Ty Majeski earned the coveted pole position for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, posting a fast lap of 50.882 seconds at 176.883 mph. Racing the No. 88 Ford for ThorSport Racing, this marks Majeski’s third pole at the 2.5-mile, high-banked trioval and comes as he takes over full-time driving duties from Matt Crafton, last year’s series champion.
Majeski’s performance sets an encouraging start for his team as the season gets underway at the renowned track featuring 44 entrants vying for 37 spots in the race. Right beside him on the front row will be NASCAR Cup Series regular Micheal McDowell, who clocked a lap time of 50.938 seconds (176.682 mph) in the No. 7 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports, marking his first front-row start at Daytona in any NASCAR series.
Notable Drivers Qualify for the Season Opener
The race field includes a diverse mix of competitors, from Hall of Famer and three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart to renowned sports and internet personalities such as X Games star Travis Pastrana and YouTube influencer Garret Mitchell, also known as Cleetus McFarland. Mitchell will start 12th driving the No. 4 Chevrolet for Niece Motorsports in his Truck Series debut, while Stewart begins 15th in the No. 25 Dodge Ram for Kaulig Racing. Pastrana will follow closely, lining up 16th in the No. 42 Chevrolet also for Niece Motorsports.
Presence of NASCAR Cup Series Veterans Adds Depth to the Lineup
Several established NASCAR Cup Series drivers contribute to the competitive atmosphere. Carson Hocevar will start fourth in the No. 77 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports. John Hunter Nemechek and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are also part of the entry list, starting 18th and 31st respectively, driving for Halmar Friesen Racing and Niece Motorsports.
Notably, Stewart Friesen returns to the series in the No. 52 Toyota after sustaining multiple injuries in a DIRT Modified race last June. Following a determined recovery, Friesen will be on the grid at 24th position, reflecting his resilience and readiness to compete.
Dodge Ram Teams’ Qualifying and Provisional Details
Among the Dodge Ram competitors, four of five teams qualified based on speed. NASCAR announced that any remaining Dodge Ram trucks unable to qualify on time would be granted provisionals to expand the field up to 40 trucks. Reality show winner Mini Tyrell secured the lone provisional spot, starting 37th in the No. 14 Dodge Ram after posting a lap time of 51.810 seconds at 173.712 mph.
Looking Ahead to the Race at Daytona
The 100-lap NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Daytona will be broadcast live at 7 p.m. ET on FS1-TV, with radio coverage available via MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. The qualifying results reflect heightened anticipation and strong competition among drivers and teams, setting the stage for an exciting season opener on one of NASCAR’s most famous tracks.
