NASCAR Truck Series drivers most in need of extended break

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series won't race again until Aug. 14 at Richmond Raceway, and there are several drivers who won't mind the extended break. Here are three who are the happiest to regroup over the next two weeks. 

Daniel Hemric

Hemric comes into the break with finishes of 20th and 34th over the last two races. He's ninth in the standings and only 14 points above the Chase cut line going into Richmond, where another finish below 15th could knock him out of the provisional postseason picture. The 2021 NASCAR O'Reilly Series champion could use a strong run at the Virginia short track. 

Jake Garcia

Four straight finishes outside the top 10 have knocked Garcia below the Chase cut line by 32 points. That may seem like a big margin, but it's less than half a race's worth of points. Two strong runs at Richmond and New Hampshire could be enough to put Garcia into the postseason, and Garcia would be showing the higher-ups at ThorSport Racing that he's a worthy pilot of a championship caliber truck. 

Mini Tyrrell

Tyrrell hasn't finished top 10 since Watkins Glen on May 8. His chances of making the Chase are non-existent, but the rookie should treat the final nine races of 2026 as an audition for next year, whether he ends up back at Kaulig/RAM or with another team in the series. A good run at Richmond, a track that should be a good fit for the short track ace, would go a long ways into the No. 14 team finishing the season strong.