For the first time in five years and only the third time since 2000, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will compete at Watkins Glen International with the Mission 176 at The Glen (Fri., 5 p.m. ET, FS1, NASCAR Racing Network Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) to start NASCAR’s tripleheader weekend.
Current Xfinity Series championship contender Austin Hill won the previous truck race at the iconic New York road course in 2021, fending off now-Cup Series driver John Hunter Nemechek and Hill’s fellow Xfinity Series regular Sheldon Creed for the trophy. You have to rewind the clocks to 2000 for the previous Truck Series race at The Glen, won from pole position by Greg Biffle.
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Returning from a week off, the Truck Series has only two races remaining to set the 10-driver playoff field. Seven drivers have already secured their championship opportunity through victories this season, leaving three positions open to points heading into the weekend.
Tricon Garage’s Corey Heim holds a commanding 143-point lead on Front Row Motorsports’ Chandler Smith for the Regular Season Championship. Grant Enfinger, Kaden Honeycutt and reigning series champion Ty Majeski currently hold the three points positions inside the playoff grid. Majeski is 61 points above Jake Garcia for that 10th playoff entry. A new winner this weekend could certainly dramatically change the playoff outlook.
Front Row Motorsports’ Layne Riggs is coming off his second win in the series’ last three races, claiming the trophy at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park two weeks ago. Heim won the only previous road-course race of the season at Connecticut’s Lime Rock Park.
Four Cup Series drivers are entered this weekend, including Christopher Bell, who will drive the No. 52 Halmar Friesen Racing Toyota for the injured Stewart Friesen. Kyle Busch will pilot the No. 07 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, with Ross Chastain wheeling the No. 44 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet. Chris Buescher, meanwhile, will make his Craftsman Truck Series debut, driving the No. 66 ThorSport Racing Ford.
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Kaden Honeycutt, who has driven for Niece this season, will drive the remainder of the season’s races for the Halmar Friesen team, beginning at Richmond Raceway Aug. 15. Honeycutt and Niece parted ways Aug. 4; Connor Zilisch will fill in for the No. 45 Chevrolet this weekend. Zilisch will do triple duty for the first time in his NASCAR career this weekend.
Practice is at 11:35 a.m. ET Friday, followed immediately by qualifying. FS2 will televise both sessions.
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