Chandler Smith wins Daytona Truck race in unreal f...

Chandler Smith was operating sixth getting into Flip 3, however he ended the night time holding the checkered flag. He didn’t profit from a wreck, however as an alternative made a dramatic four-wide go for the lead as the sector drag-raced to the end line. He beat runner-up Gio Ruggiero to the road by 0.044s, and simply 0.069s separated your complete high 5 in the long run.

John-Hunter Nemechek had the lead exiting the ultimate nook, however ended up ending fifth. Ruggiero made an aggressive transfer to the skin, slamming doorways with Christian Eckes. Nemechek tried to defend, chasing them as much as the observe, and he had no concept that Smith was quickly approaching with Ty Majeski connected to his rear bumper.

He accomplished the four-wide go for the win, and was going so quick that he almost cleared all three vehicles by the point he reached the end line.

On the line, it was Smith, Ruggiero, Eckes, Majeski, and Nemechek inside the highest 5. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. completed sixth, Brenden Queen led the best way for Ram’s new Truck effort in seventh, Kaden Honeycutt was eighth, Tyler Ankrum ninth, and Stewart Friesen tenth.

“First off, I wish to shout out all glory to God,” mentioned Smith after climbing from the truck. “With out Him, none of this could be doable. And I’m tremendous, tremendous grateful that I serve such a loving God that blessed me with such group of women and men round me at Entrance Row Motorsports.

“Ty Majeski, certainly one of my greatest 4 teammates I’ve ever labored with. He’s all credit score to how we simply received that race in truth. He stayed dedicated to a Ford and pushed a blue oval to a win.

“Have some folks again at residence that is struggling slightly bit. Rory Smith, buddy, I do know we talked about perhaps making it to the Daytona 500, however hopefully this does slightly higher justice for you. Actually completely happy we received a trophy right here. That is our first ever NASCAR race, and was debating on in the event that they have been going to do extra. Hopefully these guys, I do know they’re elevating Cain up within the stands proper now, having a good time.

“Simply tremendous, tremendous grateful for everyone on this No. 38 Ford F-150 group. We made some adjustments within the low season. I felt like final 12 months everyone for probably the most half is aware of how this 38 group got here collectively final 12 months, however we constructed on it and made this group so a lot better for this 12 months, and I am so excited for 2026.”

As for another fan favorites, Travis Pastrana positioned fifteenth, Frankie Muniz sixteenth, whereas each Tony Stewart and Cleetus McFarland wrecked out within the first half of the race.

Phases 1 and a couple of

The sphere instantly went three-wide within the season-opener, and it did not take lengthy for the primary warning flag to fly. Simply six laps into the race, Cleetus McFarland lost control at the exit of Turn 4, corrected to avoid the field of trucks, and slammed the inside wall to quickly end his NCTS debut.

Hocevar was a dominant power out entrance, and Stage 1 led to an exhilarating photograph end as he nosed forward of Tanner Gray, with Christian Eckes third.

Another vehicles who selected to pit through the first warning cycled to the entrance through the stage break, however Hocevar shortly discovered his strategy to the lead. Nonetheless, his No. 77 truck then shut off for a second, however he was capable of get out of the best way.

Elsewhere within the discipline, Daniel Hemric fell a number of laps down as he needed to pit beneath inexperienced for a damaged spoiler brace.

Stage 2 ended beneath warning, as Jake Garcia misplaced management on the exit of Flip 4 in a drift like McFarland’s, nonetheless, Garcia as an alternative snapped up the observe and picked up none aside from Tony Stewart, who was making his extremely anticipated NASCAR return. Both trucks crashed into the outside wall, and Stewart was unable to continue.

Smith received Stage 2 behind the tempo automotive with Layne Riggs second and Ty Majeski third.

Stage 3

Within the closing stage, hassle discovered Hocevar once more as he led the race, reducing a tire. The pack narrowly averted him, and he spun out as soon as everybody was clear, triggering a warning.

This was proper on the sting of the gasoline window, and the sector received pretty single-file after as many targeted on saving what they’d within the tank.

There have been a flurry of flat tires together with Enfinger, Kitzmiller, and Riggs, however the race stayed inexperienced.

Nonetheless, Hocevar misplaced a tire once more, and that was a sufficient to set off a yellow flag, ending the fuel-saving for a lot of the discipline.

It was a wild battle up entrance with McDowell taking management. Hocevar, who was not on the lead lap, spun himself out off the nostril of one other truck in his third incident of the night time — however the race stayed inexperienced.

With just some laps to go, a three-truck wreck broke out between Spencer Boyd, Dawson Sutton, and Taylor Gray. It started with a foul bump from Majeski, who earned pole place for this race. Mini Tyrrell additionally slapped the wall making an attempt to keep away from the melee, forcing the race into extra time.

It was Honeycutt vs. McDowell on the entrance row, however McDowell spun out as the sector raced to the white flag. Honeycutt was main with one lap to go, however received shuffled out as the sector began going each which means down the backstretch. Ruggiero almost received turned on the similar time and was under the yellow line earlier than forcing his means again onto the race observe.

And what adopted was the unbelievable five-truck battle for the win we simply highlighted, with your complete group crossing the road inside a tenth of one another — and nonetheless in a single piece.

That is Smith’s eighth profession win as a NASCAR Truck Collection driver, and places him atop the standings to start out the 12 months as NASCAR shifts again to the Chase championship format.

2026 NASCAR Truck Daytona Outcomes

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