What’s Happening?

After a handful of exhibition NASCAR Cup Series races run in the last couple of weeks, it is now time for the truckers of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series to take to the World Center of Racing. This race has the potential to set the pace for the season and define a driver’s career. Here’s what you need to keep an eye on in tonight’s Fresh From Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway.

• After a long offseason cloaked in tragedy following the untimely death of Greg Biffle, YouTube sensation, Cleetus McFarland, buckled in to make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut. Sporting a No. 4 in the iconic Biffle font, McFarland was trying to Be Like Biff here tonight. He rolled off 12th in this next promising step toward his dream of starting in the Daytona 500.
• Two main drivers make their long-awaited returns to the trucks tonight. First up, obviously, is Tony Stewart, making his first NASCAR start since his retirement in 2016. This start comes with the returning manufacturer RAM in the Kaulig Racing No. 25 entry. He rolls off 15th tonight, the highest qualifying of the RAM trucks. Also returning tonight were Travis Pastrana (No. 44) and Stewart Friesen (No. 52) who broke his leg in a scary dirt late model incident last year, returned from injury.
• In the 2025-26 offseason, NASCAR upped the number of races NASCAR Cup Series drivers can run in the lower series from 5 to 8. So, we were bound to see some familiar faces in the field tonight. Two Daytona 500 champions in Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (No. 45) and Michael McDowell (No. 7) graced the field while Corey LaJoie (No. 75) and Justin Haley (No. 10) returned to the truck series.
• After more than a decade away, RAM is back in NASCAR with five trucks. Brenden Queen kicks off his first ever full-time truck season in the Kaulig No. 12 while Mini Tyrell makes his debut in the No. 14.
• Absent from tonight’s field, notably, is 2025 Truck Champion, Cleetus McFarland. As he moves on from the truck series, Kaden Honeycutt takes over the wheel of the No. 11 Tricon entry. He’s oping to replicate the success that that team had over the course of the last three seasons.

What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.