Rhodes Leads ThorSport Front Row Sweep Of The Craftsman Truck Series Field At Texas

Sarah Talker
Oct 31, 2025; Avondale, Arizona, USA; NASCAR Truck Series driver Ben Rhodes (99) during the NASCAR Truck Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway

Texas Motor Speedway came alive under the lights Friday night, and Ben Rhodes made the most of it. The two‑time Craftsman Truck Series champion put down a sharp, committed qualifying lap to take the pole for the SpeedyCash.com 250. It’s his first pole of the season and the sixth of his Truck Series career.

Rhodes kept the No. 99 Campers Inn RV Ford F‑150 planted through both ends of the track, never lifting more than the surface demanded. Texas doesn’t offer much room to correct a mistake, and he handled the lap with the kind of precision that sent his ThorSport crew into celebration.

ThorSport Controls The Front Row

ThorSport Racing brought high speed. Jake Garcia will start second, giving the team a clean sweep of the front row. That pairing gives Rhodes a stable launch and the chance to control the opening laps.

Rookie Cole Butcher added to the team’s strong night by qualifying inside the top five. Gio Ruggiero starts third and Tanner Gray fifth, a group that shows how deep the organization is at this track.

Pressure Waiting Behind

Kyle Busch starts sixth and remains one of the most reliable threats at Texas. If Rhodes leaves the bottom open, Busch won’t hesitate. Stewart Friesen starts seventh, bringing the same steady approach that carried him to a win here in 2022.

Chandler Smith, Grant Enfinger, and Kaden Honeycutt round out a competitive top ten. Last year’s winner, Carson Hocevar, starts 11th and tends to come alive on long green‑flag runs. Layne Riggs took the hardest hit of the night. A sudden loss of power during his qualifying lap dropped him to 34th.

What The Pole Means

Starting up front in Texas is a major advantage. Clean air keeps the truck settled and avoids the turbulence that punishes drivers deeper in the field. Rhodes gets to stay clear of that from the start, giving his team room to stay aggressive with strategy.

The pole also lifts the entire No. 99 group. A strong qualifying run sharpens everyone’s focus on the team and gives Rhodes the confidence to dictate the early pace. It tightens the crew’s mindset right away. Small details suddenly carry more weight.

The Night Ahead

Rhodes has the track position and the experience to control the opening laps, but the field behind him is deep and capable of applying pressure. The lights are on, the engines are ready, and the SpeedyCash.com 250 is set to deliver another fast, demanding night in Fort Worth.

Rhodes knows the opening stint will set the tone, and any slip will bring the field straight to his bumper. Texas doesn’t give leaders much room to settle in, so he’ll need to match the track as it changes and stay ahead of the runs forming behind him.

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Sarah is a motorsports journalist covering NASCAR, IMSA, Formula 1, and IndyCar, blending sharp analysis with accessible storytelling shaped by live reporting at the Daytona 500 and Würth 400. She brings an analytical foundation through a B.S. in Political Science and a Master’s in Project Management and Information Technology, and is an active member of the National Society of Leadership and Success through the CTU Chapter, reflecting her commitment to growth and leadership in the industry.