It is very likely that the fight for the NASCAR Truck Series championship will be between Layne Riggs and Kaden Honeycutt, but recent signs suggest that other surprise competitors may emerge.
For example, in the O’Reilly Series, Sheldon Creed is now the championship leader after securing a first and second place in the first two races of the nine-race playoff. Meanwhile, the first-placed Denny Hamlin remains the points leader of the Cup Series, despite two mediocre results; this competition is more open than initially expected.
In the Truck Series, it would not be unreasonable to think that former champions Ben Rhodes and Ty Majeski could pose a threat, even though their team, ThorSport Racing, has not been particularly competitive this season.
“We are certainly below our expectations,” Majeski stated. “I won’t hide it. There are areas where we need to improve. I think our potential is there. We have shown we have speed to win at some tracks, but that’s not enough. We need to find that consistency.”
Majeski continued by saying, “we need to make sure our bad days are between fifth and seventh place. Right now, our bad days tend to be more around eleventh to twelfth. We have to raise our level and put ourselves in better positions to win. If you only position yourself to win in five or six races, it’s hard to win one. You have to do it consistently to really compete for the championships and for wins.”
The last time a ThorSport team won a race was with Majeski’s victory in the elimination format championship race in 2024. How is this possible, two-time champion Ben Rhodes?
“I wish I could pinpoint one thing and say ‘This is it’ but in certain cases I can comment that it’s an execution issue,” Rhodes said. “There have been mistakes on my part or from others and also bad luck this year. But we can’t use that as an excuse to not look for more speed. We always have to seek it. That’s what competition entails.”
Regarding the 2021 Truck Series champion, Daniel Hemric, who lacks experience under pressure, commented: “Experience will play an important role for those who have competed in similar circumstances throughout their careers. You’re trying to stack your best weeks consecutively.”
Current Standings
Layne Riggs
Kaden Honeycutt -25
Chandler Smith -35
Christian Eckes -40
Giovanni Ruggiero -45
Ty Majeski -50
Grant Enfinger -55
Daniel Hemric -60
Ben Rhodes -65
Tyler Ankrum -70
In practice, this season has been dominated by the top three drivers: Riggs, Honeycutt, and Smith. They have collectively won 10 of the 18 races held so far. At the same time, Honeycutt and Smith have more top-10 finishes than Riggs, which could prove vital in the short Chase for the championship. Riggs will start with a 25-point advantage, but he has learned that this doesn’t mean much.
“This shows that 25 points are nothing, even though it seems like a good advantage,” Riggs said. “I believe that being passive during the Chase won’t guarantee you a championship win. Many say that ‘Oh, the winner may not win any races during the Chase.’ That won’t happen. The championship winner will win, I would say, at least two races if they want to have a chance. Being passive and finishing consistently in the top five won’t win a championship.”
Honeycutt, for his part, seeks to win races but takes a more conservative approach, hoping that others will lose points with his attitude.
“I think I just need to be consistent, and we’ve seen how the last Cup races have changed drastically for most drivers,” Honeycutt said. “I believe that if we simply execute and don’t worry so much about points, but focus on winning, everything will work out.”
The advantage Honeycutt has is that his crew chief is Scott Zipadelli, who has led Corey Heim’s success in the last three seasons.
Other Potential Contenders
Christian Eckes, fourth in the standings, is one of the most experienced drivers in the division and Gio Ruggiero, fifth, drives trucks of the same caliber as Honeycutt at Tricon Garage. Eckes has not won this season, which leaves him with the mindset to compete without pressure. “It’s not affecting us at all. If anything, it allows us to compete without the fear of losing because we are not the favorites,” Eckes said.
Grant Enfinger was close to winning the championship in 2023, and Tyler Ankrum is the most experienced driver in the Truck Series, who has overcome difficulties to qualify for the Chase.
“We can do it,” Enfinger stated emphatically.
The schedule includes several races that are perceived as unpredictable rounds in Bristol, Talladega, and Martinsville before the title is decided in Homestead-Miami. The notorious ‘Big One’ at Talladega could eliminate the top three contenders, making the last two races a real challenge.
Among the three main drivers, all are competitive, but it would not be surprising to see someone emerge in the next seven weeks.
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
