Layne Riggs will officially be credited with the pole for Friday night’s NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series season finale at Phoenix Raceway, but it won’t mean much once the green flag drops.
Riggs, who turned the fastest lap in qualifying, saw his No. 34 truck run into issues in post-qualifying inspection.
As a result, he’ll be forced to start from the rear of the field and serve a pass-through penalty on the opening lap.
It’s a tough break for the Front Row Motorsports driver, who showed strong speed but won’t be a factor in the championship picture.
That spotlight belongs to the four title contenders, each with a slightly different story heading into Friday night.
Kaden Honeycutt was the best of the group, qualifying fifth and putting himself in a strong position to contend early.
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Corey Heim, who has been the best of the best all season long, will start just one spot behind him in sixth.
Ty Majeski, the 2024 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion, will roll off eighth after a solid lap in his No. 98 Ford. He won the race last season and could be a major threat once the track cools under the lights.
Tyler Ankrum struggled the most among the championship four, qualifying 21st in his No. 18 and facing an uphill climb if he wants to stay in the mix.
While Riggs’ penalty shakes up the front of the field, the title contenders are all close enough to each other to make the opening laps tense.
With Phoenix’s short, flat layout and a championship on the line, every position will matter when the trucks take the green.
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