{"id":361202,"date":"2025-12-22T07:03:10","date_gmt":"2025-12-22T07:03:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/361202\/"},"modified":"2025-12-22T07:03:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T07:03:10","slug":"whats-left-of-the-2026-nascar-truck-silly-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/361202\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s Left of the 2026 NASCAR Truck Silly Season?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>We\u2019ve reached the halfway point of the offseason, and the puzzle pieces of the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series lineup are beginning to fall in place. Just over 50 days remain until the series returns to the high banks of Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 13, and while there are a handful teams and drivers that largely have their contracts set in stone (McAnally-Hilgemann Racing for example), there are far more that yet to finalize their plans.<\/p>\n<p>The remaining rides will gradually be filled over the next two months, and the puzzle will be 100% complete by the time Speedweeks begins.<\/p>\n<p>Here are the teams that currently have a help-wanted sign on the window that they are looking to remove come February.<\/p>\n<p>Kaulig Racing<\/p>\n<p>The biggest organizational change over the offseason came from Kaulig Racing, as the team shuttered its long-time NASCAR O\u2019Reilly Auto Parts Series program in order to run five full-time trucks with returning manufacturer RAM in 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Three of Kaulig\u2019s five trucks have been filled by <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/daniel-dye\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Daniel Dye<\/a> (No. 10), <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/brenden-queen\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Brenden Queen <\/a>(No. 12) and <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/justin-haley\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Justin Haley<\/a> (No. 16), which leaves the Nos. 14 and 25 up for grabs.<\/p>\n<p>The No. 25 will feature a revolving rotation of drivers as a part of Ram\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jayski.com\/2025\/11\/17\/ram-launches-free-agent-driver-program-for-a-spot-in-2026-nascar-craftsman-truck-series\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Free Agent Program<\/a>. The program will showcase drivers from a variety of motorsport disciplines each weekend, so a wide net will be cast in terms of potential names that will make an appearance behind the wheel. The mystery will be ongoing throughout the season, as the driver of the No. 25 won\u2019t be revealed until the Monday before an upcoming race.<\/p>\n<p>The No. 14, meanwhile, is rumored to be based on the results of a competition-style show.<\/p>\n<p>Spire Motorsports<\/p>\n<p>With drastic mid-season and off-season changes in the Spire Motorsports camp, its 2026 lineup will look quite different compared to years past.<\/p>\n<p>After expanding to four full-time trucks last year, only to shutter the No. 07 midway through the 2025 season, Spire will <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/2025\/12\/12\/spire-confirms-truck-return-announces-promotions\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">truncate<\/a> to two trucks for 2026, using the Nos. 7 and 77.<\/p>\n<p>The No. 71 previously driven by <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/rajah-caruth\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Rajah Caruth<\/a> is currently no more, as he will move up to the O\u2019Reilly Series for 2026. Spire\u2019s No. 7 truck featured a mix of both Chevrolet Cup Series drivers and development drivers in 2025, while <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/corey-lajoie\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Corey LaJoie<\/a> finished out the year in the No. 77 after <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/andres-perez\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Andres Perez <\/a>departed to Niece Motorsports midseason.<\/p>\n<p>It seems reasonable to believe that Spire will have at least one truck (the No. 7) split between a variety of part-time drivers in the new year, just as it\u2019s done in years past. The question then turns to the No. 77: will LaJoie return to the team for either a part- or full-time schedule, or will he move on? And if he doesn\u2019t return, will the No. 77 have a full-time driver or another part-time rotation?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/2025\/12\/18\/sticking-with-biff-lessons-humanity-competition-friendship-greg-biffle\/\" class=\"vlp-link\" title=\"Sticking With The Biff: Lessons in Humanity, Competition &amp; Friendship From Greg Biffle\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img data-perfmatters-preload=\"\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"max-width: 150px;\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Biffle-Truck-Texas-Win-2-150x100.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\"   fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Sticking With The Biff: Lessons in Humanity, Competition &amp; Friendship From Greg Biffle<\/p>\n<p>ThorSport Racing<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/ty-majeski\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ty Majeski<\/a> is taking the reins of ThorSport Racing\u2019s flagship No. 88 truck in 2026 following <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/matt-crafton\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Matt Crafton\u2019s<\/a> full-time retirement, but not much else is known about the new year for Ford\u2019s larger Truck team.<\/p>\n<p>As a 10-year veteran of ThorSport and a two-time series champion, it seems likely that <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/ben-rhodes\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ben Rhodes<\/a> will be back in the No. 99, but nothing has been finalized at the moment. Likewise, there is currently no word surrounding <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/jake-garcia\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Jake Garcia<\/a> and if he will be back in the No. 13.<\/p>\n<p>And with Majeski\u2019s departure from the No. 98, who will get the nod to fill that vacancy, if the truck returns at all? <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/luke-fenhaus\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Luke Fenhaus<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/luke-baldwin\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Luke Baldwin<\/a> ran 12 and five races, respectively, for ThorSport in 2025, so they could be potential candidates for promotion.<\/p>\n<p>The next question is if the team will stay at its current size or get smaller in the wake of Crafton\u2019s departure. The team had four full-time trucks in 2025 along with a No. 66 that ran all but five races, so it remains to be seen if ThorSport will find the sponsorship and drivers to keep the No. 66 running next season.<\/p>\n<p>Halmar Friesen Racing<\/p>\n<p>As long as <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/stewart-friesen\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Stewart Friesen<\/a> is medically cleared to race, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jayski.com\/2025\/09\/19\/stewart-friesen-returns-to-the-track-at-new-hampshire-hoping-for-daytona-truck-return\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external noopener noreferrer nofollow\">expect<\/a> to see him in the No. 52 at Daytona in February.<\/p>\n<p>Beyond Friesen and the No. 52, HFR has run a part-time No. 62 on sporadic occasions, and it hopes to give that second truck a <a href=\"https:\/\/tobychristie.com\/nascar\/truck-series\/halmar-friesen-racing-planning-to-field-two-full-time-trucks-in-2026\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external noopener noreferrer nofollow\">full-time schedule<\/a> for 2026.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/wesley-slimp\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Wesley Slimp<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/cole-butcher\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Cole Butcher<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/mike-christopher-jr\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Mike Christopher Jr.<\/a> made starts in the No. 62 for 2025. They could be candidates for the seat in 2026, and it\u2019s uncertain if HFR will seek a second full-time driver or if it will roll with a rotation of part timers as it did in 2025. <\/p>\n<p>TRICON Garage<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/kaden-honeycutt\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Kaden Honeycutt <\/a>will replace <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/corey-heim\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Corey Heim<\/a> in the No. 11, while <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/tanner-gray\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Tanner Gray<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/gio-ruggiero\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Gio Ruggiero<\/a> will reprise their roles in the Nos. 15 and 17, respectively, for 2026. That leaves the No. 1 \u2014 which seems likely to be another revolving door of Toyota drivers and Toyota prospects, based on its past setup \u2014 and No. 5 driven by <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/toni-breidinger\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Toni Breidinger<\/a> as the question marks for TRICON Garage heading into 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Breidinger\u2019s trucks have featured a multitude of high-profile sponsors including Dave and Buster\u2019s, Coach, Celsius and Raising Cane\u2019s, and while she struggled in her first full-time Truck season, she would probably have a spot on the team as long as those sponsors returned. If TRICON and Breidinger move on, however, the team would need to find sponsorship to keep the No. 5 running.<\/p>\n<p>The other point of intrigue is reigning series champion Heim. He seems poised at the moment to run a part-time Cup schedule with 23XI Racing and a part-time O\u2019Reilly schedule, which could leave him open to run part-time Truck starts with TRICON in 2026. And given how well he performed last year, it would be beneficial for TRICON if it could bring him back for even one race.<\/p>\n<p>Niece Motorsports<\/p>\n<p>In the 2025 season, Niece Motorsports ran three full-time trucks and one part time. All that\u2019s known about the team\u2019s 2026 is that <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/tyler-reif\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Tyler Reif<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/conner-jones\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Conner Jones<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/parker-eatmon\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Parker Eatmon<\/a> will be running <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/2025\/12\/03\/parker-eatmon-debuting-trucks-niece\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">part-time schedules<\/a> in the team\u2019s No. 42 and that <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/landen-lewis\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Landen Lewis<\/a> will be running part time as well, with the truck number unknown.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/matt-mills\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Matt Mills<\/a>, who drove full-time for Niece in the No. 42 last year, will switch numbers if he returns to the team in 2026: at the moment, his status is unknown.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/andres-perez\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Andres Perez<\/a> finishing the year by running the final eight races of 2025 in Niece\u2019s No. 44, while <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/bayley-currey\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Bayley Currey<\/a> finished the year in Niece\u2019s No. 45 after running a total of 16 races for the team. Their statuses are also unknown.<\/p>\n<p>If Mills, Perez and Currey reprise their roles on the team for 2026, its lineup for the upcoming season is rather straightforward. If they don\u2019t, Niece\u2019s lineup for 2026 is wide open.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/2025\/12\/20\/why-greg-biffle-death-hits-so-hard\/\" class=\"vlp-link\" title=\"Why Greg Biffle&#039;s Death Hits So Hard\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img data-perfmatters-preload=\"\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"max-width: 150px;\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/2015-Martinsville-I-CUP-Greg-Biffle-face-credit-Amy-Henderson-150x100.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Greg Biffle at Martinsville Speedway\"   fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Why Greg Biffle\u2019s Death Hits So Hard<\/p>\n<p>Team Reaume, Freedom Racing Enterprises &amp; Young\u2019s Motorsports<\/p>\n<p>Team Reaume, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jayski.com\/2025\/12\/07\/reaume-brothers-racing-rebrands-as-team-reaume-for-2026-season\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external noopener noreferrer nofollow\">formerly<\/a> Reaume Brothers Racing, ran three full-time trucks in 2025, and NASCAR\u2019s resident movie star <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/frankie-muniz\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Frankie Muniz <\/a>is confirmed to reprise his role in the No. 33 for 2026.<\/p>\n<p>That leaves Reaume\u2019s Nos. 2 and 22 open for 2026. Sixteen different drivers made starts between the two trucks in 2025, and while we\u2019ll likely see a fair share of those 16 drivers in the 2026 rotation, the only driver that we know of for sure is team owner <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/josh-reaume\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Josh Reaume<\/a>, barring a surprise retirement.<\/p>\n<p>Similar to Reaume, Freedom Racing Enterprises is co-owned by driver <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/spencer-boyd\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Spencer Boyd<\/a>, who raced the full 2025 season in the team\u2019s No. 76. Their plans for next year are unknown, but expect Boyd to be behind the wheel if the team reprises its role in the upcoming season.<\/p>\n<p>Rounding out the full-time 2025 teams with uncertain plans for 2026 is Young\u2019s Motorsports, which ran a full-time No. 02 and a part-time No. 20 in 2025. <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/nathan-byrd\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Nathan Byrd<\/a> ran 15 races for the team in 2025, while <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/stefan-parsons\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Stefan Parsons<\/a> ran the second-most with five. It\u2019s unknown who will be in the truck for 2026, but it\u2019ll likely be another revolving door of the drivers, as the team last had a full-time driver in 2020. That\u2019s assuming, of course, the team is back at all.<\/p>\n<p>Part-Time Teams<\/p>\n<p>The majority of part-time Truck teams with unannounced plans consist of owner-drivers like <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/norm-benning\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Norm Benning<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/timmy-hill\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Timmy Hill<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/clay-greenfield\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Clay Greenfield<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/akinori-ogata\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Akinori Ogata<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/justin-carroll\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Justin Carroll<\/a>. Their 2026 racing plans boil down to whether or not they can find the proper funding to compete.<\/p>\n<p>Henderson Motorsports, however, is a different story. The team ran nine races in 2025 \u2014 eight with longtime driver <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/parker-kligerman\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Parker Kligerman<\/a> and one with <a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/tag\/patrick-emerling\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Patrick Emerling<\/a>. Sadly, team owner Charlie Henderson died in June, but the team ran the remaining four races after his death with his family at the helm.<\/p>\n<p>With 2025 in the rearview mirror, the question now turns to the future of Henderson for 2026 and beyond and if the team will survive long term without its namesake owner. The team has attempted the season opener at Daytona International Speedway for five consecutive years, so now it\u2019s a game of waiting to see if the famous No. 75 turns laps at The World Center of Racing in February.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/donate\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-perfmatters-preload=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/frontstretch-donate.avif\" width=\"728\" height=\"90\" alt=\"Donate to Frontstretch\" class=\"wp-image-1366571\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/a><br \/>\n<a class=\"m-a-box-avatar-url\" href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/author\/stephens\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Thanksgiving-Photo-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-150x150 size-150x150\" alt=\"\" itemprop=\"image\"  \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>NASCAR Content Director\u00a0at\u00a0Frontstretch<\/p>\n<p>Stephen Stumpf is the NASCAR Content Director for Frontstretch and is a three-year veteran of the site. His weekly column is \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/category\/stat-sheet\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Stat Sheet<\/a>,\u201d and he formerly wrote &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/frontstretch.com\/category\/four-burning-questions\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">4 Burning Questions<\/a>&#8221; for three years. He also writes commentaries, contributes to podcasts, edits articles and is frequently at the track for on-site coverage.<\/p>\n<p>Find Stephen on Twitter <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/stephen_stumpf\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external noopener noreferrer nofollow\">@stephen_stumpf<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"We\u2019ve reached the halfway point of the offseason, and the puzzle pieces of the 2026 NASCAR Craftsman Truck&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":361203,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[446],"tags":[49,48,634,82],"class_list":["post-361202","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nascar","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-nascar","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361202","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=361202"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361202\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/361203"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=361202"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=361202"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=361202"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}