Richmond Raceway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway are all that stand between ten drivers and a chance at the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Chase.
One driver solidified his place as a Chase driver in the race at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Ty Majeski entered the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at the Indianapolis Raceway Park having a statistically baffling season. In odd-numbered races, Majeski had a worst finish of 12th-place. However, in even-numbered races, he only had a best finish of 23rd.
IRP was the 16th event of the season, so on paper Majeski should have finished approximately 25th-place. However, the 31-year-old finally broke the streak to earn back-to-back top-20s for the first time this season. Better yet, these results were both inside the top-10, with a third place finish at IRP. This combined with 12 stage points helped Majeski gain 17 points on the cutline and puts him +81 with two races to go.
Pending a disastrous two race stretch, the driver of the ThorSport Racing No. 88 should make his fifth consecutive postseason. Following the race at Richmond Raceway, he could join Layne Riggs, Kaden Honeycutt, Chandler Smith, Christian Eckes, and Gio Ruggiero as drivers locked into the inaugural Craftsman Truck Series Chase. Five spots remain, and ten drivers sit within one race of the cutline.
Above the Cutline
Ben Rhodes +43
A 15th-place finish for Rhodes was not a stand out performance, but the two-time champion did not necessarily need one. Despite an underwhelming day, Rhodes only lost seven points to the cutline. Like his ThorSport teammate, it will take two terrible races for Rhodes to not return to the postseason after missing it in 2025.
The last two Richmond races saw top-10s for the 29-year-old. With his current points position, a third consecutive Richmond top-10 might ensure a Chase berth. Rhodes likely does not want to count on a strong run at New Hampshire to make it, as he finished 24th in his only race there since 2017.
Grant Enfinger +26
Late race contact with Andrés Pérez de Lara at IRP cost Enfinger a top-10. However, 12 stage points helped soften the blow and gained him six points on the cutline. Enfinger’s short track results leave a lot to be desired this season, but Richmond should be strong. A 13th-place in 2025 broke a streak of back-to-back top-10s at the California short track.
So long as neither Richmond or New Hampshire are disastrous days, like his 25th and 27th place finishes at North Wilkesboro and Bristol, the 41-year-old should likely make his fifth consecutive postseason.
Daniel Hemric +14
In these final regular season races, it is important to avoid terrible races. Daniel Hemric did not do this at IRP. A 34th-place finish with no stage points was precisely what a driver on the Chase bubble does not need. Hemric lost 26 points to the cutline due to contact with Landen Lewis and Cole Butcher. The 35-year old is prone to having multiple bad weeks in a row, as he ended the 2025 season with three consecutive finishes outside the top-30.
The next two tracks do not line up great for Hemric. Richmond saw a 33rd-place last season while New Hampshire saw a 12th. If he does not improve on these results, back-to-back postseason appearance will be a long shot for the driver of the McAnally-Hilgemann Racing No. 19.
Stewart Friesen +8
A sixth place finish with six stage points was exactly the type of day Friesen needed at IRP. He gained eight points on the cutline, breaking a tie with Tyler Ankrum.
The next two tracks are less proven for Friesen. The 43-year-old crossed the line at IRP 3rd in 2025 before a disqualification, but has not seen New Hampshire since 2017 and had back-to-back sub-25th place finishes at Richmond in 2023 and 2024. Friesen sits above the Chase cutline for now, but will need to extend his first three race top-10 streak since 2022 to return to the postseason for the first time since that season.
Below the Cutline
Tyler Ankrum -8
A 9th-place finish was a good day for Ankrum, but he lost eight points to the cutline because Friesen had a great day. Ankrum finished 11th-place at both Richmond and New Hampshire in 2026. If Ankrum can put two strong races together, and earn some stage points since he earned none at IRP, the 25-year old will make his third postseason in a row.
Jake Garcia -32
A 21st-place finish at IRP was a very disappointing day for Jake Garcia, and it cost him 21 points to the cutline. Garcia has not finished top-10 since the race at Michigan International Speedway, and has no top-5s the entire season.
Richmond is the 21-year old’s best chance to turn it around, as he has earned two top-10s in three starts at the track including a top-5. If Garcia can have a great day at Richmond, he will enter New Hampshire with a good chance of making his second postseason. If not, it is unlikely we will see Garcia put a third ThorSport truck in the Chase.
Andrés Pérez de Lara -42
Late race contact at IRP cost Pérez de Lara his first oval top-10 of the season, but 11th-place is still a 2026 oval best for the 21-year old. On the other hand, he still lost 11 points to the cutline.
21st and 15th were the Niece Motorsports driver’s finishes at Richmond and New Hampshire in 2025, which will certainly not be enough to secure his first postseason appearance. However, he did lead 27 laps at New Hampshire in 2025. If the Mexico native can put together another strong run and lead the final lap at New Hampshire, then the Chase is still a possibility.
Brenden Queen -43
Ram had another race to forget at IRP, with Queen earning a 20th-place finish. The driver of the No. 12 is a short track ace, but the speed has not been there in recent short track races.
Queen has not raced either Richmond or New Hampshire, but will need to adapt to them fast and likely earn two top-10s to have a chance at putting Ram in the Chase.
Justin Haley -59
Ram has two drivers left in the fight. Haley was the best finishing Ram at IRP, but that was still only 18th-place and he lost 18 points to the cutline.
Like with Queen, Haley will need to earn two top-10s at Richmond and New Hampshire. The 27-year old has never seen Richmond in a truck, and has a 13th at New Hampshire in 2017. More importantly, Ram will need to find speed quickly to put either veteran racer in the Chase.
Tanner Gray -62
Tanner Gray is the final driver within one race of the cutline. Gray finished 22nd at IRP and lost 22 points to the cutline. The 27-year old tends to finish top-20 at Richmond, but finished 29th in his only New Hampshire start. If Gray does not earn consecutive top-5s for the first time since 2020, he will not make his first postseason appearance.
Owner’s Chase Battle
The Tricon No. 11 and Front Row Motorsports No. 34 are locked into the Owner’s Chase. The FRM No. 38, Tricon No. 1, and Spire Motorsports No. 7 have over a one race lead and will likely lock in following Richmond. Ten entries sit within one race of the cutline entering Richmond.
MHR No. 91: +66
Tricon No. 17: +61
Niece No. 45: +53
Spire No. 77: +30
ThorSport No. 88: +16
Halmar Friesen Racing No. 62: -16
ThorSport No. 99: -38
CR7 Motorsports No. 9: -55
MHR No. 19: -67
HFR No. 52: -73
Tricon No. 5: -74
