The Craftsman Truck Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway will have no shortage of storylines to follow. This race has a packed entry list.
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This race will feature series regulars, an action sports icon, multiple Cup Series drivers, a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Let's go through some of the names we know, starting with the announced guest drivers.
In the same race together. Let's effing GO. https://t.co/TJMBY4q3DF pic.twitter.com/o3kSzQLzSP
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Daytona Truck Series entry list guests
- Travis Pastrana - For the first time since the 2023 season, Pastrana will return to the Craftsman Truck Series. He will join Niece Motorsports and drive the No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST.
- Tony Stewart - What started as an off the cuff question has since become a reality. The Hall of Famer will make his first Truck start since 2005. He will drive for Kaulig Racing as the team makes its series debut with Ram.
- Carson Hocevar - The Cup Series driver will return to the series in which he has five wins. He will drive for Spire Motorsports while showcasing IKEA and Best Buy as his primary sponsors.
- Corey LaJoie - The veteran driver will return to the Truck Series for another start at Daytona, but he will join a different team. He will drive for Henderson Motorsports.
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr. - A two-time winner at Daytona, including a Daytona 500, Stenhouse has never competed in the Truck Series. That changes now. He will join Niece Motorsports to make his series debut.
- John Hunter Nemechek - A former Truck Series championship contender, Nemechek returns for a one-off start. He will drive the No. 62 Toyota for Halmar Friesen Racing while seeking his first superspeedway win in the third-tier series.
- Michael McDowell - A former Daytona 500 winner, McDowell will return to the Truck Series for a start with Spire Motorsports. He will drive the No. 7 Chevrolet.
Some notable returning full-time competitors
The entry list will feature no shortage of big names, such as two-time champion Ben Rhodes, 2024 champion Ty Majeski, perennial championship contender Grant Enfinger, and former Martinsville winner Daniel Hemric.
The field will also feature some drivers who return in new roles. This includes Kaden Honeycutt, who replaces champion Corey Heim in the No. 11 Toyota.
- Stewart Friesen - The series veteran will return to the No. 52 Halmar Friesen Toyota after recovering from a broken hip and leg. He will once again compete full-time after missing nine races last season.
- Justin Haley - The veteran driver will return to the Truck Series while reuniting with Kaulig Racing, his former team in Xfinity (2019-2021) and Cup (2022-2023). He will drive the No. 16 Ram 1500
- Brenden "Butterbean" Queen - The reigning ARCA Menards Series champion will move full-time to the Cup Series. He will also join Kaulig Racing to drive the No. 12 Ram 1500.
- Christian Eckes - Another championship contender, Eckes returns to the Truck Series after one season in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series. He will reunite with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing while trying to take care of "unfinished business." He and the team finished third in the championship standings in 2023.
