What’s Happening?
The 2026 NASCAR Season is fast approaching, and teams are setting their lineups for the coming season. This article highlights the full-time drivers who will compete in the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule.
Ram Trucks is making its return to NASCAR with Kaulig Racing, meaning in 2026, the Craftsman Truck Series will be the first NASCAR National Series since 2012 to have four OEMs represented.
This roster is never set in stone; while drivers do have contracts, even some entering multiple seasons, contractual status can change at a moment’s notice. For all drivers’ current known contractual status, make sure to check out our article linked below.
Nonetheless, these driver extensions and contracts, which are known, are noted in this article. There are rumors and news surrounding several drivers in the field, all of which are noted in this article.
Please note that this article will be updated throughout the 2025 season and off-season, should any roster or driver changes/signings happen.
Known Open Rides
No. 62 | Halmar Friesen Racing | New Entry
No. 71 | Spire Motorsports | Formerly Driven by: Rajah Caruth
No. 98 | ThorSport Racing | Formerly Driven by: Ty Majeski
No. TBD | Kaulig Racing | New Entry
No. TBD | Kaulig Racing | New Entry
Possible Rookie of the Year Candidate
No. TBD | Brenden Queen | Kaulig Racing
CUP/OAPS to Trucks
Justin Haley | 2026 No. TBD | 2026 Team: Kaulig Racing | 2025 No. 7 | 2025 Team: Spire Motorsports (Cup)
Daniel Dye | 2026 No. TBD | 2026 Team: Kaulig Racing | 2026 No. 10 | 2026 Team: Kaulig Racing (OAPS)
Drivers Not Returning in 2026
Matt Crafton | 2025 No. 88 | 2025 Team: ThorSport Racing (Retired)
Rajah Caruth | 2025 No. 71 | 2025 Team: Spire Motorsports (Promoted)
Drivers Making Changes in 2026
Kaden Honeycutt | 2025 No. 45/No. 02/No. 52 | 2025 Team: 2025 Team: Niece Motorsports, Young’s Motorsports, and Halmar Friesen Racing
2026 Status: Honeycutt was one of the major storylines that kicked off the 2026 Craftsman Truck Series silly season. Prior to the race at Watkins Glen, Niece Motorsports announced he would not return in 2026 and would be released immediately after signing a contract with a new team and OEM, expected to be TRICON Garage and Toyota.
Ty Majeski | 2026 No. 88 | 2026 Team: ThorSport Racing | | 2025 No. 98 | 2025 Team: ThorSport Racing
2026 Status: Ty Majeksi takes over the honor of driving ThorSport’s most iconic truck, the No. 88, following the retirement of Matt Crafton from full-time competition. Plans for Crafton, or the now available No. 98, are unknown.
Team’s Known to be Making Changes in 2026
Spire Motorsports No. 71 | 2025 Driver: Rajah Caruth
2026 Status: After three seasons in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and two with Spire Rajah Caruth is being promoted to full-time NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series action in 2026. This leaves his No. 71 open; however, there are rumors that Spire, who scaled down from two to three trucks midseason, could scale down even further during the offseason.
Thorsport Racing No. 88 | 2025 Driver: Matt Crafton
2026 Status: After 26 seasons in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and 25 with ThorSport, Matt Crafton is leaving his role as driver of the No. 88. His teammate, Ty Majeski, will now take over duties in the iconic truck in 2026.
Thorsport Racing No. 98 | 2025 Driver: Ty Majeski
2026 Status: With Majeski driving the No. 88, the No. 98 is available, though the team has yet to announce plans for 2026. Essentially, most assume that the No. 98 will have one of three outcomes for next season: a full-time driver, a part-time role, or ceasing operations.
Drivers With No Known Contractual Status
Andrés Pérez de Lara | 2025 No. 77/44 | 2025 Team: Niece Motorsports/Spire Motorsports
Pérez de Lara was a victim of Spire Motorsports’ Downsizing, with the team releasing him partway through 2025, transferring owners’ points from the shuttered No. 07 to the car to replace him with Corey LaJoie. He then landed at Niece, and plans for a 2026 effort with the team have yet to be announced.
Ben Rhodes | 2025 No. 99 | 2025 Team: ThorSport Racing
Rhodes is coming off his 11th season with ThorSport. No plans for a 2026 effort have been announced.
Chandler Smith | 2025 No. 38 | 2025 Team: Front Row Motorsports
Smith is coming off his first season with Front Row. No plans for a 2026 effort have been announced.
Connor Mosack | 2025 No. 81 | 2025 Team: McAnally-Hilgemann Racing
Mosack is coming off his first season with MHR. No plans for a 2026 effort have been announced.
Corey Heim | 2025 No. 11 | 2025 Team: TRICON Garage
Corey Heim seems to be the biggest mystery of 2026. Coming off one of the series’ greatest seasons ever, Heim has no clear plan for any NASCAR National Series entering the offseason, though rumors suggest he will not return to TRICON in a full-time role.
Daniel Hemric | 2025 No. 19 | 2025 Team: McAnally-Hilgemann Racing
Hemric is coming off his first season with MHR. No plans for a 2026 effort have been announced.
Dawson Sutton | 2025 No. 26 | 2025 Team: Rackley WAR
Sutton is coming off his first season with Rackley WAR. No plans for a 2026 effort have been announced.
Frankie Muniz | 2025 No. 33 | 2025 Team: Reaume Brothers Racing
Muniz is coming off his first season with RBR. No plans for a 2026 effort have been announced.
Giovanni Ruggiero | 2025 No. 17 | 2025 Team: TRICON Garage
Ruggiero is coming off his first season with TRICON. No plans for a 2026 effort have been announced.
Grant Enfinger | 2025 No. 9 | 2025 Team: CR7 Motorsports
Enfinger is coming off his second season with CR7. No plans for a 2026 effort have been announced.
Jack Wood | 2025 No. 91 | 2025 Team: McAnally-Hilgemann Racing
Wood is coming off his first season with MHR. No plans for a 2026 effort have been announced.
Jake Garcia | 2025 No. 13 | 2025 Team: ThorSport Racing
Garcia is coming off his second season with ThorSport. No plans for a 2026 effort have been announced.
Kaden Honeycutt | 2025 No. 45/No. 02/No. 52 | 2025 Team: Niece Motorsports, Young’s Motorsports, and Halmar Friesen Racing
Following his dramatic exit mid-season from Niece Motorsports, Kaden Honeycutt landed on his feet at Halmar Friesen Racing, where he took the No. 52 to the championship four in place of an injured Stewart Friesen. He is expected to stay in the Toyota camp, likely with TRICON.
Matt Mills | 2025 No. 42 | 2025 Team: Niece Motorsports
Mills is coming off his second season with Niece. No plans for a 2026 effort have been announced.
Spencer Boyd | 2025 No. 76 | 2025 Team: Freedom Racing Enterprises
Boyd is coming off his second season with FRE, which he owns. No plans for a 2026 effort have been announced.
Stewart Friesen | 2025 No. 52 | 2025 Team: Halmar Friesen Racing
Friesen is coming off an injury-shortened season with his family-owned team. Despite his injuries, suffered in a dirt racing accident this summer, no plans for a 2026 effort have been announced, though he is expected to return.
Tanner Gray | 2025 No. 15 | 2025 Team: TRICON Garage
Gray is coming off his sixth season with TRICON. No plans for a 2026 effort have been announced.
Toni Breidinger | 2025 No. 5 | 2025 Team: TRICON Garage
Breidinger is coming off her first season with TRICON. No plans for a 2026 effort have been announced.
The 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Roster
No. 18 | Tyler Ankrum | McAnally-Hilgemann Racing
What’s Happening?
McAnally-Hilgemann Racing has announced that Tyler Ankrum will return to the team’s No. 18 truck in 2026, marking the…
Tyler Ankrum had a career season in 2025, breaking a multiyear losing streak and setting new career highs in almost every statistical category. He returns to McAnally-Hilgemann Racing for a third straight season, which also breaks a streak of switching teams after one or two seasons.
No. 34 | Layne Riggs | Front Row Motorsports
Much like last season, Riggs’ 2025 season didn’t end the way he’d like it to, falling short of the championship four. However, that doesn’t mean the year was a loss, as he had a career year for the No. 34 team, setting the stage for 2026 to be a potential championship run.
No. 88 | Ty Majeski | ThorSport Racing
What’s Happening?
Matt Crafton is stepping away from ThorSport Racing’s No. 88 entry at the end of the season, and Ty…
Ty Majeski did not go back-to-back in 2025, though a late caution flag left him mere feet from doing so in October. Now, Majeski takes on a new role as the leader of ThorSport Racing in their most iconic ride, the No. 88.
No. TBD | Brenden Queen | Kaulig Racing
What’s Happening?
Kaulig Racing has announced that 2025 ARCA Menards Series champion Brenden “Butterbean” Queen will drive one of the team’s…
After a breakout season in the ARCA Menards Series, Brenden ‘Butterbean’ Queen is making his full-time Truck Series debut as part of Kaulig’s inaugural season in the Series. He, along with at least two to three other drivers, will have the honor of helping Ram make its way back into the sport.
No. TBD | Daniel Dye | Kaulig Racing
What’s Happening?
One major storyline to keep up with during the 2025 NASCAR season and beyond is the ongoing saga of…
Following an unlikely run to the 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs, Daniel Dye signed on for full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series action in 2025. Although his season was somewhat disappointing, the reshuffling at Kaulig will now see the young driver return to the truck series in 2026.
No. TBD | Justin Haley | Kaulig Racing
What’s Happening?
Justin Haley and Daniel Dye will return to full-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series action in 2026 as part of…
One of the most shocking moves of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season was the release of Justin Haley after just one full-time season racing with Spire Motorsports. Now, he finds himself back at Kaulig Racing, and though this ride is not in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, it is still a healdiner ride with the team’s new Ram truck program.
This article will be updated throughout the 2025 season and off-season, should any roster or driver changes/signings happen.