Layne Riggs Earns Phoenix Pole; Honeycutt The Top Playoff Driver

Layne Riggs didn't care that he was going to be required to drop to the rear of the field and make a pass-thru penalty after the green flag is displayed in Friday night's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway due to an illegal part discovered in pre-race inspection.

The driver of the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford F-150, who is chasing a NASCAR Truck Series Owner's Championship for his team, wanted to send a message in qualifying. Riggs put his foot to the floorboard and captured the pole position for the race.

He won't get to start there, but the record books will always show him as the polesitter for this event.

Chandler Smith, Riggs' Front Row Motorsports teammate, was the second-fastest driver in the qualifying session, while TRICON Garage teammates Brent Crews and Tanner Gray secured starting spots three and four, and will comprise the second row of the starting grid.

As far as the drivers, who are battling it out for the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver's championship, it was Kaden Honeycutt, the biggest underdog of the group, who secured the highest starting spot in Friday's qualifying session.

Corey Heim, the overwhelming favorite for the championship, will start from sixth, Ty Majeski, the defending series champion, will start from eighth in his quest to go back-to-back, and Tyler Ankrum, the final Championship contender in the starting grid, will start from the 21st position.

Official Starting Lineup for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship Race:

(P) indicates NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoff contender
# indicates Rookie of the Year contender