After two weeks off, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Collection returns to motion Friday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (9 p.m. ET, FS1, NASCAR Racing Community Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) to kick off three consecutive weeks of on-track motion. The opening two races offered no scarcity of story traces, so let’s get caught up earlier than the Truck Collection’ lone go to to Sin Metropolis in 2025.
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Only one driver has a assured playoff spot
Tricon Storage’s Corey Heim is the one driver to safe a spot within the playoffs thus far, and it got here in an anti-climatic, shock style. Crossing the road second within the season opener at Daytona Worldwide Speedway, NASCAR officers declared Heim the winner after the Henderson Motorsports entry pushed by for being too low within the rear. The staff appealed, however on Feb. 20.
Heim earned his twelfth profession victory, marking his fourth consecutive successful season within the Truck Collection. In the meantime, the disqualification denied Kligerman what would have been his fourth profession victory. Kligerman is racing part-time within the Truck Collection this season whereas he calls Xfinity Collection races on The CW.
Two-time Cup Collection champion gained at Atlanta Motor Speedway every week later, denying Stewart Friesen a victory and playoff berth in an exciting picture end.
Grant Enfinger tops the standings
Driving early season consistency, Grant Enfinger has a one-point benefit over reigning collection champion Ty Majeski. With a pair of prime 10s — together with a fourth-place end at Daytona — Enfinger leads the collection with 25 stage factors, 4 greater than Majeski and Jack Wooden. His common operating place of 8.4 additionally leads the collection, a formidable quantity after two drafting tracks.
Majeski additionally has a pair of prime 10s together with his finest end of third coming at Daytona. Chandler Smith, who’s again within the Truck Collection after two Xfinity Collection seasons, is third in factors — simply 5 markers again of Enfinger. Heim (minus-16) and two-time champion Ben Rhodes (minus-19) spherical out the highest 5.
It’s actually early, however coming off consecutive Championship 4 appearances, Enfinger has proven he has the pace in 2025 to make it a trifecta.
Early season surprises
It’s arduous to look past Gio Ruggiero as one of the spectacular story traces to start the 2025 season. The Tricon Storage rookie has completed inside the highest 11 in each races to this point, together with a runner-up end at Daytona — the place he led 11 laps earlier than in the end falling brief to Heim. Transitioning from late fashions, the 18-year-old has restricted expertise in big-bodied inventory automobiles with simply 10 ARCA Menards Collection begins. He ran the total ARCA East marketing campaign final 12 months, however his victory at 5 Flags Speedway and 5 prime fives went below the radar to rising Xfinity Collection stars William Sawalich and Connor Zilisch. To this point, he’s proving his value within the Truck Collection.
Whereas each have a number of years of expertise in Vans, Jake Garcia and Wooden are off to stable begins — sitting ninth and tenth in factors, respectively. Garcia, driver of the No. 13 Ford for ThorSport Racing, has two top-12 finishes however has but to earn any stage factors. Wooden is on the opposite finish of the spectrum, failing to report a prime 20 thus far for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. Each drivers are searching for their first profession playoff appearances.
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Who to keep watch over in Las Vegas
Listed here are some drivers to concentrate to throughout Friday’s 134-lapper in Las Vegas.
RAJAH CARUTH: It’s been a dismal first two races for Caruth, who wrecked out at each Daytona and Atlanta and sits thirtieth in factors. However because the defending winner at Las Vegas, it could possibly be an awesome alternative for the Spire Motorsports driver to rapidly flip his season round.
DANIEL HEMRIC: Coming off a Cup Collection season with Kaulig Racing, Hemric has large expectations this season with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. In his first Truck Collection marketing campaign since 2016, Las Vegas units up properly for the 34-year-old. He completed nineteenth in each Cup begins final 12 months and has eight prime 10s in 11 Xfinity begins on the 1.5-mile oval.
LAYNE RIGGS: A two-time winner final 12 months, Riggs hasn’t completed higher than thirteenth within the first two races this season. Sitting twelfth in factors, intermediates are a spot for enchancment for the second-year driver as he had only one prime 10 (second in Kansas fall race) at that kind of monitor final 12 months. If Riggs desires to contend for the title this 12 months, he wants extra consistency at bigger tracks — and he can show that this weekend.
MATT CRAFTON: Outdoors of a stage victory at Daytona, it’s been robust sledding thus far for the three-time collection champion. He sits twentieth in factors and is approaching a winless streak of practically 5 years. However in 28 profession races at Las Vegas, Crafton has 11 prime fives and a median end of 10.9. Friday could possibly be an awesome alternative for the 48-year-old to get again on the board for ThorSport.
CONNOR MOSACK: In his first full-time NASCAR marketing campaign, Mosack has proven his uncooked expertise and pace. He gained the pole at Atlanta and led 30 laps earlier than in the end ending twenty fifth. He completed third at Homestead-Miami Speedway final 12 months, and whereas his outcomes at Las Vegas may not go the attention take a look at, Mosack — who’s usually acknowledged as a road-course ringer — could possibly be a driver to gamble on Friday night time.
Three races, three weeks
Friday’s race at Las Vegas kicks off a stretch of three races in three weeks for the Truck Collection. After a visit out west, the vehicles head to Homestead-Miami Speedway — slotted within the common season for the primary time since 2021.
Kyle Larson will compete in a Spire Motorsports truck as he seems to drag off a uncommon tripleheader weekend, additionally driving for Hendrick Motorsports within the Xfinity and Cup Collection. Enfinger, who clinched a spot within the Championship 4 at Homestead final 12 months, will look to defend his victory within the first of three races featured on FOX.
Afterward, the Truck Collection makes its first cease at Martinsville Speedway for a Friday night time duel below the lights. It’ll function an vital take a look at for the collection regulars as Martinsville is certainly one of simply two tracks in each the common season and postseason. William Byron will make a begin for Spire, whereas younger Modified star will make his NASCAR nationwide collection debut.
