NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Charlotte Roval Entry List: 36 Drivers Ready for Round of 8 Battle

The Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval is about to witness something special. For the first time ever, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will tackle the Queen City’s road course configuration, and the timing couldn’t be more perfect. This isn’t just another race weekend, but the opening round of the Round of 8 playoffs, where championship dreams either get a massive boost or take a devastating hit.

Thirty-six drivers are locked and loaded for Friday afternoon’s EcoSave 250, and the storylines are already writing themselves. You’ve got seasoned veterans looking to prove they’ve still got what it takes, young guns hungry to make their mark, and everything in between. The beauty of playoff racing is that every single position matters, every point counts, and every lap could be the difference between advancing or going home.

Star Power Returns to the Truck Series

The most significant headline-grabbing attention this weekend? Connor Zilisch is back behind the wheel of a truck. The 19-year-old road course wizard from Mooresville will be pulling double duty, piloting the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet while maintaining his regular Xfinity Series commitments.

This kid has been absolutely electric on road courses this season, and seeing him tackle the Roval in a truck for the first time has everyone buzzing. Zilisch isn’t just some flash-in-the-pan prospect, as he’s proven he belongs on the big stage.

His road course performances in the Xfinity Series have been nothing short of spectacular, and now he gets to show what he can do in a completely different type of machine.

The Truck Series entry list shows he’s marked as ineligible for championship points, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be racing for the win. If anything, it makes him more dangerous because he’s got nothing to lose.

Playoff Contenders Ready for Battle

Examining this entry list, you can sense the intensity building around the playoff drivers. These guys have been grinding all season long to get to this point, and now they’re three races away from the Championship 4. The pressure is real, and it’s evident in the depth of talent in this field.

The veteran presence is strong with guys like Matt Crafton, Ben Rhodes, and Grant Enfinger bringing decades of combined experience to the table. Crafton, at 49 years old, is still showing he can run with anyone in this series. His entry in the No. 88 ThorSport Racing truck proves that age is just a number when you’ve got the hunger and the skill to compete at this level.

On the other hand, you have young talents like Rajah Caruth, Corey Heim, and Tanner Gray, who represent the future of this sport. These drivers have been turning heads all season long, and a strong run at Charlotte could catapult them into serious championship contention.

Road Course Specialists Take Center Stage

Road course racing is a completely different animal, and this entry list is packed with drivers who know how to navigate the twists and turns. Beyond Zilisch, you’ve got drivers like Corey LaJoie making a truck series appearance in the No. 77 Spire Motorsports entry.

LaJoie has shown flashes of brilliance on road courses throughout his career, and his experience could be invaluable in this playoff opener. The beauty of road course racing is that it levels the playing field in ways that oval racing simply doesn’t.

A driver who might struggle on a mile-and-a-half track could find themselves leading laps at the Roval.It’s all about precision, patience, and knowing when to make your move. That unpredictability is what makes this entry list so compelling because any one of these 36 drivers could find themselves in victory lane come Friday afternoon.

Teams Making Strategic Moves

What really stands out about this entry list is the strategic positioning by various teams. Powerhouse organizations like ThorSport Racing, TRICON Garage, and McAnally-Hilgemann Racing are bringing multiple entries, each with its own unique approach to tackling the inaugural Charlotte Roval race.

The fact that this is the series’ first-ever race at Charlotte’s road course configuration adds another layer of intrigue. Nobody has data from previous truck races here, which means setup and strategy will be educated guesses based on other series and similar tracks. That levels the playing field and could lead to some surprising results.

Championship Implications Run Deep

This entry list represents more than just 36 drivers looking to win a race. It’s a group of competitors where eight of them are fighting for their championship lives. The Round of 8 format is unforgiving, and with Talladega and Martinsville still to come, every point earned or lost at Charlotte could prove crucial.

The drivers not in the playoffs aren’t just along for the ride either. Spoiler alert: these guys can absolutely shake up the championship picture. A non-playoff driver winning would throw the entire points structure into chaos, making every lap of this race must-see television.

EcoSave 250 at the Charlotte Roval

Craftsman Truck Series: Entry List

(i) indicates drivers who are ineligible for obtaining championship/playoff points

• 1. Brent Crews, No. 1 (TRICON Garage, Toyota)
• 2. Carter Fartuch, No. 2 (Reaume Brothers Racing, Ford)
• 3. Ben Maier, No. 02  (Young’s Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 4. Toni Breidinger, No. 5 (TRICON Garage, Toyota)
• 5. Connor Zilisch (i), No. 7 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 6. Grant Enfinger, No. 9 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 7. Corey Heim, No. 11 (TRICON Garage, Toyota)
• 8. Jake Garcia, No. 13 (ThorSport Racing, Ford)
• 9. Tanner Gray, No. 15 (TRICON Garage, Toyota)
• 10. Kris Wright (i), No. 16 (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, Chevrolet)
• 11. Giovanni Ruggiero, No. 17 (TRICON Garage, Toyota)
• 12. Tyler Ankrum, No. 18 (McAnally, Hilegmann Racing, Chevrolet)
• 13.  Daniel Hemric, No. 19 (McAnally Hilgemann Racing, Chevrolet)
• 14. Will Rogers (i), No. 20 (Young’s Motorsports)
• 15. Josh Reaume, No. 22 (Reaume Brothers Racing, Ford)
• 16. Dawson Sutton, No. 26 (Rackley W.A.R., Chevrolet)
• 17. Masson Maggio (i), No. 33 (Reaume Brothers Racing, Ford)
• 18. Layne Riggs, No. 34 (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
• 19. Chandler Smith, No. 38 (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
• 20. Josh Bilicki (i), No. 41 (Niece Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 21. Matt Mills, No. 42 (Niece Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 22. Andres Perez De Lara, No. 44 (Niece Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 23. Bayley Currey, No. 45 (Niece Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 24. Kaden Honeycutt, No. 52 (Halmar Friesen Racing, Toyota)
• 25. Timmy Hill, No. 56 (Hill Motorsports, Toyota)
• 26. Wesley Slimp, No. 62 (Halmar Friesen Racing, Toyota)
• 27. Tyler Tomassi (i), No. 69 (Motorsports Business Management, Ford)
• 28. Rajah Caruth, No. 71 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 29. Parker Kligerman, No. 75 (Henderson Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 30. Spencer Boyd, No. 76 (Freedom Racing Enterprises, Chevrolet)
• 31. Corey Lajoie, No. 77 (Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 32. Connor Mosack, No. 81 (McAnally Hilgemann Racing, Chevrolet)
• 33. Matt Crafton, No. 88 (ThorSport Racing, Ford)
• 34. Jack Wood, No. 91 (McAnally Hilgemann Racing, Chevrolet)
• 35. Ty Majeski, No. 98 (ThorSport Racing, Ford)
• 36. Ben Rhodes, No. 99 (ThorSport Racing, Ford)

Road to the Roval

This Charlotte Roval entry list tells the story of a series that has never been more competitive or unpredictable. Come Friday afternoon, we’re going to witness history as these trucks tackle the Queen City’s road course for the very first time, and based on this field of drivers, it’s going to be absolutely spectacular.