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NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series News & Notes – Darlington Raceway

August 27, 2025 at 4:01 PM

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series
Next Race: Sober or Slammer 200
The Place: Darlington Raceway
Track Length: 1.366 Mile Asphalt Oval
The Date: Saturday, August 30
The Time: 12 p.m. ET
The Purse: $782,900
TV: FS1, 12 p.m. ET
Radio: NRN, SiriusXM NASCAR (Channel 90)
Distance: 200.8 miles (147 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 45),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 147)

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series

Darlington Raceway Storylines and Insights:

  • This weekend marks the 13th running of a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Darlington Raceway, and the first time as a Playoff race during the track’s traditional Labor Day Weekend since 2021.
  • Darlington has hosted at least one Truck Race since 2020, after previous annual stints from 2001-04 and 2010-11.
  • 2025 is the 10th season of Playoffs in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (2016-2025).
  • Darlington serves as the first track of the seven-race NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Playoffs and the first race of the Round of 10: Darlington, Bristol and New Hampshire, two drivers will be eliminated after New Hampshire.
  • The following drivers make up the NCTS Playoff Field: Corey Heim, Layne Riggs, Chandler Smith, Daniel Hemric, Tyler Ankrum, Ty Majeski, Grant Enfinger, Rajah Caruth, Kaden Honeycutt, and Jake Garcia.
  • Grant Enfinger (+4) and Rajah Caruth (+2) sit as the last two drivers over the cutline, whereas Kaden Honeycutt (-2) and Jake Garcia (-3) are the first two below it.
  • This is the first time Darlington is the opening race of the Playoffs; it is the seventh different track to open the Playoffs.
  • This is only the second time Darlington was part of the Playoffs (2021 and 2025).
  • The opening race of the Playoffs was won by a Playoff driver in seven of the previous nine seasons, all but 2021 when Sam Mayer won and 2024 when Layne Riggs won.
  • The eventual Champion won the opening race of the Playoffs once (Christopher Bell, 2017).
  • Ben Rhodes is the only former Truck Series Darlington winner entered this weekend.
  • Corey Heim’s seven wins in 2025 are tied with Ron Hornaday Jr. (1997) for the most through 18 races all-time (a driver has never won eight times through 19 races in a season).
  • Corey Heim (three) and Layne Riggs (two) combined have won the last five races of 2025.
  • Corey Heim’s average finish at Darlington is 20.5, his worst among all tracks.
  • The last four races with qualifying were won from pole.
  • The driver leading the most laps won nine of the 18 races this season.
  • The gap between first place Heim and second place Riggs (39 points) is greater than the gap from second to 10th (24 points)

NCTS Clinch Scenarios Following Richmond Raceway:

Already Clinched

  • No drivers have clinched a spot in the 8-driver field of the next round.

 Can Clinch Via Points

  • If there is a win by a driver who cannot advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being 123 points above the 7th winless driver in the standings.  The same point requirements listed below would hold true if a new win comes from Layne Riggs, Chandler Smith, Daniel Hemric, Ty Majeski or Tyler Ankrum.
    • Corey Heim: Could only clinch with help
  • If there is a new winner from Grant Enfinger or another winless driver lower in the standings but still eligible to advance to the next round, the following drivers could clinch by being 123 points above the 6th winless driver in the standings.
    • Corey Heim: Could only clinch with help

 Can Clinch Via Win

  • The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: Corey Heim, Layne Riggs, Chandler Smith, Daniel Hemric, Ty Majeski, Tyler Ankrum, Grant Enfinger, Rajah Caruth, Kaden Honeycutt, Jake Garcia.

— NASCAR —