Garcia Wins Truck Series Chase Opener at Bristol
Garcia Wins Truck Series Chase Opener at Bristol
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Key Points
1
Garcia’s No. 98 ThorSport Ford started from the back after rain canceled qualifying with eight trucks still waiting to run, but a strong strategy helped him gain track position and take the lead at the start of Stage 3.
2
Bayley Currey’s runner-up finish came in his first Truck Series start of the 2026 season; Currey, normally a truck chief at TRICON Garage, drove the team’s No. 5 Toyota.
3
Gio Ruggiero was the highest-finishing Chase driver in sixth, followed by William Sawalich in seventh; Ty Majeski and Grant Enfinger completed the rest of the Chase drivers in the top 10.
4
Justin Haley’s fourth-place result gave Kaulig Racing’s RAM program its first-ever Truck Series top-five finish.
5
Before finishing fifth in the Truck race, Tristan McKee had secured the 2026 ARCA Menards Series East championship at Bristol earlier the same day.
Jake Garcia won his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, capturing the Chase opener in his 94th start. The 21-year-old led 104 of 250 laps in the No. 98 ThorSport Ford and held off Bayley Currey by 1.305 seconds Yahoo Sports. Garcia started from the back after rain canceled qualifying, but strong strategy and execution helped him reach the front when it mattered most.
The victory ended ThorSport's 21-month winless drought dating to Ty Majeski's 2024 win at Phoenix Speedsport. It was a breakthrough result for Garcia, who nearly missed the Chase field entirely. Stewart Friesen finished third, with Justin Haley fourth and 16-year-old Tristan McKee fifth Cincinnati Sun.
Garcia Powers Through From Back of the Field
Garcia's No. 98 Ford drew an unfortunate starting position when rain wiped out the final rounds of qualifying with eight trucks still waiting to run Speedsport. Rather than struggle all day, Garcia's team made smart pit calls and track position calls. He took the lead at the start of Stage 3 with 20 laps remaining Yahoo Sports. Those final laps were crucial—Garcia controlled the finish line and crossed ahead of Currey by just over a second.
Layne Riggs Dominates Stages but Crashes Out Late
Layne Riggs swept both Stage 1 and Stage 2, dominating early race strategy and speed. But pit-road trouble and a loose wheel quickly unraveled his day. A late incident sent Riggs spinning, and he finished 32nd BGMSportsTrax. The loss hurt—Riggs led the Chase standings entering Bristol but now faces pressure from Kaden Honeycutt, who moved within three points of the lead after finishing eighth.
New Faces, New Finishes in the Top Five
Bayley Currey turned heads in his first Truck Series start of 2026, racing for TRICON Garage and finishing second in the No. 5 Toyota Catchfence. Currey normally works as a truck chief at the same team. Justin Haley's fourth-place result delivered Kaulig Racing's RAM program its first-ever Truck Series top-five finish. Tristan McKee capped a remarkable day with fifth place—just hours earlier, he'd secured the 2026 ARCA Menards Series East championship at the same track Yahoo Sports.
Chase Contenders Scatter in the Standings
The Chase field showed mixed results on Saturday. Gio Ruggiero was the highest-finishing Chase driver in sixth, followed by William Sawalich in seventh Cincinnati Sun. Ty Majeski and Grant Enfinger rounded out the Chase representatives in the top 10. Chandler Smith, ThorSport's other driver, finished 24th after a speeding penalty and mechanical trouble. The next Chase race heads to Kansas Speedway, where Garcia and Honeycutt will be the ones to beat.
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