The best way to describe last weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway is “yikes.”
The race featured more four-wide fuel saving, giving casual fans the impression that the racing is intense. But when the racing actually got intense, it was two-by-two gridlock for 10-12 rows and resulted in a very anticlimactic finish.
It’s yet another example of the Next Gen car not providing the racing we were told it would, becoming a dud at almost all racetracks except for intermediates.
That’s why fans have said time and again that the Xfinity Series provides the best racing in NASCAR, with some wishing that the Xfinity car became the Cup car with how it races. And this author agrees — the must-see racing action in NASCAR generally comes on Saturdays.
Several of the greatest finishes from the 2020s have come from NASCAR’s second-tier series.
However, it’s no secret that the Xfinity Series is in the midst of a driver etiquette issue. That all came to a head at Martinsville Speedway about a month ago, when everybody wrecked just about everybody else in the sprint to the finish.
Sure, the car provides some fantastic racing, but it doesn’t mean anything if the drivers behind the wheel don’t have enough driver etiquette to show the racing off.
Then there’s the Craftsman Truck Series.
In 2023, the Truck Series was seen as the laughingstock of the three premier series of NASCAR. That was prevalent in the championship race at Phoenix Raceway, where the entire Championship 4 found trouble in a quadruple-overtime farce that saw 29 additional laps of racing before a winner (and champion) was decided.
That was arguably the lowest point of the series since its inception in 1995. Drivers old and young, new and old, Cup and Xfinity — you name it — blasted the racing etiquette that the Truckers displayed that night.
Fast forward to 2024.
People’s fears were amplified after the final lap of the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway saw Taylor Gray go upside down in a crazy (yet avoidable) crash on the final lap.
But since then, the racing has been relatively clean. Yes, there’s been the occasional run-in, and a few hurt feelings, but for the most part, the racing product on track hasn’t involved drivers running through each other for position.
In fact, the Truck Series has gone 21 straight races without an overtime finish, leading all three series and breaking a Truck Series record.
They’ve cleaned up their act, unlike the Xfinity Series. Not to mention the finishes to a lot of those races have been more entertaining than that of the Cup Series.
It’s time to face a potential harsh reality: Somehow, some way, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series currently has the best all-around racing across all of NASCAR’s premier series.
In November 2023, that would be a blasphemous statement to make, but it’s true. Trucks may not have the flashiest racing like the Xfinity Series, or the talent of the Cup Series, but they do have a combination of what the other series are lacking: the respect the Xfinity Series lacks, and the ability to move around and race that the Cup Series lacks.
Having veteran presence certainly helps.
Aside from Jake Garcia, ThorSport Racing’s entire lineup consists of veteran champions with years of Truck Series experience. Some owner-drivers, such as Norm Benning and Justin Carroll, also have plenty of Truck Series experience with no interest in moving up. And at this point, you might as well label Corey Heim a Truck Series veteran, even though he’s in line to move up someday.
The Xfinity Series not only lacks veteran presence (aside from reigning champion Justin Allgaier), but also features several drivers who either moved up from the Truck Series or skipped the Truck Series altogether. That’s how you get the absolute messes like Martinsville, resulting in NASCAR needing to step in and intervene the next week with an 8 a.m. ET drivers’ meeting.
This season, we’ve seen a photo finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway, pit strategy (most notably a fuel mileage race at Rockingham Speedway) and some great racing at tracks like Homestead-Miami Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway. All of them clean and green to the end, with nothing but respect.
Maybe that will change as 2025 rolls on. But as it stands right now, if you’re looking for good racing and respectful driving, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series might be the series to watch.
In fact, you can start this Friday (May 2) at Texas Motor Speedway. Tune in to FOX Sports 1 at 8 p.m. ET to see the Truckers do battle again.
Truckin’ Tidbits
- TRICON Garage has picked up a couple of one-race sponsors. First, Brandon Jones will carry Amdro Pest Control on his No. 1 for Friday’s race at Texas. Meanwhile, 818 Tequila will sponsor Toni Breidinger at Nashville Superspeedway on May 30. The company, founded by Kendall Jenner, will then continue as an associate sponsor on Breidinger’s No. 5 for the rest of the 2025 season. Finally, Heim and sponsor Safelite have partnered with Foster Love for the entire month of May through the Safelite Foundation. As a result, Heim’s normal red-and-white No. 11 will feature a healthy mix of blue on his truck for the entire month, making for a beautiful paint scheme.
- It seems like Floridian Motorsports’ time in the Truck Series is over. Team owner Scott Osteen bought into Joey Gase Motorsports’ Xfinity team at the beginning of the year, but has not attempted a truck race this season. Now, one of Floridian’s trucks from last season (which was driven by Mason Maggio) is listed for sale on Facebook Marketplace — likely marking the end to any speculation of Floridian attempting any more races.
Follow @AnthonyDamcott on X.
Anthony Damcott joined Frontstretch in March 2022. Currently, he is an editor and co-authors Fire on Fridays (Fridays); he is also the primary Truck Series reporter/writer and serves as an at-track reporter. He has also assisted with short track content and social media, among other duties he takes/has taken on for the site. In 2025, he became an official member of the National Motorsports Press Association. A proud West Virginia Wesleyan College alum from Akron, Ohio, Anthony is now a grad student. He is a theatre actor and fight coordinator in his free time.
You can keep up with Anthony by following @AnthonyDamcott on X.