NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Preview: Black’s Tire 250

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Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia (unincorporated Henrico County).

Venue and schedule details: Richmond Raceway is a permanent 0.750-mile (1.207 km) D-shaped asphalt short track, often called “America’s premier short track.” It races somewhat like a superspeedway due to its unique shape, multiple grooves, and high speeds, with frequent contact.

Key specs include 14° banking in the turns, 8° on the 1,290-foot frontstretch, and 2° on the 860-foot backstretch; track width is about 60 feet plus a 10-foot apron. Turn radii are larger in Turns 1/4 than 2/3. The race distance is 250 laps (187.5 miles / ~301 km), with stages typically at laps 70/140/250.

Scheduled start is approximately 7:30 p.m. ET (some listings note later broadcast windows around 11:30 p.m. ET). Coverage is on FS1 (TV) and NRN (radio, with booth announcers including Alex Hayden and Todd Gordon). Practice and qualifying occur earlier Friday (around 1–6 p.m. ET windows depending on the source). It opens Richmond’s 80th anniversary NASCAR weekend, ahead of the Cup Series Cook Out 400 on Saturday.

Weather conditions: Forecasts for Richmond on August 14 point to warm, humid summer weather with highs near 89–91°F during the day, cooling to the low-to-mid 70s overnight. Expect partly to mostly cloudy skies with a 30–40% chance of showers/thunderstorms, especially afternoon into evening, and light winds (around 5 mph, variable/northerly). Track conditions could range from dry and grippy to potentially affected by isolated storms; humidity will be a factor for drivers and tire management.

Entry list and notable drivers: Roughly 39 entries (three will miss the field). Key full-time contenders include Layne Riggs (#34 Front Row Motorsports Ford), Kaden Honeycutt (#11 Tricon Garage Toyota), Chandler Smith (#38), Christian Eckes, Gio Ruggiero (#17 Tricon), Ty Majeski (#88 ThorSport Ford), Ben Rhodes, Grant Enfinger (#9), Daniel Hemric (#19 McAnally-Hilgemann Chevrolet), Stewart Friesen, Tyler Ankrum (#18), and others. Notable part-timers/guests: Corey Heim (#5 Tricon Toyota, 2025 champion and defending Richmond winner), Christopher Bell (Halmar Friesen), Shane van Gisbergen (#7 Spire Chevrolet, ineligible for points), Elliott Sadler (#25 Kaulig Ram), Brenden Queen (#12 Kaulig Ram, strong rookie contender with Langley Speedway ties), Connor Hall (#4 Niece), Tanner Gray (#15 Tricon, with Black’s Tire primary sponsorship), and local/alumni interest from Langley Speedway drivers. Black’s Tire also supports community/dealer activations.

Race history at Richmond: The Truck Series has raced here since 1995 (with a long hiatus before returning in 2020). Recent winners include Corey Heim (2025, from the pole), Ty Majeski (2024), Carson Hocevar (2023), Chandler Smith (2022), John Hunter Nemechek (2021), and Grant Enfinger (2020). Earlier multiple winners include Mike Skinner, Jack Sprague, and Tony Stewart (back-to-back in 2002–03). Chevrolet has the most historical manufacturer wins; recent races often feature stage battles, restarts, and short-track strategy. The track rewards drivers who can manage tires, find the preferred groove, and handle traffic/contact.

Recent driver forms and standings (after 16 races, post-IRP): Layne Riggs leads the points (approx. 716) with 5 wins, strong laps-led totals (~492), multiple poles/top-5s, and recent dominance including the IRP win. Kaden Honeycutt sits second (~616 points, 1 win, consistent top-10s). Chandler Smith is third (~563, 2 wins). Other strong recent performers include Christian Eckes, Gio Ruggiero, Ty Majeski (2024 Richmond winner), and Grant Enfinger. Corey Heim (part-time this year after the 2025 title) has 3 wins in limited starts and won here in 2025; he remains a top outright threat. Playoff pressure is building with the regular season winding down (top 10 typically advance after Race 18). Local short-track experience (e.g., Queen, Hall) could factor on the D-shaped oval.

Driver matchups and keys to the race: Riggs vs. the field for continued points dominance and another short-track win; Honeycutt looking to close the gap with consistency; Heim (if full speed) as the defending winner and speed threat against full-timers; Majeski and Smith for historical/recent Richmond success; Tricon Garage strength (Heim/Honeycutt/Ruggiero/Gray); guest stars like Bell and SVG adding unpredictability on a track that favors aggression and restarts. Strategy revolves around tire wear, track position on the multi-groove surface, stage points, and clean air vs. traffic. Night racing under the lights amplifies the short-track intensity.

DRIVER                                                 ODDS

Corey Heim                                        + 200

Layne Riggs                                        + 300

Ty Majeski                                          + 450

Christopher Bell                               + 600

Chandler Smith                                 + 700

Kaden Honeycutt                             + 1000

Shane Van Gisbergen                    + 1200

Christian Eckes                                  + 1600

Giovanni Ruggiero                          + 3000

Grant Enfinger                                  + 4000

Tyler Ankrum                                     + 4500

Landen Lewis                                     + 5000

Daniel Hemric                                   + 5000

Ben Rhodes                                        + 5500

Stewart Friesen                                + 7000

Jake Garcia                                         + 8000

Tanner Gray                                       + 10000

Corey Lajoie                                       + 11000

Parker Eatmon                                  + 11000

Nick Leitz                                            + 11000

Brenden Queen                                + 11000

Justin Haley                                        + 13000

Cole Butcher                                      + 13000

Andres Perez de Lara Gonzalez  + 15000

Connor Hall                                        + 15000

Elliott Sadler                                      + 15000

Kasey Kleyn                                        + 30000

Dawson Sutton                                 + 30000

Kris Wright                                         + 50000

Mason Massey                                  + 70000

Frankie Muniz                                   + 70000

Dystany Spurlock                             + 70000

Derek Lemke                                     + 70000

Timothy Tyrrell                                 + 100000

Timmy Hill                                          + 100000

Spencer Boyd                                    + 100000

Justin Carroll                                      + 100000

Caleb Costner                                    + 100000

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Thursday, August 13, 2026