It has been a rather unique few weeks for NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series.
As usual, driver changes have been widespread across multiple teams leading into the series’ final regular-season race at Richmond, where the final three playoff spots are up for grabs this weekend.
Kaden Honeycutt looks poised to secure at least one of those final spots as he begins his title quest with his new team, Halmar-Friesen Racing. Meanwhile, a pair of teammates, Jake Garcia and Ben Rhodes, currently hold the last two playoff positions and will try to fend off Tricon’s Gio Ruggerio.
That said, the one consistent factor this season has been six-time winner Corey Heim. Heim, who will run double duty at Richmond in both the Trucks and Cup Series, has been on a tear, winning two of the last three races. The current points leader will be seeking another victory before the playoffs begin at Darlington.
With that, let’s dive into some of the top storylines heading into the weekend.
Driver carousel
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is known for its constantly changing landscape, with many drivers destined to move up to the Xfinity Series and potentially the NASCAR Cup Series.
However, recent changes in driver-team pairings have created a hotbed of storylines heading into the playoffs.
One notable change came a few weeks ago when Stewart Friesen suffered injuries in a dirt track racing incident in New York. Friesen locked himself into the playoffs back in June with his win at Michigan, a feel-good story for the Truck Series veteran. Unfortunately, due to the severity of his injuries, the owner-driver will be sidelined for the remainder of 2025, missing his chance to compete for a title.
Although Friesen’s championship hopes are dashed, the addition of Kaden Honeycutt still gives Halmar-Friesen Racing a chance to fight for the title. Honeycutt, who was released by Niece Motorsports due to his move to a new team/OEM, will have competed for three teams by the end of the 2025 season, including a one-off start at Watkins Glen last week with Young’s Motorsports. Once released by Niece, Honeycutt quickly became a hot commodity, potentially setting up one of the wildest championship stories if he can capture the season crown.
The final major driver move involves Niece Motorsports adding a driver from Spire. Andres Perez De Lara, who currently sits 17th in points, was also released from his contract this afternoon as the team condenses its operations for the rest of 2025. With De Lara gone, former Cup Series driver Corey LaJoie is set to pilot the #77 for the remainder of the season, while De Lara seeks new opportunities. Although neither driver is currently in contention to make the playoffs on points, the move adds to what has been a chaotic shift in the series. De Lara, the 2024 ARCA Menards Series champion, will now look for a new home in 2026 as he aims to make his first Truck Series playoff appearance.
Truck Series playoff picture
The playoff picture remains tight heading into the Truck Series regular season finale at Richmond. Garcia and Rhodes are separated by just 11 points, with Garcia holding the slight edge as Friday night’s race approaches.
Despite that, the last few races haven’t gone in Garcia’s favor as the driver of the #13 Ford F-150 for ThorSport chases his first-ever Truck Series Round of 10 appearance. Meanwhile, two-time Truck Series champion Ben Rhodes has experienced an up-and-down season but has managed two top-five finishes in recent races.
Sitting just outside the battle between teammates is Gio Ruggiero, who has shown promise with two top-five finishes in the last three events. As a Tricon driver, Ruggiero could be a dark horse for the final playoff spot, especially with Tricon’s strong presence this season backed by Heim’s stellar run.
However, with the “win and you’re in” format, the points battle might become irrelevant if a new winner emerges at Richmond. This playoff dynamic sets the stage for an intriguing race filled with strategic calls and bold moves as teams fight to secure their place in the title hunt.