all glory to God. Without Him, none of this would be possible. And I am super, super grateful that I serve such a loving God that blessed me with such a good group of men and women around me at Front Row Motorsports. Ty Majeski, one of my best four teammates I’ve ever worked with. He is all credit to how we just won that race truthfully. He stayed committed to a Ford and pushed a Blue Oval to a win. Just super, super grateful for everybody on this No. 38 Ford F-150 group. We made some changes in the off-season. I felt like last year everybody for the most part knows how this 38 group came together last year, but we built on it and made this group so much better for this year, and I’m so excited for 2026.
Q. Take me back to the start-finish line as you’re coming up four wide and the bottom opens up. What is going through your mind when that happens and you can see the checkered flag?
“I was surprised the 62 didn’t block it. I was just — the seas literally just parted, and the 88 stayed committed to me, and like I said, thank you, thank you, thank you, Ty Majeski. Definitely got to owe you one on that one.”
TY MAJESKI, No. 88 Ideal Doors/Menards Ford F-150 – “Us Ford Racing guys, we stay together. We have meetings before this, and we want to be a good example for Ford. We see it on Sundays all the time. And, we had a good meeting this morning and we all wanted to stick together. If we could help a Blue Oval, we did it. Obviously, we want to win for ourselves. I don’t know that there was really a position I could have put myself into to win. We were just so far behind, and my only chance to finish better was to push the 38. Glad we could help a Ford get to Victor Lane. Just very blessed to be in the spot, taking over the Menards 88 for ThorSport this year. Great way to start off the season with stage points in both stages, and sat on the pole, and solid top five finished going to Atlanta. So a great way to start the season.”
RUGGIERO SCORES SECOND STRAIGHT TOP-TWO RUN AT DAYTONA The reigning Rookie of the Year battles for win late, leads for Tundras in top-10
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 13, 2026) – Gio Ruggiero battled for the win in a wild green-white-checkered finish before coming up just short of his second career win as the Toyota Development Driver finished second in the NASCAR Truck Series race at Daytona International Speedway on Friday evening. Ruggiero, who will run both the ARCA and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races tomorrow, has finished second in both of his national series Daytona starts.
Ruggiero led four Tundras in the top-10, including Cup Series driver John Hunter Nemechek in fifth, while Kaden Honeycutt was eighth and Stewart Friesen, who made his first Truck Series start since suffering an injury in a dirt racing accident last July, finished 10th.
The Truck Series returns on-track for more superspeedway racing next Saturday at Atlanta’s EchoPark Speedway.
Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) Daytona International Speedway Race 1 of 23 – 250 Miles, 100 Laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Chandler Smith* 2nd, GIO RUGGIERO 3rd, Christian Eckes* 4th, Ty Majeski* 5th, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK 8th, KADEN HONEYCUTT 10th, STEWART FRIESEN 11th, NICK LEITZ 23rd, TANNER GRAY 28th, TAYLOR GRAY
“It was tight there at the end of the race. Everybody was just trying to do whatever it takes to win and that’s what I did for myself and my team. I probably would’ve pushed John Hunter (Nemechek) to the win there, but he just wrecked me twice. I think overall as a group we need to do better as Toyota’s. I thought me, Tanner (Gray) and Taylor (Gray) worked really well together but everybody else just seemed like they were out there on their own. I definitely think we learned some things for the next superspeedway.”
What are your emotions after the race?
“Actually coming to the line it looked like nobody was going to beat me and then obviously we got four-wide and just the 38 (Chandler Smith) had a big head of steam on the bottom. Nothing you can really do there. Just try to put myself and my team in the best position at the end. It definitely was a sketchy move down the backstretch. I almost got wrecked there so thankful I was able to save it and come back up on the track and still get second.”
What happened on the backstretch and how did you save it?
“The 62 (John Hunter Nemechek) – I knew he had a good run coming so I just tried to get down there before him and just kind of had some contact there. Overall, it was a good day. I’m just so proud of everybody on the 17 JBL Tundra. They work so hard. We’ve been so fast on the superspeedways so we’re really proud of that and just looking forward to Atlanta. I’ve got two more (races) to win tomorrow.”
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, No. 62 DriveValue.com Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, Halmar-Friesen Racing
Finishing Position: 5th
Had to settle for a fifth-place finish after that last lap. What were your thoughts?
“I haven’t seen the whole replay yet, but pretty frustrated with myself. Just hard to cover all of the lanes there – should have got to the middle and blocked the 17 (Gio Ruggiero) faster than I did. Didn’t anticipate it quite as I probably should have off of turn four, but man, it was one heck of a race. I had a lot of fun all night. We came from the back to the front multiple times. Thank you to DriveValue.com, EPI – all of their partners. LEGACY for letting me come run this race for Halmar-Friesen Racing, and huge shoutout to TOYOTA RACING. Thankful to be a part of truck racing again in this Tundra. Like I said – it was a lot of fun, learned a lot – so hopefully, I can apply some of this to Sunday. Hayden (Reeves, spotter) and I will probably go back and watch some film there, but overall, a really fun race. Just dejected that we didn’t come home with a checkered flag.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs nearly 48,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 35 million cars and trucks at our 11 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.
Chandler Smith went from third to sixth and first in a single lap. In the end, it was enough for him to boost his way to a thrilling victory in the Fresh from Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, February 13.
The 23-year-old Smith from Talking Rock, Georgia, led twice for eight of 102 over-scheduled laps in an event where he started 10th and managed to keep his No. 38 TrophyCatch Front Row Motorsports Ford F-150 entry intact amid a stacked field of all-star competitors, newcomers, and familiar names on the grid.
Photo by Mike Biskupski for SpeedwayMedia.com
During an overtime shootout, Smith, who captured the second stage victory and restarted in eighth place, navigated his way to third place prior to the start of the final lap. Despite being overtaken by three trucks and dropping to sixth place for half a lap, he received a draft from Ford teammate and pole-sitter Ty Majeski to reel in on the front-runners that consisted of John Hunter Nemechek, Giovanni Ruggiero, and Christian Eckes entering the frontstretch.
With Nemechek, Ruggiero, and Eckes all fanning out and trying to side-draft against one another to gain the upper hand, the trio left the inside lane wide enough for Smith and Majeski to make their move. As Majeski continued to draft Smith, Smith had enough room to zip by and secure a thrilling victory at Daytona to start the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season.
With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Friday, Ty Majeski secured the pole position with a pole-winning lap at 176.883 mph in 50.881 seconds. Michael McDowell started alongside Majeski on the front row after the latter clocked in his fastest qualifying lap at 176.682 mph in 50.939 seconds.
When the green flag waved and the 2026 Craftsman Truck Series season commenced, Michael McDowell received a push from teammate Carson Hocevar on the outside lane. This allowed both McDowell and Hocevar to rocket ahead of Majeski, with both transitioning to the inside lane and assuming command through the first two lanes. As the field fanned out to three-packed lanes from the backstretch to the frontstretch, McDowell cycled through and led the first lap.
During the second lap and as the field continued to jostle amid three-wide action within the pack, Hocevar made a bold move beneath teammate McDowell through the frontstretch. Both McDowell and Hocevar proceeded to duel for the lead in front of the pack over the next two laps before Majeski shoved McDowell ahead of Hocevar exiting the backstretch prior to the fourth lap.
Then on the fifth lap, the event’s first caution flew when Cleetus McFarland, who was racing in 10th place and amid three-wide action, briefly got loose exiting Turns 3 and 4 while racing in front of Giovanni Ruggiero. Despite trying to keep his truck straight, he ended up swerving and spinning to the bottom of the track before he hit the inside wall towards the pit road entrance on the driver’s left side at full speed. The damage to the left side of McFarland’s truck was enough to terminate his debut early, though the driver was able to emerge uninjured.
During the event’s first caution period, some, including John Hunter Nemechek, Chandler Smith, Layne Riggs, Taylor Gray, Nick Leitz, Daniel Hemric, and Tony Stewart, pitted their respective entries while the rest, led by McDowell, remained on the track.
The next restart on the 10th lap featured Hocevar muscling ahead of teammate McDowell after the former received a strong push from Tanner Gray entering the first two turns. Despite Hocevar gaining a slight advantage through the backstretch, McDowell muscled back alongside Hocevar and barely led the next lap from the outside lane. Amid McDowell’s charge with drafting help from Majeski, Hocevar managed to emerge ahead from the inside lane while the rest of the field fanned out to three-packed lanes.
Through the Lap 15 mark, McDowell retained the lead by a narrow margin over teammate Hocevar while Majeksi, Tanner Gray, Kaden Honeycutt, Grant Enfinger, Brenden Queen, Jake Garcia, John Hunter Nemechek, and Christian Eckes were scored in the top 10, respectively. Behind, Taylor Gray, Tyler Ankrum, Justin Haley, Giovanni Ruggiero, Cole Butcher, Ben Rhodes, Stewart Friesen, Layne Riggs, Daniel Hemric, and Andres Perez De Lara occupied the top-20 spots, respectively, while notables that include Tony Stewart, Chandler Smith, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Mini Tyrrell trailed in 22nd, 24th, 26th, and 29th, respectively.
When the first stage period concluded on Lap 20, Hocevar edged a hard-charging Tanner Gray by his front splitter to capture the first Truck stage victory of the 2026 season. Gray and Eckes, the latter of whom had also made a late surge approaching the start/finish line, settled in second and third while Nemechek, McDowell, Honeycutt, Majeski, Taylor Gray, Queen, and Enfinger were scored in the top 10, respectively.
Under the event’s first stage break period, a majority of the field, led by Tanner Gray and Hocevar, pitted while the rest, led by Nemechek, including those who pitted during the first caution period, remained on the track.
The second stage period started on Lap 27 as Nemechek and Hemric occupied the front row. At the front, Taylor Gray quickly drafted Nemechek ahead of Hemric from the outside lane entering the first two turns. Nemechek, along with Taylor Gray, Ankrum, and Nick Leitz, powered ahead of Hemric through the backstretch before the rest of the field quickly caught back up to the front-runners. As the field stacked up amid three-wide action, Nemechek led the next lap before he got shuffled back. In the process, Hocevar and Gray battled dead even for the lead in front of the pack.
At the Lap 30 mark, Hocevar was leading the outside lane as he had a bevy of competitors, including teammate McDowell, drafting him while Taylor Gray, who had several competitors, including teammate Leitz, drafting him, leading the inside lane. With a majority of the field racing in two-packed lanes, a handful of competitors racing in the mid-pack region were slowly experimenting with forming a third drafting lane. Amid the action, Hocevar retained the lead while Hemric pitted under green after he was black-flagged for needing to have his spoiler bracket fixed.
Then on Lap 35, the caution flew when Jake Garcia, who was racing in the middle of the pack and towards the top-15 mark, got loose, shot up the track and collided into Tony Stewart against the outside wall entering the frontstretch. The rest of the field steered left to avoid the carnage as both Garcia and Stewart limped around the track with damaged trucks. The latter two managed to continue despite being lapped due to repairs made to their respective entries, but Stewart eventually retired in 36th place.
The latest caution was enough for the event’s second stage period scheduled to conclude on Lap 40 to officially conclude under caution. As a result, Chandler Smith, who navigated his way to the lead on Lap 34, claimed the stage victory. Teammate Layne Riggs, who also drafted his way to the front with teammate Smith, settled in second while Majeski, Taylor Gray, McDowell, Leitz, Eckes, Nemechek, Corey LaJoie and Rhodes were scored in the top 10, respectively.
During the event’s second stage break period, nearly the entire field led by Chandler Smith pitted while the rest, which included Travis Pastrana, Spencer Boyd, Mini Tyrrell, Josh Reaume, Jason Kitzmiller, and Frankie Muniz, remained on the track. The latter competitors who opted to remain on the track for a lap pitted during the next. As a result, and amid the shuffling of the leaderboard following the pit stops, Leitz cycled to the lead.
With 55 laps remaining, the final stage period commenced as Leitz and Majeski occupied the front row. At the start, Leitz and Majeski dueled in front of the field through the first two turns. As the field scattered and tried to fan out through the backstretch, Majeski muscled ahead from the inside lane, and he led the following lap. Shortly after, the field fanned out to four lanes as Leitz was drifting to the rear of the field with no drafting help. Meanwhile, Majeski led a long line of competitors racing towards the inside lane as he had Stenhouse, Riggs, Perez De Lara, Rhodes, Cole Butcher, and Ankrum followed suit, respectively.
At the halfway mark with 50 laps remaining, Majeski continued to lead Stenhouse and a stacked field racing amid two-packed lanes. By then, Nemechek, who was leading the outside lane, had Hocevar drafting him as he began to mount a charge against Majeski for the lead. Both Majeski and Nemechek dueled for the lead through the frontstretch during the next lap before Hocevar, who drafted Nemechek from the outside lane, made a bold crossover move beneath Nemechek to storm to the lead through the first two turns the lap after.
Then with 42 laps remaining, the caution flew due to Hocevar spinning at the bottom of the track in Turn 4. Hocevar’s incident started when the leader quickly dropped off the pace as he had a flat left-rear wheel. As Hocevar was wiggling his truck to keep it straight, the rest of the field fanned out to avoid hitting Hocevar, the latter of whom was pinned in the middle lane. Despite keeping his truck straight through the backstretch and Turns 3 and 4 with the flat tire, Hocevar then lost control and spun. Despite flattening both of his rear tires, he was dodged by the field, and he managed to pit.
During the latest caution period, the entire field led by Nemechek pitted, primarily for fuel. Following the pit stops and as the field cycled through, Haley emerged as the leader.
As the event restarted under green with 37 laps remaining, the top-four competitors that included Haley, Tanner Gray, LaJoie, and Rhodes quickly bolted away from the field through the first two turns. The rest of the field, however, quickly formed in a tight pack amid the draft and caught back up to the top-four competitors through Turns 3 and 4. By the time the field cycled back to the fronstretch, Gray led the next lap.
Down to the final 30 laps of the event, Haley, who was briefly shuffled out of the lead draft but navigated back to the lead five laps earlier, was leading both the event and a parade of competitors racing in single-line formation towards the outside wall. Tanner Gray, Nemechek, Ruggiero, and Majeski followed suit in the top five while Queen, Taylor Gray, LaJoie, Ankrum, and Enfinger were scored in the top 10. Behind, Eckes, Perez De Lara, McDowell, Dawson Sutton, Riggs, Leitz, Butcher, Friesen, Daniel Dye and Honeycutt occupied the top-20 spots just before Enfinger, who was racing in the top 10, dropped off the pace due to cutting a right-rear tire. Despite the tire carcass coming off of Enfinger’s entry and rolling towards the backstretch’s infield, the event remained under green.
With 27 laps remaining, Riggs, who was racing within the top-15 mark, dropped off the pace due to cutting a left-front tire and smacking the outside wall. Riggs’ incident was a result of making contact with Ankrum as the field got bunched up while trying to navigate past the lapped competitor of Jason White. A few laps earlier, Jason Kitzmiller dropped off the pace to the track’s apron. Amid both actions, the event continued to occur under green-flag conditions as Haley led Tanner Gray, Nemechek, Ruggiero, and Majeski, respectively.
With 21 remaining, the caution flew when Hocevar spun for a second time, this latest time occurred through the frontstretch due to cutting a left-rear tire. During the caution, some including Eckes, Ankrum, LaJoie, Clay Greenfield, Dawson Sutton, Spencer Boyd, Rhodes, Pastrana and Muniz pitted while the rest led by Haley remained on the track.
The next restart with 16 laps remaining featured Tanner Gray gaining a slight advantage over Haley with drafting help from Nemechek through the first two turns and the backstretch while the field behind fanned out to three lanes. As the on-track intensity began to crescendo and the field getting stacked up towards the front, Gray maintained the lead over Nemechek and Ruggiero while Haley and Taylor Gray followed suit during the next lap.
Then, with 13 laps remaining, Hocevar spun for a third time entering the frontstretch after he was tagged by Cole Butcher. Amid his spin through the apron, Hocevar managed to limp his truck to pit road and the event remained under green flag conditions. By then, Tanner Gray continued to lead Nemechek, Ruggiero, Haley, Taylor Gray and the rest of the field. As Eckes aggressively navigated his way towards the front, he drew even with Tanner Gray for the lead with 10 laps remaining.
With five laps remaining, McDowell, who returned atop the leaderboard two laps earlier, was leading in front of Honeycutt, Heim and the rest of the field that had repeatedly shuffled the leaderboard over the previous five laps. Shortly after, the caution flew when Taylor Gray, Sutton and Boyd all spun to the bottom of the track in Turn 4, an incident that started when Gray got sideways in front of of Majeski and came across the path of both Sutton and Boyd while Mini Tyrrell smacked the outside wall while avoiding the carnage.
During the caution period and with fuel concerns intensifying, select names that included teammates Queen and Daniel Dye along with Josh Reaume pitted while the rest led by McDowell remained on the track.
When the event restarted in overtime, McDowell and Honeycutt dueled exiting the frontstretch as Honeycutt received a push from teammate Ruggiero to boost ahead of McDowell from the outside lane through the first two turns. Then, Honeycutt and Ruggiero became separated through the backstretch. This allowed McDowell to receive a bump from Nemechek and reel in Honeycutt before Ruggiero charged right back to the rear bumper of Honeycutt through Turns 3 and 4. In the latter two turns, McDowell was overtaken by Nemechek and slipped sideways after bumping into Nemechek. He then spun to the bottom of the track, exiting Turn 4. Kris Wright also spun while swerving to avoid McDowell, but the event remained under green flag conditions.
When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Honeycutt remained in the lead ahead of Ruggiero, Chandler Smith and the rest of the field that was trying to mount a final-lap charge to the front. Through the first two turns and the first half of the backstretch, Nemechek and Eckes drafted past Smith as they reeled in on Ruggiero and Honeycutt. Nemechek then nearly turned Ruggiero, but the latter managed to keep his truck straight despite going off the track. In the process, Nemechek and Eckes bolted past Honeycutt and Ruggiero as Nemechek led entering Turns 3 and 4.
Then, entering the frontstretch, Ruggiero got beneath Eckes. He reeled in on Nemechek’s rear bumper as Smith, Stenhouse, and Majeski were in a tight six-truck battle for the lead. Ruggiero feigned a move beneath Nemechek before he steered to the right to draw even with Nemechek. Eckes also went to the right of Ruggiero as the latter two, with Nemechek, went three wide approaching the finish line. It was at that moment that Smith received a draft from Majeski to go beneath and overtake Nemechek, Ruggiero, and Eckes to win the event.
Photo by Patrick Sue-Chan for SpeedwayMedia.com.
With the victory, Chandler Smith became the 23rd competitor overall to win a Truck race at Daytona International Speedway. The Georgian also achieved his eighth career win in the Truck division, his first since he won at North Wilkesboro Speedway in May 2025 and his third driving the No. 38 Ford F-150 entry for Front Row Motorsports.
Smith’s first victory at Daytona marked the 16th Truck career victory for Front Row Motorsports and the organization’s third in the series at Daytona. In addition, the Ford nameplate racked up its ninth win at Daytona.
The victory served as a redemptive moment for Smith, who did not qualify for the NASCAR Cup Series’ Daytona 500 for a third time in four years. Nevertheless, an elated Smith, who is setting his sights on campaigning for this year’s Truck Series championship, celebrated with his pit crew on the frontstretch.
“I was surprised [Nemechek] didn’t block [my run],” Smith said on FS1. “The seas literally just parted, and [Majeski] stayed committed to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Ty Majeski. [I] Definitely got to owe you one on that one.”
“[I’m] Super, super grateful for everybody on this No. 38 Ford F-150 group,” Smith added. “We made some changes on the off season. I felt like last year, everybody for the most part, knows how this No. 38 group came together last year, but we built on it and made this group so much better for this year. I’m so excited for 2026.”
Behind Chandler Smith, Giovanni Ruggiero settled in second place for a second consecutive year at Daytona. Christian Eckes and Ty Majeski finished third and fourth, respectively, while John Hunter Nemechek fell back to fifth place. All of the top-five finishers were separated by 0.069 seconds.
“[The battle] was tight there at the end of the race,” Ruggiero said. “Everybody’s just trying to do whatever it takes to win, and that’s what I did for myself and my team. Probably would’ve pushed John Hunter [Nemechek] to the win there, but he almost wrecked me twice. I think overall as a group, we need to do better as Toyotas. I thought me and Tanner [Gray] and Taylor [Gray] worked together really well. Everybody else, it seemed like they were out there on their own. I definitely think we learned some things going into the next superspeedway [event].”
“I’m pretty frustrated with myself, “Nemechek said. “It’s just hard to cover all the lanes there. I should’ve got to the middle and block [Ruggiero] a little bit faster than I did. [I] Didn’t anticipate [the result] quite like I probably should have off of Turn 4. Overall, a really fun race. I’m just dejected we didn’t come home with the checkered flag.”
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished in sixth place in his Truck Series debut while rookie Brenden Queen, Kaden Honeycutt, Tyler Ankrum, and Stewart Friesen completed the top 10 in the final running order.
The 2026 season opener at Daytona featured 32 lead changes for 12 different leaders, and six cautions for 31 laps. In addition, 23 of 37 starters finished on the lead lap.
Following the first event of the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season, Chandler Smith leads the standings by 19 points over Christian Eckes, 20 over Ty Majeski, 30 over Giovanni Ruggiero, and 31 over Kaden Honeycutt.
Results:
1. Chandler Smith, eight laps led, Stage 2 winner 2. Giovanni Ruggiero 3. Christian Eckes, one lap led 4. Ty Majeski, five laps led 5. John Hunter Nemechek, 10 laps led 6. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 7. Brenden Queen 8. Kaden Honeycutt, one lap led 9. Tyler Ankrum 10. Stewart Friesen 11. Nick Leitz, three laps led 12. Ben Rhodes 13. Andres Perez De Lara 14. Cole Butcher 15. Travis Pastrana, one lap led 16. Frankie Muniz 17. Daniel Dye 18. Clay Greenfield 19. Mini Tyrrell 20. Josh Reaume 21. Spencer Boyd 22. Justin Haley, 20 laps led 23. Tanner Gray, 11 laps led 24. Michael McDowell, one lap down, 20 laps led 25. Kris Wright, one lap down 26. Daniel Hemric, one lap down 27. Dawson Sutton, one lap down 28. Taylor Gray, one lap down 29. Grant Enfinger, two laps down 30. Jason Kitzmiller, two laps down 31. Layne Riggs, four laps down, two laps led 32. Jake Garcia, four laps down 33. Jason White, four laps down 34. Corey LaJoie – OUT, Engine 35. Carson Hocevar – OUT, Suspension, Stage 1 winner, 20 laps led 36. Tony Stewart – OUT, Accident 37. Cleetus McFarland – OUT, Accident
With the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season underway, the next event on the schedule is EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, Georgia, for the Fr8 Racing 208. The event is set for Saturday, February 21, at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1, NASCAR Racing Network, and SiriusXM.
Ty Majeski capitalized in his first laps piloting the iconic No. 88 Menards/ThoSport Racing Ford F-150 entry by capturing the pole position for the Fresh from Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, February 13.
The event’s qualifying format consisted of two single-truck qualifying rounds. In the first round, each of the 44 competitors entered to bid for starting spots cycled around Daytona through a single-timed lap. At the conclusion of the first qualifying round, the top-10 fastest competitors transferred to the second and final round, where they each ran a single qualifying lap while battling for the pole position.
During the first qualifying round, Majeski, the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion from Seymour, Wisconsin, posted the fastest lap at 176.675 mph in 51.941 seconds. As a result, he was one of 10 competitors to transfer to the final round. In the latest round, he utilized his speed from the first session to knock Michael McDowell off the top of the qualifying chart and wrap up the pole with a pole-winning lap at 176.883 mph in 50.881 seconds.
With the pole, Majeski notched his 12th Truck Series career pole, his third at Daytona and his first since the 2023 championship event at Phoenix Raceway, the latter of which was where he proceeded to win his first series title.
The 2026 Truck Series season is scheduled to mark Majeski’s fifth consecutive full-time campaign in the series and first piloting the No. 88 Ford F-150 entry for ThorSport Racing, with Majeski assuming the entry over the retired three-time series champion Matt Crafton. As Majeski prepares to commence his pursuit of a second series title, he will first pursue his first series’ victory at Daytona on Friday night to commence the 2026 racing season.
Majeski will share the front row with Michael McDowell, the latter of whom is piloting the No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado RST entry for Spire Motorsports. McDowell, the 2021 Daytona 500 champion from Glendale, Arizona, was the second-highest qualifier following the first session at 176.554 mph in 50.976 seconds. His time during the final session was 50.939 seconds at 176.682 mph.
Tanner Gray, Carson Hocevar and Grant Enfinger qualified in the top five, respectively. Tyler Ankrum, Kaden Honeycutt, Jake Garcia, Giovanni Ruggiero and Chandler Smith, all of whom transferred to the final qualifying session, completed the top-10 starting spots.
Notably, the following drivers, including, Christian Eckes, Cleetus Mitchell, Travis Pastrana, Taylor Gray, Tony Stewart, Justin Haley, Corey LaJoie, John Hunter Nemechek, Brenden Queen, Stewart Friesen, Ben Rhodes, Andres Perez De Lara, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Daniel Hemric, Frankie Muniz and Layne Riggs will start 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 18th, 19th, 22nd, 24th, 27th, 28th, 30th, 32nd and 35th, respectively.
Despite not qualifying inside the top-36 mark, Mini Tyrrell, winner of Kaulig Racing’s ‘Race For the Seat’ reality show, was granted an OEM RAM provisional that will enable him to start the Daytona opener at the tail end of the field in 37th place.
Meanwhile, the remaining competitors that included Bryan Dauzat, Timmy Hill, Justin Carroll, Tyler Tomassi, Norm Begnning, Toni Breidinger and Greg Van Alst did not qualify for the main event.
Qualifying position, Best speed, Best time:
1. Ty Majeski, 176.883 mph, 50.881 seconds
2. Michael McDowell, 176.682 mph, 50.939 seconds
3. Tanner Gray, 176.215 mph, 51.074 seconds
4. Carson Hocevar, 176.084 mph, 51.112 seconds
5. Grant Enfinger, 175.891 mph, 51.168 seconds
6. Tyler Ankrum, 175.860 mph, 51.177 seconds
7. Kaden Honeycutt, 175.682 mph, 51.229 seconds
8. Jake Garcia, 175.562 mph, 51.264 seconds
9. Giovanni Ruggiero, 175.490 mph, 51.285 seconds
10. Chandler Smith, 175.380 mph, 51.317 seconds
11. Christian Eckes, 174.910 mph, 51.455 seconds
12. Cleetus Mitchell, 174.897 mph, 51.459 seconds
13. Travis Pastrana, 174.798 mph, 51.488 seconds
14. Taylor Gray, 174.730 mph, 51.508 seconds
15. Tony Stewart, 174.693 mph, 51.519 seconds
16. Justin Haley, 174.608 mph, 51.544 seconds
17. Clay Greenfield, 174.561 mph, 51.558 seconds
18. Corey LaJoie, 174.557 mph, 51.559 seconds
19. John Hunter Nemechek, 174.466 mph, 51.586 seconds
20. Dawson Sutton, 174.395 mph, 51.607 seconds
21. Jason Kitzmiller, 174.381 mph, 51.611 seconds
22. Brenden Queen, 174.371 mph, 51.614 seconds
23. Cole Butcher, 174.273 mph, 51.643 seconds
24. Stewart Friesen, 174.203 mph, 51.664 seconds
25. Nick Leitz, 174.169 mph, 51.674 seconds
26. Kris Wright, 174.034 mph, 51.714 seconds
27. Ben Rhodes, 174.017 mph, 51.719 seconds
28. Andres Perez De Lara, 173.910 mph, 51.751 seconds
*37. Mini Tyrrell, 173.712 mph, 51.810 seconds (Provisional Used)
The 2026 Fresh from Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway is scheduled to occur on Friday, February 13, and air at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM.
Gus Dean (No. 25 CAB Installers / IMPACT Toyota) earned the pole for Saturday’s ARCA Menards Series General Tire 200 at Daytona International Speedway. Dean turned a lap of 49.133 seconds / 183.176 miles per hour to earn his third career series pole and first since the Illinois State Fairgrounds in 2018. Dean will be looking for his second Daytona win in three seasons on Saturday; he also won at Daytona in 2024.
Dean’s Nitro Motorsports teammate Isabella Robusto (No. 5 Mobil 1 Toyota) will start alongside on the front row after turning in a lap at 49.191 seconds / 182.960 miles per hour. It’s her third career front row start; she earned her first career series pole at Kansas Speedway in 2024 and started second last summer at Michigan International Speedway.
Robusto’s second-place qualifying effort is the best for a female driver in the ARCA Menards Series at Daytona International Speedway since Gracie Trotter started second in 2021.
Hometown hero Daniel Dye (No. 24 Champion Container Ford) qualified third in his first ARCA Menards Series start since 2022. Dye finished 21st in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Daytona in 2025; he finished third in his only ARCA Menards Series start at Daytona in 2022. Sean Corr (No. 8 Nesco / STS / The Trans Group Chevrolet), the 2012 Daytona pole winner, set an identical speed and will start alongside in fourth.
Garrett Mitchell (No. 30 Kenetik Ford), known to his fans as Cleetus McFarland, qualified fifth, with Canadian Derek White (No. 66 MBM Motorsports Ford) in sixth. Bobby Earnhardt (No. 89 SmartGrid Integrations Chevrolet), Timothy “Mini” Tyrrell (No. 17 RAM Trucks Chevrolet), Gio Ruggiero (No. 18 1st Auto Group Toyota) and Robbie Kennealy (No. 41 Jan’s Towing Ford) rounded out the top ten in qualifying.
Jake Bollman (No. 20 SynerFuse Toyota) and Jason Kitzmiller (No. 97 A.L.L. Construction / Carter CAT Chevrolet) both had their times disallowed for being low across the height sticks after qualifying. Both took provisionals and will start the race in row 17.
The ARCA Menards Series returns to Daytona International Speedway in February for the 63rd Annual Daytona ARCA 200. On-track activity starts with practice on Thursday, February 12, with the starting field determined in qualifying on Friday, February 13. The Daytona ARCA 200 is set for noon on Saturday, February 14 and will be televised live on FOX. The race will also be broadcast on select affiliates of the MRN Radio network nationwide and can be heard on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Live timing & scoring data for all on-track activities can be found at ARCARacing.com; follow @ARCA_Racing on X (formerly Twitter) for up-to-the-minute updates.
About ARCA
The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), founded in 1953 by John and Mildred Marcum in Toledo, Ohio, and acquired by NASCAR in April 2018, is the leading grassroots stock car sanctioning body in the United States. Bridging the gap between NASCAR’s top three national touring series and weekly and regional tour racing all across the country, the organization to sanctions over 100 races per year in the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, ARCA Menards Series West, ASA STARS National Tour, ASA CRA Super Series, ASA Midwest Tour, ASA Southern Super Series plus weekly racing at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedways. For more information about ARCA visit , or follow ARCA on Facebook (@ARCARacing) and Twitter (@ARCA_Racing).
About Menards
A family-owned and run company started in 1958, Menards is recognized as the retail home center leader of the Midwest with 236 stores in 15 states. Menards is truly a one-stop shop for all of your home improvement needs featuring a full-service lumberyard and everything you need to plan a renovation or build a home, garage, cabin, shed, deck, fence or post frame building. You’ll find a large selection of lumber, roofing, siding, construction blocks, trusses, doors and windows, plus cabinets, appliances, countertops, flooring, lighting, paint, plumbing supplies and more. To complete the job, Menards has quality hand tools, power tools, fasteners, electrical tools plus storage options and supplies for everyone from the weekend warrior to the pro!
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Menards is known for friendly Customer Service and as the place to “Save Big Money” with low prices every day, and sales too! For more information, please visit Menards.com to learn about our store locations, offerings and services.
