Buckle Up South Carolina 200 At Darlington: Craftsman Truck Series, Starting Lineup

Darlington Raceway is a monster. It eats tires, chews up fenders, and spits out bruised egos. When the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series rolls into South Carolina, the garage fills with a tension you can feel in your chest.The track known as Too Tough to Tame demands perfection and punishes anything less.

One lapse in concentration earns a driver the infamous Darlington Stripe, a scar that stays with the truck long after the race is over. Friday evening’s qualifying session delivered exactly the kind of drama the Lady in Black is known for.

Drivers wrestled their 3,400‑pound trucks around the egg‑shaped oval, fighting the abrasive surface and unforgiving banking. When the dust settled, the starting lineup revealed a compelling mix of rising stars, powerhouse organizations, and Cup Series veterans ready to shake up the show.

Why Qualifying Mattered at Darlington

Unlike street‑course weekends or rain‑impacted events, this qualifying session was earned the hard way on track, at full speed, inches from the wall. Darlington’s surface is one of the oldest and most abrasive in NASCAR, meaning every qualifying lap is a high‑risk, high‑reward gamble. Drivers had to commit to the high line, trust their setups, and hope the rear end didn’t step out at the wrong moment.

The session ran uninterrupted, but not without drama. Several drivers brushed the wall, a few aborted laps, and one or two came dangerously close to disaster. The intensity reflected the stakes: track position at Darlington is everything, and qualifying well can define the entire race.

How the Starting Lineup Was Set

With no weather interruptions, the lineup was determined strictly by single‑truck qualifying speeds. Each driver had to deliver one perfect lap: no drafting help, no second chances. The fastest lap earned the pole, and the rest of the field fell in line based on raw speed.

Darlington’s unique shape, tighter Turns 1 and 2, sweeping Turns 3 and 4, forces teams to compromise on setup. Trucks that excel on one end of the track often struggle on the other. That’s why the final order reflects not just horsepower, but discipline, precision, and the ability to flirt with the wall without crossing the line.

Driver Notes and Key Facts

Kaden Honeycutt: Starting 1st

Kaden Honeycutt delivered the lap of his life, securing the first pole of his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career. His TRICON Garage Toyota was glued to the wall through Turns 3 and 4, carrying massive speed without scraping the right side. Earning your first pole is special. Earning it at Darlington is a badge of honor. Honeycutt now controls the race start, but defending that position against veterans will test every ounce of his race craft.

Carson Hocevar: Starting 2nd

Cup Series regular Carson Hocevar slid into the front row, breaking up TRICON’s dominance. Driving a Spire Motorsports entry, Hocevar showed he hasn’t forgotten how to hustle a truck. His aggression and experience managing tire wear make him a legitimate threat to challenge Honeycutt into Turn 1.

Tanner Gray: Starting 3rd

Tanner Gray continues to show improvement, and his third‑place qualifying effort reinforces TRICON’s strength. He has been fast in clean air this season, and starting near the front gives him a chance to capitalize before tire falloff becomes severe.

Giovanni Ruggiero: Starting 4th

Gio Ruggiero’s raw speed has been one of the pleasant surprises of the season. His ability to run the high line with confidence makes him a natural fit for Darlington. If he maintains discipline early, he could be a factor late.

Corey Heim: Starting 5th

A championship contender every week, Corey Heim’s fifth‑place start is no surprise. He excels at long‑run pace, and Darlington rewards exactly that. Expect him to be a major player once the tires begin to fade.

Christopher Bell: Starting 6th

Christopher Bell brings elite Cup Series experience and a deep understanding of tire conservation. His presence near the front adds pressure to the younger drivers. If the race goes long without cautions, Bell becomes extremely dangerous.

Ross Chastain: Starting 9th

Ross Chastain’s aggressive style fits Darlington perfectly — sometimes too perfectly. He knows how to manipulate air, force mistakes, and capitalize on chaos. Starting ninth gives him room to attack without immediate risk.

Frankie Muniz: Starting 36th

Frankie Muniz suffered a mechanical failure during qualifying and never recorded a lap. Starting last at Darlington is a brutal challenge. He’ll need patience, survival instincts, and a little luck to climb through the field.

Craftsman Truck Series At Darlington Raceway

Buckle Up South Carolina 200: Starting Lineup

1. Kaden Honeycutt — No. 11— TRICON Garage
2. Carson Hocevar — No. 77 — Spire Motorsports
3. Tanner Gray — No. 15 — TRICON Garage
4. Giovanni Ruggiero — No. 17 — TRICON Garage
5. Corey Heim — No. 5 — TRICON Garage
6. Christopher Bell — No. 62 — Halmar Friesen Racing
7. Ty Majeski — No. 88 — ThorSport Racing
8. Layne Riggs — No. 34 — Front Row Motorsports
9. Ross Chastain — No. 45 — Niece Motorsports
10. Connor Mosack — No. 7— Spire Motorsports
11. Grant Enfinger — No. 9 — CR7 Motorsports
12. Chandler Smith — No. 38 — Front Row Motorsports
13. Stewart Friesen — No. 52 — Halmar Friesen Racing
14. Daniel Hemric — No. 19 — McAnally Hilgemann Racing
15. Ben Rhodes — No. 99 — ThorSport Racing
16. Christian Eckes — No. 91 — McAnally HIlgemann Racing
17. Cole Butcher — No. 13 — ThorSport Racing
18. Tyler Ankrum — No. 18 — McAnally Hilgemann Racing
19. Conner Jones — No. 42 — Niece Motorsports
20. Corey LaJoie — No. 25 — Kaulig Racing
21. Andres Perez De Lara — No. 44 — Niece Motorsports
22. A.J. Allmendinger — No. 10 — Kaulig Racing
23. Jake Garcia — No. 98 — ThorSport Racing
24. Dawson Sutton — No. 26 — Rackley W.A.R.
25. Justin Haley — No. 16 — Kaulig Racing
26. Timmy Hill — No. 56 — Hill Motorsports
27. William Sawalich — No. 1 — TRICON Garage
28. Kris Wright — No. 81 — McAnally Hilgemann Racing
29. Brenden Queen — No. 12 — Kaulig Racing
30. Mini Tyrrell — No. 14 — Kaulig Racing
31. Josh Reaume — No. 22 — Team Reaume
32. Spencer Boyd — No. 76 — Freedom Racing Enterprises
33. Clayton Green— No. 2 — Team Reaume
34. Justin S. Carroll — No. 90 — Terry Carroll Motorsports
35. Caleb Costner — No. 93 — Costner Motorsports
36. Frankie Muniz — No. 33 — Team Reaume

Who Looks Strongest Heading Into Race Day

The front of the grid is stacked with TRICON Garage trucks, giving the organization a massive strategic advantage. Honeycutt, Gray, Ruggiero, and Heim can control the early pace and dictate the preferred groove.

Hocevar and Bell, meanwhile, bring Cup‑level tire management skills that could flip the race once long green‑flag runs begin. Mid‑pack starters like Majeski, Friesen, and Eckes will need to balance aggression with patience. Darlington punishes over‑driving, and one early mistake can ruin an entire night.

What Darlington’s Layout Means for Saturday

Darlington’s 1.366‑mile layout is unlike anything else in NASCAR. Turns 1 and 2 are tight and fast; Turns 3 and 4 are sweeping and deceptive. The track surface is brutally abrasive, meaning tire falloff will exceed two seconds per lap over a long run. Passing is possible, but risky. One misjudged move can end a night instantly. Drivers must:

Manage right‑rear tire wear.
Avoid the wall while running inches from it.
Maintain throttle discipline through the corner exit.
Survive the first 20 laps without burning their equipment.

Championship Implications

With the season still young, every stage point matters. Honeycutt’s pole gives him a golden opportunity to bank early points and build momentum. Heim, Majeski, and Eckes are all championship threats that start in positions that allow them to stay out of trouble early.For drivers deeper in the field, survival is the priority. A clean race at Darlington can be worth more than a top‑10 at an easier track.

What’s Next

The Craftsman Truck Series takes the green flag with a lineup shaped by pure speed and Darlington grit. When the race begins, drivers will face one of the toughest tests in motorsports: 147 laps against the Lady in Black. Tire wear will be brutal. Tempers will flare. The wall will claim victims.But Kaden Honeycutt starts with the advantage and the chance to turn a career‑defining pole into a breakthrough victory.