For the first time in more than a half-decade, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Ben Rhodes is set to lead the field to the green flag.
The Louisville, Kentucky-native earned the pole ahead of Friday’s Fresh From Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway, beating out ThorSport Racing teammate and defending series champion Ty Majeski to take the top spot in the final round of qualifying.
Rhodes posted a quick time of 50.995 seconds (176.488mph), the only driver in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series field to post a time under the 51-second bracket.
STARTING LINEUP: 2025 NCTS Fresh From Florida 250
It’s the sixth career pole for the 27-year-old driver, who embarks on his 10th season of full-time competition in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Ty Majeski was the second-quickest driver in qualifying for Friday’s 250-mile contest, posting a lap just over a hundredth of a second slower than his teammate.
Corey Heim and Grant Enfinger, two drivers who battled it out for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series title last November at Phoenix Raceway, will share the second row for the season-opener at Daytona.
Jake Garcia, still searching for his first career victory in the NASCAR Truck Series, will start the 100-lap contest from fifth place, marking the third ThorSport Racing truck in the top five.
ThorSport Racing continues to be strong at Daytona International Speedway, with three trucks inside the top-five, and the organization’s third pole position in the last four races at the venue.
Chandler Smith will start sixth in his return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for Front Row Motorsports, while rookie contender Dawson Sutton will start just behind him in seventh.
Kaden Honeycutt will roll from eighth, with a bit of a surprise in NASCAR Truck Series part-time Clay Greenfield qualifying ninth, his best start in the series since the 2019 season-opener.
Johnny Sauter, the 2016 champion of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, rounded out the top-10 in the final round of qualifying after a tire issue kept the No. 66 Ford F-150 from making a run.
Other notables include: Matt Crafton (11th), Rajah Caruth (13th), Frankie Muniz (14th), Daniel Hemric (15th), Justin Haley (17th), Norm Benning (22nd), William Sawalich (26th), Toni Breidinger (28th), Connor Mosack (30th), Michael McDowell (31st), Gio Ruggiero (34th), Tyler Ankrum (35th), and Stewart Friesen (36th).
Gio Ruggiero had the slowest lap of those who took time on Friday, due to a mechanical issue that eventually caused his No. 17 TRICON Garage Toyota Tundra to cut a right-front tire.
Tyler Ankrum had his time disallowed due to not stopping at the brake checkpoint, while Stewart Friesen was not permitted to qualify after the crew made an unapproved adjustment.
