Nick Sanchez on pole at Homestead, Chandler Smith joins front row
NXTbets Pro | Published On: November 7, 2026
Sanchez pole edge
Nick Sanchez grabbed the pole for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway and set the tone for the finale before the field even rolled to green. Sanchez turned a lap of 32.756 seconds at 164.855 mph, then edged Chandler Smith by 0.086 seconds to lock down the top spot on the grid. That left Smith on the outside of the front row for a race that carries the biggest stakes of the season and puts both drivers in prime position for the start. Corey Heim qualified third, which kept him close to the front group and within striking distance as the championship race begins. The front of the field stayed compact through the first three spots, and that matters in a race built around track position, clean air and the challenge of making the most of each stint. Sanchez did the job in qualifying and now starts from the best possible place at Homestead, with Smith beside him and Heim right behind.
Homestead lineup
The rest of the top five also settled into place with little room to spare. Layne Riggs qualified fourth and Kaden Honeycutt took fifth, giving the championship contenders a strong foothold near the front of the 35-car starting lineup. The session did not cut the field down at the edge, and no drivers failed to qualify, which left the starting order fully intact for the final points-paying event of the Truck Series season. That full field shapes the opening laps, because every position in the top group carries weight when the race is this short in the context of a title fight and this long in miles. Homestead will send 35 trucks to the green flag, and the first five spots alone feature three clear championship-adjacent storylines, from Sanchez on the pole to Honeycutt and Riggs locked into their own battle inside the top five. The setup gives the lead pack a clear target, but it also keeps the traffic behind them in play from the start.
Championship race
Honeycutt arrives at the finale with a 20-point lead over Riggs, and that gap gives the closing race a direct title hook. The driver who finishes ahead of the other between Honeycutt and Riggs in the standings wins the 2026 Truck Series title, which puts their every lap at Homestead under a clear championship spotlight. The race itself is set for 134 laps and 201 miles, a distance that leaves room for strategy but also demands steady execution from the opening green flag to the checkered. Stage breaks are scheduled at laps 30, 60 and 134, so the race will keep forcing decisions at regular intervals as teams manage position and pace. That structure matters because the championship is on the line and the event is the final points-paying race of the season. Honeycutt and Riggs both start near the front, but the standings margin means the title chase can shift quickly with one mistake, one strong restart or one key pass. Homestead gives them one last chance to settle it on track, and the race format sets up several points where the battle can change shape before the finish.
