NCTS Championship Race – Race Results

Venue: Homestead-Miami Speedway

FINISH: 3rd
Start: 16th
Stage 1: 4th
Stage 2: 2nd
Laps Led: 8
NCTS Point Standings Position: 7th

Hemric Makes Late Season Statement with Podium at Homestead

Daniel Hemric brought down the curtain on the 2026 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks Series (NCTS) campaign with a poignant statement performance at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The driver of the No. 19 NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet Silverado RST finished third, his best result of the Chase, and paced the field for eight laps in Stage 2. Hemric tallied 50 points on the night and ended the season seventh in the standings with four top-five’s and 12 top-10 finishes.

After showing tremendous long-run pace in Thursday night’s practice session, he and the NAPA Auto Care team backed it up with a stout run in the race’s opening 30 laps. Hemric drove from 16th to ninth with a hard charge in the first three laps. Despite a free balance, he powered his way into the top five by lap 21 and claimed fourth position to score seven points at the end of Stage 1 on lap 30.

Crew chief Kevin Bellicourt tuned on the No. 19 Chevrolet with an air pressure change on the first four-tire pit stop of the night under the stage caution. Hemric restarted fifth on lap 38 and made a monster move to immediately obtain second position. He drove to the lead the next circuit on lap 39 and paced the field for eight laps. The NAPA Chevrolet ran out the balance of Stage 2 in second position to earn nine points at lap 60.

Hemric pitted again under the caution but was held back by a hung lug nut during the stop, costing him 10 positions. He restarted 12th on lap 67 but his raw pace was undeniable. Hemric instantly jumped to eighth and drove to fifth before a sequence of green flag pit stops commenced on lap 93. Bellicourt called him to pit on lap 96 and was scored sixth after the cycle was complete.

Shortly thereafter, an unexpected caution flew on lap 105, setting up another batch of pit stops. As five trucks stayed out on old tires, Hemric and most leaders elected to take the final set of fresh rubber. He lined up 11th on lap 114 and immediately took seventh as a multi-truck accident ensued mid pack. The final restart went green on lap 121 and Hemric used the final 14 laps to drive into a podium position to capture a third-place finish.

Daniel Hemric Quote:

“Really just needed track position. I felt like we had a really incredible NAPA Auto Care Chevy Silverado, best truck we’ve had all year to be honest with you. Appreciate the fight. Appreciate the effort. Appreciate the growth. It takes some tough times to figure out where to grow and where to begin the next journey. So, proud of the path we’ve chosen as a company, and that showed there.”

Through nearly 6,000 auto parts stores and over 18,000 auto care centers in the U.S., NAPA has America’s largest network of parts and care. The NAPA Network is supported by nationwide distribution centers with approximately 800,000 available parts, accessories and supplies. Widely recognized for quality parts, rapid availability and knowledgeable people, NAPA Auto Parts stores serve automotive service professionals, do-it-yourselfers and everyday drivers with quality parts, accessories and supplies to keep cars, trucks and equipment performing safely and efficiently. In 2025, NAPA proudly celebrates its 100th anniversary by honoring its innovative spirit and centennial legacy through community initiatives and a renewed commitment to driving the industry forward for the next century. For more information, visit www.napaonline.com.

NCTS Championship Race – Race Results

Venue: Homestead-Miami Speedway

FINISH: 2nd
Start: 17th
Stage 1: 8th
Stage 2: 4th
Laps Led: 46

NCTS Point Standings Position: 5th

Eckes Ends ’26 with Tremendous Drive to Finish Second in Miami

Christian Eckes closed out the 2026 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks Series (NCTS) season with a tremendous drive on Friday night at Homestead-Miami Speedway that resulted in his fourth runner-up finish in the Chase. The driver of the No. 91 NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet Silverado RST led three times for a race-high 46 laps en route to finishing 1.03 seconds away from victory. Eckes ended the ’26 campaign fifth in the NCTS drivers’ standings with 10 top-five’s and 16 top-10 finishes.

Eckes’ outstanding effort on Friday night began from the 17th position as he boldly drove up the leaderboard in the first 30 laps of the finale. Despite a loose condition hampering his NAPA Auto Care Silverado RST, Eckes cracked the top-10 by lap 16, all while having one of the fastest trucks on older tires. As the Stage 1 checker flew at lap 30, Eckes was scored in eighth position and pocketed three points.

Crew chief Dave Elenz armed Eckes with a fresh set of tires, fuel, and an air pressure adjustment during the first stage caution. The NAPA crew gained two spots on pit road and allowed Eckes to select the fifth position for the lap 38 restart. The balance improved during the abbreviated second stint and was scored fourth by lap 60.

Blazing work on the second four-tire pit stop of the night netted Eckes the second spot during the stage caution. He restarted second on lap 67 and took the lead with a thrilling three-wide maneuver. Eckes took control of the race over the next 30 laps before a cycle of green flag stops ensued. Elenz called him to pit road from the lead on lap 98 and the team preserved the race lap through the cycle. A caution on lap 105 instantly changed the event’s complexion and offered the field an opportunity to take a final set of fresh tires.

As five trucks elected to stay out on tires, Eckes and most of the lead trucks pitted for fresh rubber. He restarted fifth on lap 114 and instantly took the race lead on the restart while another caution was triggered mid pack. The event’s final restart came on lap 121 but Eckes was unable to adequately defend the race lead. Ultimately, he ran out of laps to chase down the leader and took the checkered flag in second position.

Christian Eckes Quote:

“They (No. 11 truck) fired off better than us most of the day. He chose a little bit different line than I did in [turns] three and four and that was kind of the end of it. Obviously, really disappointed. I felt like we had the best truck by a good amount, especially after the green flag stop. The caution came out and survived one restart, didn’t survive the second one. Proud of the effort. We made a lot of gains this year. We’ll just move on to next year.”

Through nearly 6,000 auto parts stores and over 18,000 auto care centers in the U.S., NAPA has America’s largest network of parts and care. The NAPA Network is supported by nationwide distribution centers with approximately 800,000 available parts, accessories and supplies. Widely recognized for quality parts, rapid availability and knowledgeable people, NAPA Auto Parts stores serve automotive service professionals, do-it-yourselfers and everyday drivers with quality parts, accessories and supplies to keep cars, trucks and equipment performing safely and efficiently. In 2025, NAPA proudly celebrates its 100th anniversary by honoring its innovative spirit and centennial legacy through community initiatives and a renewed commitment to driving the industry forward for the next century. For more information, visit www.napaonline.com.

NCTS Championship Race – Race Results

Venue: Homestead-Miami Speedway

FINISH: 12th
Start: 32nd
Stage One: 28th
Stage Two: 26th

Massey Rallies to Top-15 Finish in Closing Laps at Homestead

Mason Massey, driver of the No. 20 Babson College Chevrolet Silverado RST started the134-lap event at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) season finale in 32nd after a rough qualifying lap Friday afternoon. The young driver set focus forward early on and had picked up four spots throughout Stage One for a 28th-place finish. Massey reported he was super free everywhere and having are hard time handling the truck through the rear. A quick stop for four fresh tires, fuel and a trackbar adjustment sent him on his way to restart Stage Two 28th.

A calm second stage did not give the driver of the No. 20 Babson College Chevrolet any help as it became extremely difficult to pass. Massey settled for a 26th-place finish in Stage Two and reported that things were starting to feel better but he felt he needed to be a little more free in the center. Another solid stop under yellow allowed the young driver to restart the final laps of the 2026 season in 25th.

Throughout the final stage, green-flag pit stops started to roll but crew chief Dewey Townsend waited as long as he could until a caution came out on lap 106 and the Douglasville, GA native reported that his race truck feels pretty good. The No. 20 stayed out and stayed out to restart 27th with 21 laps to go. Chaos broke out and multiple trucks were collected going into Turn 4 and was followed by yet another caution on the restart. Massey took the chance to come down pit road for a quick stop of four fresh tires and some Sunoco race fuel. Those fresh tires were just what he needed to take off and gain over 10 spots in an impressive closing laps to rally all the way up to 12th to end his 2026 NCTS season at Homestead.”

Mason Massey Quote:

“Super fun night tonight at Homestead. I feel like all night long we just really could not get any track position as it was really hard to pass but I felt like we had really good truck. Those fresher tires helped up there at the end for sure. Huge thanks to all the guys, Bill (McAnally, team owner), Babson College and BRUNT. It has been a fun year, I have learned a lot and I am ready to see what is next. “

NCTS Championship Race – Race Results

Venue: Homestead-Miami Speedway

FINISH: 34th
Start: 18th
Stage One: 14th
Stage Two: 18th
NCTS Playoff Point Standings Position: 10th

Ankrum Gets Collected By Chaos in NCTS Season Finale at Homestead

Tyler Ankrum, driver of the No. 18 LIUNA Chevrolet Silverado RST was forced to end his 2026 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season a few short laps early after getting collected in an incident with 21 laps to go. The young driver started out his night in the 18th position after a tough qualifying run and knew he had some work to do. The field spread fast and Ankrum reported to the team with 10 laps to go that he needed more drive as he sat in the 15th position to later lead into a 14th-place Stage One finish. Along with needing more drive, Ankrum felt super loose in the rear and needed more stability. A slow pit stop for four tires, fuel and a trackbar adjustment sent the young driver back on track in 17th to restart Stage Two.

An uneventful second segment ran it’s course and the handling on the No. 18 Chevrolet continued to lack as the young driver held on for an 18th-place Stage Two finish. Crew chief Mark Hillman called Ankrum down pit road under the stage break for four fresh Goodyear tires with a slight air pressure adjustment and a top off of race fuel. A solid stop gained the San Bernardino, Calif. native three valuable spots on pit road to restart the final laps of the season 15th in line.

Chaos continued to stay minimal as the field ran green for the majority of the stage as green-flag pit stops started to cycle through. The No. 18 came down pit road on lap 97 for four tires and fuel and continued on until a caution just 10 laps later arose. Ankrum was still struggling with handling and came back down pit road under yellow for a solid stop with a handful of adjustments. On the restart, chaos finally broke through and collected the young driver in Turn 4. Ankrum came down pit road for the crew to asses the damage and after multiple attempts and new issues arising, the No. 18 LIUNA Chevrolet was sent to the garage, ending Ankrum’s season a few laps short with a 34th-place finish at Homestead.

Tyler Ankrum Quote:

“Not a all how we wanted to end our season but man, that is just how our season has gone for this No. 18 group. Super proud of these guys all season long and huge thanks to Mark (Hillman, crew chief) on the box and Eddie (D’Hondt) on the roof guiding me through 2026. It has been a fun ride with Bill (McAnally, team owner) and I am super thankful to him and this entire team for allowing me this opportunity. I could not do any of this without the support of LIUNA and Chevrolet and I am looking forward to what is up next for us.”

The Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) partners with public and private entities, elected officials, community groups, and responsible contractors to build and maintain the infrastructure needs of communities throughout the United States and Canada, while providing residents a career in the construction industry. For more information on LIUNA, visit www.liuna.org.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship

Homestead-Miami Speedway

Race Results

Venue: Homestead-Miami Speedway
FINISH: 24th
Start: 29th
NCTS Point Standings Position: 24th

Wright Completes First Full Time Season With MHR

Kris Wright and the No. 81 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing team recorded a 24th-place finish in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. After qualifying 29th, Wright worked his way forward throughout the opening two stages as the team continued making adjustments to improve the handling of the F.N.B. Corporation / A Mother’s Touch Movers Chevrolet Silverado RST.

Wright finished stage one in 26th after reporting a free-handling truck on entry and exit. A chassis adjustment helped the team make progress, moving up to 23rd by the end of stage two. The team made an additional tire pressure adjustment during the stage break, with a strong pit stop gaining two positions and putting Wright 21st for the final stage.

Wright battled through the final 67 laps, working his way back toward the top-20 after dropping back to 25th in the opening laps of stage three. After a long run resulting in green flag pit stops, the No. 81 F.N.B. Corporation / A Mother’s Touch Movers team fell a lap down. The Pittsburgh, Pa. native received the free pass on the lap 104 caution to return to the lead lap and ultimately crossed the finish line 24th, closing out the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season.

Kris Wright Quote:

“I just want to thank everyone on this No. 81 team for all their hard work. This is a special group of guys and I’m glad we could put this season together. I’m very appreciative for the opportunity from Bill McAnally with the help of F.N.B. Corporation, iHeartRadio, Warranty Solutions, A Mother’s Touch [Movers], and everyone else involved.”

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NCTS RACE RECAP: HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY
Event: NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Championship Race (134 laps / 201 miles)
Round: 25 of 25 (Season Finale)
Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway
Location: Homestead, FL
Date & Time: Friday, November 6 | 7:30 PM ET

No. 45 J.F. Electric Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Landen Lewis | Crew Chief: Phil Gould

Start: 14th | Stage 1: 15th | Stage 2: 13th
Finish: 14th | Driver Points: 19th | Owner Points: 10th

• Key Takeaway: Landen Lewis and the J.F. Electric team experienced some close calls and made some great saves in the season finale at Homestead-Miami. Lewis rolled off the starting grid from 14th and rebounded after making a substantial slide in stage one. After a smooth stage two, the No. 45 team made a charge to climb inside the top-10 in the final stage. With less than 20 laps to go, Lewis got clipped in the left-rear and executed another masterful save to hang onto his truck. The rookie kept his cool, pressed on, and crossed the finish line with a respectable result in 14th-place.
• Landen Lewis’ Post-Race Thoughts: Interviewer: Landen Lewis, a hard-fought night. Just how did you feel about tonight overall?

“Overall, I thought, well, it’s my first time here, so I had a lot of learning to do throughout the first stage and made good gains. I feel like we ended up like 13th or 14th in stage one and had really good pit stops all night long. They did a great job on pit road and got me the track position. We were running right there inside the top-10 and I was really happy. Obviously, we want to go win and go run around the top-three, but you’ve got to build the stepping stones first before you start running.

I was really happy with everything how it was going, and then with how that cycle worked at the very end, there were a couple trucks that stayed out on older tires and it kind of jumbled everybody up and put me in a bad spot. We almost wrecked in turn three, had a good save, and at that point obviously the tires were just junked. But overall, it’s just a great night and I’m so proud of this J.F. Electric Chevrolet. Niece Motorsports, Phil Gould, and everyone just welcomed me in all year long by giving me good trucks and getting me the experience that I need. Again, I’m proud to be a part of this team, and I just can’t wait to build.”

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.

No. 4 Niece Equipment Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Connor Hall | Crew Chief: Mike Shiplett

Start: 11th | Stage 1: 21st | Stage 2: 21st
Finish: 18th | Driver Points: 38th | Owner Points: 33rd

• Key Takeaway: Connor Hall and the Niece Equipment team maintained a smooth evening at Homestead-Miami. Hall qualified the highest out of his teammates in 11th-place, displaying a solid pace. The No. 4 Chevrolet slid back to 21st in both stage one and two, but Hall kept his team in the fight as he gained valuable experience. After making adjustments ahead of the final stage, Hall developed an issue which hindered his ability to extract the full potential out of his truck. He drove smart through the end of the race and closed the season with an 18th-place result.
• Connor Hall’s Post-Race Thoughts: “After practice last night and after qualifying earlier today, I thought we were pretty good. I felt like maybe we could be a 10th to 12th-place truck, but I don’t know. Just right from the start, it fired off a little different than I expected. As it turned out, we figured out that we had something going south in the rear end and just had to manage the expectations of what we were able to accomplish. When we found that issue, I didn’t want to try and overstep by trying too hard and put myself in a compromising situation, especially after some of the lessons I learned at Kansas. I’m very thankful that I got to run all these races this year with Niece Motorsports. Huge thanks to Al Niece and Niece Equipment, Greg Fowler and Cory Darr with J.F. Electric, Josh Morris with DQS Solutions & Staffing, Cody Efaw, Jason Wilson, Mike Shiplett, and everyone on my No. 4 team for their hard work this year.”

About Niece Equipment: For over 40 years, Niece Equipment has provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Our reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. Each of our water and fuel/lube trucks are engineered with quality and durability in mind. Our capability ranges from 2,000 gallon water trucks to 12,000 gallon water towers. The fuel/lube trucks we offer range from 600 to 4,000 gallons.

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

Start: 25th | Stage 1: 27th | Stage 2: 28th
Finish: 21st | Driver Points: 29th | Owner Points: 24th

• Key Takeaway: Tyler Reif and the Utilitra team made gains throughout the race at Homestead-Miami. Starting in 25th, Reif ran conservatively early in the first two stages. The No. 42 team made handling changes to set up for the final stage, and Reif was in position to nab a solid result. On a late restart, Reif found himself in a treacherous situation as a wreck occurred directly in front of him, but minimized the damage after making slight contact with another truck. The rookie was able to stay on track and drove to a 21st-place finish to end the season.
• Tyler Reif’s Post-Race Thoughts: “I thought tonight went really well overall. I think we came here with one goal, and that was just to learn and get better for next year. I don’t think that we had a top-10 run, but I would say we had potential to make it a top-12 or top-15 run tonight. We were up there on one of the last restarts when the No. 15 (Tanner Gray) and the No. 18 (Tyler Ankrum) got together in front of me and I had nowhere to go. We lost some spots there, then got caught out behind some guys on old tires. There were a lot of positives to take away from tonight. Definitely more positives than negatives, so I’m going to come out of here with that positive attitude and put it in the notebook to come back stronger next year.”

About Utilitra: Utilitra is a woman-owned firm specializing in utility and technology solutions with a diverse team of specialized professionals. Utilitra is committed to solving their client’s unique challenges, whether one expert or a team of experts is needed. By adapting to the needs of their respective industries, Utilitra has built a range of services for their utility and technology partners.

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

Start: 22nd | Stage 1: 18th | Stage 2: 15th
Finish: 33rd | Driver Points: 16th | Owner Points: 22nd

• Key Takeaway: Andrés Pérez de Lara and the Freeway Insurance team were sidelined through no fault of their own in the season finale at Homestead-Miami. Pérez de Lara started the race in 22nd, but moved forward in every run. The team was poised for a solid result but became victims of circumstance after hitting oil when another truck lost its engine late in the event. After making repairs, Pérez de Lara was in the process of working his way back through the field when a multi-truck crash unfolded directly in front of him on lap 115. Unfortunately, he was unable to avoid the spinning trucks and received heavy damage. The No. 44 was forced out of the race, crediting Pérez de Lara with a 33rd-place finish.
• Andrés Pérez de Lara’s Post-Race Thoughts:

Interviewer: Andrés Pérez, it looked like you had a decent night going. What happened there in that incident at the end?

“Yeah, I think it was just a decent night. We had decent speed, but were definitely just needing a little bit more. When the No. 77 (Nick Sanchez) leaked oil on the racetrack, I hit the wall after running through it. We restarted in the back after making repairs, then just ran into the other big incident with the No. 15 (Tanner Gray) and the No. 45 (Landen Lewis). I had nothing to do with it; they just came up the track. We had just a little bit too much damage to continue, so I hated to end the season like that, but that’s how the night went.

Interviewer: How do you feel about your season overall?

“Well, I think this year’s story is the same as this race. I feel like we have had some really good pace throughout the year, but probably didn’t finish most of the races where we deserved. Just very bad luck. We just had really bad breaks, and that’s how I feel, right? I feel like there was a lot of potential, but I just wish we could have explored it a little bit more. I’m just really thankful for all of the work my guys did, Niece Motorsports, Freeway Insurance, Acceptance Insurance, Telcel, just a lot of people to thank. I’ll take all the learnings and move on for next year.”

About Freeway Insurance: Built for drivers who like to do things their way, Freeway Insurance makes it easy to compare options, choose coverage that fits your ride and your budget, and save. With a simple click, call, or come in approach, we help drivers stay in control and keep moving forward. From auto and truck to motorcycle, homeowners, renters, and more, Freeway offers coverage designed for every journey. Compare. Choose. Save Freeway, Your Way.

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 Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Championship Race — Homestead-Miami Speedway
Friday, November 6, 2026

FORD WINS 2026 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP

• Ford captured this year’s manufacturers’ championship thanks in part to 11 series wins by three drivers.
• Layne Riggs led the way with seven while Chandler Smith had three and Jake Garcia one.
• All six full-time Ford drivers representing Front Row Motorsports and ThorSport Racing scored manufacturer points by being the top finisher in at least one race.
• Here’s a breakdown of Ford’s top finisher by race:
• Layne Riggs (11): St. Petersburg, Darlington, Rockingham, Charlotte 1, Nashville, Michigan, San Diego, Indianapolis, Loudon, Charlotte 2, Phoenix
• Chandler Smith (5): Daytona, Bristol, Watkins Glen, North Wilkesboro, Martinsville
• Ben Rhodes (3): Atlanta, Texas, Kansas
• Ty Majeski (3): Dover, Talladega, Homestead
• Jake Garcia (2): Richmond, Bristol
• Cole Butcher (1): Lime Rock
• This marks the third manufacturers’ title for Ford and the first since 2000.
• Ford’s other championship came in 1999 after posting a season-high 12 wins.
• F-150 has been the only truck to compete in the series for Ford and has won 140 all-time races.

QUOTING MARK RUSHBROOK, GLOBAL DIRECTOR, FORD RACING:

“Our Ford Racing engineers have worked hard with our race teams throughout this year and it’s great to see all of that pay off with this manufacturers’ championship. This was truly a team effort and something we’ll celebrate with our global Ford employees, especially those who build the F-150 at the Dearborn Truck Plant. Racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is important to us because we know a lot of the fans who are in the grandstands every weekend get there in an F-Series truck, so to be able and share something like this with them feels good.”

Ford Finishing Results:

4th – Ty Majeski

7th – Chandler Smith

8th – Jake Garcia

13th – Ben Rhodes

17th – Timmy Hill

22nd – Cole Butcher

25th – Matt Crafton

28th – Frankie Muniz

31st – Clayton Green

32nd – Layne Riggs

LAYNE RIGGS, No. 34 Love’s Travel Stops/Fleetguard Ford F-150 – WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT AFTER SEEING THAT HAPPEN SO EARLY IN THE RACE? “I’m thinking about how great of a season we had all year long. I don’t really know what happened there at the beginning. I felt like it kind of happened out of nowhere. I thought I was all good, but the next thing I knew I’m sideways and in the 77. I have no clue exactly what happened, but I had plenty of time riding around about 10 laps down to think about my day today, my year leading up to it. Of course, I’m disappointed about this one race, but, at the same time, I’m just so proud that I was even in a position to walk out on the stage before the race and had the potential at a championship. We knew we were gonna have to execute an almost perfect race and I think it was like lap two or three and, all of a sudden, that was out the window. I’m just proud of everybody on the team and the year that we had. We were there all the way to the end. We had speed all year long, but we just didn’t have the consistency that we needed to be champions.”

IS IT MORE DISAPPOINTING THAT ONCE THE TIRE ISSUE HAPPENED YOU DIDN’T HAVE A CHANCE TO BATTLE TO THE END? “I just know that when I had the tire issue, it was going down that entire run and I was losing spots and I just knew that no matter what I wasn’t ever gonna have a chance to know what we were gonna have or even if we were gonna have a shot.”

HOW DOES THIS SITUATION COMPARE TO DIFFERENT POINTS IN YOUR CAREER? “I think that racing is a hole. You have a lot more disappointing days than you have exciting days. Today just wasn’t that exciting day for us and, like I said before, I knew that it was gonna be a Hail Mary to get the job done. The pressures weren’t even up on the tires yet and we were already out of contention and never knew what the balance was gonna be, never knew how fast our truck was gonna be. I look at it as we blew up on lap two or three just from a notes standpoint. We don’t really know what we were gonna have, so that’s what is more disappointing for me.”

YOU AND KADEN WILL BE BACK NEXT YEAR. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT HAVING ANOTHER SHOT AT IT? “Every year that you get to race and you have a shot to be competitive or a shot to win a championship that’s just where you want to be as a race car driver. When you’re running in the back it’s very difficult, but when you’re up front and you’re winning races, you’re competitive, you’re on TV, I have a media scrum with 15 of you people here. You just have to look at the positives and know that I’m very fortunate to be in the spot that I’m in.”

WHAT HAPPENED ON LAP TWO? “I don’t really know. I need to watch the replay. I was under the 77. I thought that I had some gap off of him and the next thing I knew I was getting sucked around sideways and into him, so no clue from my end.”

YOU JUST RUN IT OUT FROM THERE EVEN IF YOU THINK THE TIRE IS GOING TO BLOW? “Yeah. I mean, you’re just riding around at that point.”

HONEYCUTT CLAIMS TRUCK SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP
Toyota Development Driver claims second straight title for Toyota, 11^th overall

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (November 6, 2026) – Kaden Honeycutt made the pass for the win on the final restart and claimed his fifth win of the season and his first NASCAR Truck Series championship. It is the second straight title for Toyota and TRICON Garage and 11^th overall. 

The Toyota Development Driver returns to the seat of the No. 11 Toyota Tundra at Daytona in February. 

TOYOTA RACING Post-Race Recap
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS)
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Race 25 of 25 – 201 Miles, 234 Laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS 

1st, KADEN HONEYCUTT

2nd, Christian Eckes* 

3rd, Daniel Hemric* 

4th, Ty Majeski* 

5th, STEWART FRIESEN

6th, COREY HEIM

11th, GIO RUGGIERO 

26th, SPENCER DAVIS

27th, TANNER GRAY

29th, LELAND HONEYMAN JR.

*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

KADEN HONEYCUTT, No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

Finishing Position: 1st

What does this mean to you? 

“This is team is a freaking hall of fame team. Scott Zipadelli is the best damn crew chief on pit road, and he is the best man out there. He’s just not a hall of fame crew chief; he’s a hall of fame man. He’s done nothing but mentor me and make me better each and every week. This is amazing. I’ve worked so damn hard to be here. Thank you to every owner. Thank you to everyone who has let drive their race car for them, whether it was dirt, asphalt, road course, it didn’t matter. That is because of you guys. I am sitting right here with this group behind me as champions.” 

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

Finishing Position: 5th

Can you describe your race at Homestead tonight? 

“We were like sixth or seventh most of the race there, and solid qualifying effort. Just lacked a little bit of forward drive on the long runs, but got to mix it up there with the boys there at the end. Good to be back battling, just needed a little more from the truck. I’m proud of the whole Halmar team. The last few weeks have been extremely tough, but to go into the offseason on an okay note, you always want more, but top-fives are a decent way to get the ball rolling for next year. 

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.

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (November 6, 2026) – TRICON Garage’s Kaden Honeycutt captured the 2026 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) championship after winning Friday night’s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This is the first championship of Honeycutt’s young career, the second consecutive for TRICON Garage and marks Toyota’s 11th driver’s title in the Truck Series.

TOYOTA FAST FACTS

• En-route to the 2026 Truck Series championship, Honeycutt accrued five wins, 16 top-five finishes and 19 top-10s across 25 races. His top-five and top-10 numbers ranked the best in the series.
• Honeycutt claimed victories at Watkins Glen International, Richmond Raceway, Kansas Speedway, Phoenix Raceway and Homestead-Miami Speedway.
• Honeycutt signed a driver development deal and moved over to Toyota in August 2025. Competing for Toyota-supported Halmar-Friesen Racing, Honeycutt finished third overall in the final championship standings before moving to TRICON Garage beginning with the 2026 season.
• 2025 was the fifth season Honeycutt competed in the Truck Series and his second full-time campaign.
• Honeycutt will return to defend his Truck Series championship in 2027, continuing to pilot the No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra for TRICON Garage.
• The 23-year-old Texas native is the ninth Tundra driver to win a championship. He joins the likes of Corey Heim (2025), Ben Rhodes (2021), Brett Moffitt (2018), Christopher Bell (2017), Erik Jones (2015), Matt Crafton (2013 and 2014), Todd Bodine (2006, 2010) and Johnny Benson (2008), who have also captured Truck Series titles for Toyota.
• Scott Zipadelli is the first crew chief in Truck Series history to win the championship with three different drivers – Brett Moffitt, Corey Heim and now Honeycutt.
• Toyota has scored a total of 257 victories since joining NCTS competition in 2004, and Honeycutt’s win was the 699th win in Toyota’s tenure in NASCAR.

TOYOTA QUOTES

KADEN HONEYCUTT, No. 11 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, TRICON Garage

“This is team is a freaking hall of fame team. Scott Zipadelli is the best damn crew chief on pit road, and he is the best man out there. He’s just not a hall of fame crew chief; he’s a hall of fame man. He’s done nothing but mentor me and make me better each and every week. This is amazing. I’ve worked so damn hard to be here. Thank you to every owner. Thank you to everyone who has let drive their race car for them, whether it was dirt, asphalt, road course, it didn’t matter. That is because of you guys. I am sitting right here with this group behind me as champions.”

PAUL DOLESHAL, general manager, motorsports and sponsorships, Toyota Motor North America (TMNA)

“Kaden is the epitome of hard work and dedication to your craft paying off in the biggest way. Everyone at Toyota and TRD knew Kaden had the ability to win races and championships when we signed him to his contract just 15 months ago, and he has delivered in every capacity. We could not be more pleased to see Kaden, his wife, Jessica, and his entire family celebrate this well-deserved title. Toyota and TRD are also thrilled for everyone at our partner team, TRICON Garage, who continue to showcase why they are the premier organization in the Truck Series. We are excited to help Kaden celebrate this incredible achievement and know he has everything in place to deliver a repeat performance in 2027.”