In almost all likelihood, the fight for the NASCAR Truck Series championship will be between Layne Riggs and Kaden Honeycutt, although there are recent indications that a third player could enter the contest.
For example, in the O’Reilly Series, Sheldon Creed has become the new championship leader after securing a first and second place in the first two events of this nine-race series. Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin, the top favorite, continues to lead the Cup Series standings, despite two mediocre results that make the championship more open than many expected.
In the Truck Series, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to think that former champions like Ben Rhodes and Ty Majeski could make a run for the win, although their team, ThorSport Racing, has not been as competitive this season.
“We’re far from our best moment,” Majeski stated. “I won’t hide it. There are areas where we need to improve. I believe our potential is present. We have shown we have winning speed at several tracks, but it’s not enough at just a few tracks. We need to find consistency.”
The last time a ThorSport team won a race was Majeski in the 2024 championship, in an elimination format. How can this be, Ben Rhodes, two-time champion?
“I wish I could identify one single thing and say: ‘This is it’ but in certain cases, I can state that it’s a matter of execution,” commented Rhodes. “There have been self-inflicted and other errors, as well as bad luck this year. But you can’t use that as an excuse not to seek more speed. We always need to be on the lookout. That’s what competition is all about.”
As for Daniel Hemric, the champion of the Truck Series in 2021, he has considerable experience in pressure situations.
“Experience will play an important role for any driver who has competed under similar circumstances throughout their career,” Hemric said. “You’re trying to put together your best weeks, week after week, and I think that’s crucial for all of those who have lived through such situations.”
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
Really, this season has been focused on the big three: Riggs, Honeycutt, and Smith. They have combined for 10 wins in the 18 races run so far, with six, two, and two respectively.
At the same time, Honeycutt and Smith have more top-10s than Riggs, which could be vital in these seven Chase Championship races. Riggs will start with a 25-point advantage, but he has learned from Hamlin and Justin Allgaier that this doesn’t mean much.
“This shows that 25 points are not much, even though they seem like a nice advantage,” Riggs stated. “Believing that being passive during the Chase will win the championship. Many people say that the winner might not win any race during the Chase.”
Honeycutt, on the other hand, aims to win races but takes a calmer approach, hoping that others lose points with their aggressiveness. “I think I need to be consistent; we’ve seen how the last Cup races have been totally unpredictable,” Honeycutt said. “If we execute what we need to do and focus less on the points and more on winning, everything will sort itself out.”
Another advantage for Honeycutt is his crew chief, Scott Zipadelli, who has been key in Corey Heim’s recent success. “Scott has helped me a lot with my racing technique and he has done a lot outside of NASCAR that has led me to win races,” Honeycutt concluded.
Smith believes he’s been just a couple of mistakes away from winning the regular season championship. “I truly believe that. Now we are 35 points away and if we look at the last races, we have managed to cut that deficit. Without those two races, it would have been a great regular season finale with a battle between Layne and me; but Layne won both.”
Honeycutt, for his part, is focusing on his own performance. “Honestly, I don’t compare myself to anyone. I compete with 35 trucks on the track each week,” he said. “Our goal is to win, and the points will sort themselves out.”
Riggs, for his part, appreciates being seen as the favorite. “I like it because that’s everyone’s goal,” Riggs stated. “Who doesn’t want to be number one with a target on their back? I’m not on defense; I keep hunting for a bigger points advantage.”
Other contenders
Christian Eckes and Giovanni Ruggiero also need to be considered, who will drive competitive trucks during the next races. Eckes, who hasn’t won this year yet, feels free to play with an advantage. “It doesn’t affect us, on the contrary, we’re in a position where we have nothing to lose,” Eckes stated.
The schedule includes races that seem like trap rounds, such as Bristol, Talladega, and Martinsville, before the title decision at Homestead-Miami. The Big One at Talladega could take out any of the main contenders, making the last two races a fierce battle.
The big three drivers are the most powerful, but it wouldn’t be strange for any of them to pull off a spectacular race over the next seven weeks.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
SourceID: SRC_e920837d9f9da031f987d4ceee75ec497ce635aa