Layne Riggs earns NASCAR Truck finale pole, but won't start in 1st

The final qualifying session of the 2025 NASCAR Truck season is complete, and the lineup is set for Friday night's title-decider at Phoenix Raceway.

Earlier in the day, NASCAR discovered a panel that was not permitted on the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford of Layne Riggs, resulting in a crew chief ejection, being sent to the rear of the field, and having to now serve a drive-through penalty during the race.

However, all of that did little to discourage Riggs, who rocketed to pole position over teammate Chandler Smith in a front row lockout for Front Row Motorsports. While he is not in contention for the driver's championship any longer, Riggs is still attempting to secure the owner's crown for FRM.

"I actually wasn't expecting that," said Riggs. "I feel like I kind of messed up that lap a little bit. I gave it my all there. I knew we were going to start in the back, but still wanted to see the potential we had and make sure the adjustments we made from our mock qualifying run (in practice) was better, and it was.

“Great job to my crew ... Four poles this year for the #34 truck, so that's a great accomplishment. The #38 truck as well in second, so good job by Chandler being up there. Gonna try to make it exciting tonight. I wish we could stay up there, but still just pleased with the speed after all the changes we had to make."

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Riggs' fast lap was 26.707s, beating Smith by just 0.017s. Brent Crews qualified third and Tanner Gray fourth, but the highest-qualifying title contender was Kaden Honeycutt in fifth.

Corey Heim, who enters the finale as the clear favorite, will start sixth. Defending Phoenix winner and reigning champion Ty Majeski is eighth, while Tyler Ankrum will have some work to do from 21st on the grid.

Other non-title contenders starting high up on the grid include Rajah Caruth in seventh, Gio Ruggiero in ninth, and Ben Rhodes in tenth.

Stefan Parsons, who added this race to his 2025 schedule just a few days ago after securing a one-race deal with Spire, will start 11th.

Driver

Manufacturer

Laps

Time

Interval

L. RiggsFront Row Motorsports

Ford

26.707

134.796

C. SmithFront Row Motorsports

Ford

+0.017

26.724

0.017

134.710

B. CrewsTRICON Garage

Toyota

+0.032

26.739

0.015

134.635

T. GrayTRICON Garage

Toyota

+0.035

26.742

0.003

134.620

K. HoneycuttHalmar Friesen Racing

Toyota

+0.040

26.747

0.005

134.595

C. HeimTRICON Garage

Toyota

+0.064

26.771

0.024

134.474

R. CaruthSpire Motorsports

Chevrolet

+0.143

26.850

0.079

134.078

T. MajeskiThorSport Racing

Ford

+0.171

26.878

0.028

133.939

G. RuggieroTRICON Garage

Toyota

+0.188

26.895

0.017

133.854

B. RhodesThorSport Racing

Ford

+0.250

26.957

0.062

133.546

S. ParsonsSpire Motorsports

Chevrolet

+0.293

27.000

0.043

133.333

C. LajoieSpire Motorsports

Chevrolet

+0.295

27.002

0.002

133.323

T. ReifNiece Motorsports

Chevrolet

+0.298

27.005

0.003

133.309

J. GarciaThorSport Racing

Ford

+0.332

27.039

0.034

133.141

J. WoodMcAnally Hilgemann Racing

Chevrolet

+0.340

27.047

0.008

133.102

A. Pérez de LaraNiece Motorsports

Chevrolet

+0.347

27.054

0.007

133.067

B. CurreyNiece Motorsports

Chevrolet

+0.352

27.059

0.005

133.043

C. ButcherHalmar Friesen Racing

Toyota

+0.360

27.067

0.008

133.003

D. HemricMcAnally Hilgemann Racing

Chevrolet

+0.366

27.073

0.006

132.974

C. MosackMcAnally Hilgemann Racing

Chevrolet

+0.378

27.085

0.012

132.915

T. AnkrumMcAnally Hilgemann Racing

Chevrolet

+0.415

27.122

0.037

132.734

D. SuttonRackley W.A.R.

Chevrolet

+0.452

27.159

0.037

132.553

G. EnfingerCR7 Motorsports

Chevrolet

+0.460

27.167

0.008

132.514

L. BaldwinThorSport Racing

Ford

+0.477

27.184

0.017

132.431

M. CraftonThorSport Racing

Ford

+0.794

27.501

0.317

130.904

T. BreidingerTRICON Garage

Toyota

+0.845

27.552

0.051

130.662

S. BoydFreedom Racing Enterprises

Chevrolet

+0.895

27.602

0.050

130.425

F. MunizReaume Brothers Racing

Ford

+0.920

27.627

0.025

130.307

N. ByrdYoung's Motorsports

Chevrolet

+1.076

27.783

0.156

129.576

C. GreenReaume Brothers Racing

Ford

+1.317

28.024

0.241

128.461

G. Van AlstVan Alst Motorsports

Chevrolet

+1.900

28.607

0.583

125.843

M. MaggioReaume Brothers Racing

Ford

+1.926

28.633

0.026

125.729

C. CostnerMike Harmon Racing

Toyota

M. MillsNiece Motorsports

Chevrolet

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