NASCAR
Chandler Smith Wins Penultimate Truck Race at Martinsville, Leads Ford Top-Four Sweep
RIDGEWAY, Va. – Friday’s Craftsman Truck Series Chase race at Martinsville Speedway was dominated by Front Row Motorsports and Ford. Title contender Layne Riggs led the way for the first 100-plus laps, only to open the door late for teammate Chandler Smith. Now a three-time winner on 2026, Smith’s win set up a Truck Series championship showdown.
Second-place starter and second in the championship Layne Riggs was a man on a mission in the early laps. The No. 34 Ford led the way uncontested across both stages, looking for maximum points and drawing to within a single-digit gap of Kaden Honeycutt. Only one natural caution flew between the stages, when Christian Eckes and Honeycutt sent Frankie Muniz for a spin.
A classic @MartinsvilleSwy move brings out the first caution of the night. pic.twitter.com/o4RJRnRlJB
— NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Trucks (@NASCAR_Trucks) October 30, 2026
Riggs would soon retake the lead to start Stage 3, while Honeycutt’s No. 11 was mired around fifth-place. Aside from a brief stint out front by 16-year-old Tristan McKee, the title contenders stayed like this as laps ticked by.
One pivotal restart with 12 laps left changed the course of this race, as Chandler Smith got the upper hand on teammate Layne Riggs. The No. 38 quickly scooted away from the outside lane with Ben Rhodes in tow, as Riggs settled in third-place. Further back on the restart, contact between McKee and Honeycutt sent the 11 out of the groove and back in the pack. With no further cautions, Smith took the checkers and Honeycutt was relegated to finish 14th.
“Just God’s plan all praise and glory to The Lord,” Smith said. “I mean, we’ve been through a very rough patch since The Chase started. We kept out heads down, we stayed faithful, and man, I’m truly just humbled right now for this experience. Martinsville’s been one on my bucket list to win for quite awhile. I struggled here for a bit, then when I went to Joe Gibbs Racing I had some fast cars. And then I had some fast trucks here too. Tonight, it just felt exactly how it needed to be. Very thankful for Front Row Motorsports, we got one more race to do with them. Very bittersweet, but man I’m very happy to deliver a clock to Bob Jenkins.”
Behind the top trio at the Martinsville checkers were: Ty Majeski and polesitter Tristan McKee. Thanks to Riggs not pulling off the win after leading 156 laps, he trails Honeycutt by 20 points heading into the season finale. Hear from both title contenders below.
.@LayneRiggs99 says he regrets not choosing the top on the last restart, but that would have left him vulnerable to a divebomb move, the 34 finished 3rd after leading 156 laps.
Heading to the Homestead finale down 20 points, Riggs calls it winner take all between the top 2… pic.twitter.com/fFKTJ0i9v9
— Peter Stratta (@peterstratta) October 31, 2026
.@TristanMckee_ impressed yet again leading laps and finishing 5th tonight, and says he initially thought Kaden Honeycutt was very mad at him post-race. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/LpHYW4HqIY
— Peter Stratta (@peterstratta) October 31, 2026
.@KadenWHoneycutt says he lacked rear grip all night and was thankfully bailed out by the 38 winning and not the 34.
Honeycutt did talk to McKee postrace and they are on good terms. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/YyZqhfNqJ7
— Peter Stratta (@peterstratta) October 31, 2026
20 points are all that separate Honeycutt or Riggs from the 2026 Craftsman Truck Series title next week. Homestead-Miami Speedway will crown one of these accomplished drivers as a NASCAR champion on Friday. The green flag will fly Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, NRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The top two contenders have won 10 times combined in 2026, and it may take another win for the ultimate Truck Series trophy.
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credit to David Jensen/Getty Images
