Chandler Smith led the final 105 laps, delivered Front Row Motorsports a 1-2 finish and beat Layne Riggs by a Truck Series short-track record 8.479 seconds in the Faith Fest 250.
Race Summary
Chandler Smith did not need a last-lap opening this time. One year after leading only the final circuit to win at North Wilkesboro Speedway, Smith controlled the last 105 laps of the Faith Fest 250 and drove away from Front Row Motorsports teammate Layne Riggs. The official gap was 8.479 seconds, the largest margin of victory on a short track in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series history.
Smith took the lead off pit road for the Lap 152 restart and never gave it back. The final 99 laps ran without a caution, so the No. 38 had to manage traffic, tires and the hottest stretch of the afternoon without a reset. Riggs restarted eighth and worked back to second by Lap 210, but Smith was already gone. He led every lap in the final stage, collected his second straight North Wilkesboro win and earned the ninth Truck Series victory of his career.
The result gave Front Row Motorsports the same top two as 2025, but the route was completely different. Last year's finish turned on late contact and a caution. This one became a long green-flag demonstration of Smith's pace and control.
How the Race Unfolded
Pole winner Riggs led the field to green, but Carson Hocevar moved ahead on the opening lap and established the early pace. Riggs reclaimed the lead on Lap 51 and won Stage 1. Smith was already positioned for the second half, finishing third in the opening stage while keeping the bodywork intact.
Pit strategy mixed the order in Stage 2. Jake Garcia stayed out to lead the restart, Hocevar returned to the front and Ty Majeski took command after another round of stops. Hocevar's day changed on Lap 138 when a cut left-front tire sent the No. 77 up the track. He had led 74 laps, but the unscheduled stop cost two laps and eventually left him 27th. Majeski won Stage 2, with Smith second.
Once the final stage began, the race belonged to Smith. Riggs reached second with 40 laps remaining, and Shane van Gisbergen later took third from Christian Eckes, but neither could close the gap. Van Gisbergen matched his best NASCAR national-series finish on an oval. Eckes held fourth, and Landen Lewis backed up his Lime Rock runner-up with a second consecutive top five.
The heat was a defining part of the afternoon. Drivers relied on extra water, ice bags and cooling equipment, and several needed attention after climbing from their trucks. Only the first 10 trucks remained on the lead lap when Smith completed the 250th circuit.
Final Top 10
| Pos | Car | Driver | Start | Laps Led | FJ Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 38 | Chandler Smith | 9 | 105 | 73.5 |
| 2 | 34 | Layne Riggs | 1 | 25 | 53.5 |
| 3 | 71 | Shane van Gisbergen | 19 | 0 | 40.0 |
| 4 | 91 | Christian Eckes | 18 | 0 | 49.0 |
| 5 | 45 | Landen Lewis | 16 | 0 | 38.0 |
| 6 | 17 | Giovanni Ruggiero | 5 | 0 | 41.0 |
| 7 | 7 | Chase Elliott | 6 | 1 | 42.1 |
| 8 | 52 | Stewart Friesen | 10 | 0 | 40.0 |
| 9 | 5 | Corey Heim | 4 | 0 | 40.0 |
| 10 | 88 | Ty Majeski | 27 | 23 | 44.3 |
Fantasy Recap
Smith was the slate's decisive anchor. The win, 17 stage points, 105 laps led and the verified fastest green-flag lap produced 73.5 FantasyJolt points at a $13 salary. Assigning him to the A slot doubled that contribution to 147 points. Riggs added 53.5 base points from the runner-up finish, Stage 1 win and 25 laps led, while Eckes reached 49 through a fourth-place finish and points in both stages.
Majeski was the strongest recovery play near the front of the scoring table. He started 27th, won Stage 2, led 23 laps and finished 10th for 44.3 points. Hocevar showed the other side of dominator scoring: 74 laps led and a second-place Stage 1 result kept him at 30.4 points even after the tire problem dropped him to 27th.
The $50 cap forced the perfect lineup to reach much deeper than the top five finishers. Dawson Sutton supplied 25 points at $5 after finishing 16th, and Kris Wright's $4 salary made the final combination legal even with an 11-point day. Smith, Riggs, Eckes, Sutton and Wright produced 356.38 multiplied points on exactly $50. The best submitted public lineup scored 324 points, 90.9% of the perfect total, while the top Asphalt Jungle lineup reached 312.5.
Timmy Hill in the No. 56 and Landon Huffman in the No. 75 were the two DNQs from the 38-truck qualifying field. They remained inactive in FantasyJolt and received no race-result points; any saved lineup that carried either driver correctly took a zero for that slot.
Perfect FantasyJolt Lineup
| Group | Driver | Salary | Finish | Base Points | Weighted Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Chandler Smith | $13 | 1 | 73.5 | 147.0 |
| B | Layne Riggs | $15 | 2 | 53.5 | 93.63 |
| C | Christian Eckes | $13 | 4 | 49.0 | 73.5 |
| D | Dawson Sutton | $5 | 16 | 25.0 | 31.25 |
| E | Kris Wright | $4 | 30 | 11.0 | 11.0 |
Looking Ahead
Smith leaves North Wilkesboro with two wins in 2026 and two victories in two Truck starts at the restored short track. Riggs extended his championship lead, while the battle around the final postseason transfer spot tightened with three regular-season races remaining. The series heads next to Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
By the Numbers
- 105 laps led: All of them in the final stage for Chandler Smith.
- 8.479 seconds: Smith's official margin over Layne Riggs.
- 99 laps: The caution-free run to the finish.
- 74 laps led: Carson Hocevar's total before a cut tire derailed his race.
- 4 cautions: Covering 34 laps.
- 7 lead changes: Shared among six drivers.
- 19.148 seconds: Smith's verified fastest green-flag lap, set on Lap 157.
- 356.38 points: The perfect FantasyJolt lineup on a $50 salary.